25931
Well-known member
Have you tried the Seamaster Owners ?
Does anyone know what these 2 large holes in my transom could be for?
- Thread starter Crinan12
- Start date
Crinan12
Active member
Yeah - no one knows and they weren't fitted to any other seamasters!
Aeolus
Well-known member
Are they below the level of the hatch on the inside of the transom? If so, then I would guess that a previous owner wanted additional cockpit drains, perhaps because he suffered a blockage in the primary cockpit drains and the cockpit filled and started to flood the boat, or for some reason when the boat was unattended, he wanted to close the seacock on the cockpit drains and needed an alternative route for the cockpit to drain.
If they above the bottom of the hatch in the cockpit, then i guess they must have been put in to allow something to pass through the transom, but I cannot for the life of me think what it could have been.
Crinan12
Active member
They are level with the hatch - they come in either side of the hatch actually. And the pipes extend about 30mm into the cockpit.
Spirit (of Glenans)
Well-known member
Having seen the schooner C.A. Thayer at the San Fransisco Maritime National Park, I would posit the theory that perhaps she had been adapted for loading lumber through the transom
Aeolus
Well-known member
Then unlikely to be for drainage. Very weird. My 925 transom fortunately has nothing weird like that. In your place, I would have them removed and reglassed on the basis that a boat doesn't need any unnecessary holes.
Pump-Out
Active member
Some channelling for some form of emergency steering gear, with the old rudder mounts long gone?
Rappey
Well-known member
My friends Rustler 36 has a cockpit drain out through the transom , about 75 diameter but at floor level, and two forward floor drains. ,
It is very good at draining the wave that has just gone in through the transom pipe !
My thoughts, Washboards in and a cockpit full of sea, I would imagine it's coming in a fair bit round the edges of the washboard, therefore desirable to drain down below washboards as quick as possible , from then on usual cockpit drains would suffice ? Hence drains through transom?
Are there self steering systems where you have to put a large tube through the transom?
I've only seen brackets that bolt to the transom.
It is very good at draining the wave that has just gone in through the transom pipe !
My thoughts, Washboards in and a cockpit full of sea, I would imagine it's coming in a fair bit round the edges of the washboard, therefore desirable to drain down below washboards as quick as possible , from then on usual cockpit drains would suffice ? Hence drains through transom?
Are there self steering systems where you have to put a large tube through the transom?
I've only seen brackets that bolt to the transom.
Crinan12
Active member
Bouba
Well-known member
I also think they are drains. One for the dishwasher and the other for the washing machine
Daydream believer
Well-known member
Although the OP says that they are 200mm above the floor, if the boat were heeled the depth of water may actually be significantly less. It may be that the existing drains do not work so well when the boat is tipped over. If the drains are like mine with springs in them to stop small items disappearing down them they can easily be lost. Trouble is that if I leave the boat for a while debris can block the holes & then the cockpit fills up with rain water. It may be that a previous owner put these in as a backup.
In my experience typical cockpit drains are often too small for a really good "pooping" & although cockpits are supposed to be self draining some have lockers where water can easily get below if the boat heels over before the cockpit drains out. I have, on the odd occasion had a foot of water in the cockpit which slops about & can get under locker lids. It takes a while to go. This is not good if one is in a choppy bit of water when a few nasty dollops come over in quick succession. The pipes shown in the opening thread would be a boon in that situation & being higher up would avoid the odd "backslap" coming aboard without the added complication of fitting flaps
The self steering theory is not so good, because having any through controls at that level would make them very difficult to use. Any structural fitting would fit direct to the transom. There is one type of self steering system that does go through the stern ( forget the name) but I believe the controls then feed on to the rudder post but I am not certain. However, it would not apply here.
In my experience typical cockpit drains are often too small for a really good "pooping" & although cockpits are supposed to be self draining some have lockers where water can easily get below if the boat heels over before the cockpit drains out. I have, on the odd occasion had a foot of water in the cockpit which slops about & can get under locker lids. It takes a while to go. This is not good if one is in a choppy bit of water when a few nasty dollops come over in quick succession. The pipes shown in the opening thread would be a boon in that situation & being higher up would avoid the odd "backslap" coming aboard without the added complication of fitting flaps
The self steering theory is not so good, because having any through controls at that level would make them very difficult to use. Any structural fitting would fit direct to the transom. There is one type of self steering system that does go through the stern ( forget the name) but I believe the controls then feed on to the rudder post but I am not certain. However, it would not apply here.
Crinan12
Active member
Yeah makes sense
Someone did comment that my regular floor cockpit drains weren't that great. There are 2 small drain holes that join into one pipe below the cockpit floor - apparently better to have a separate pipe for each drain - in case of blockage
stu9000
Active member
Wind vane steering cables?
Dipper
Well-known member
Just another idea although Topcat touched on it. Does your gas locker drain into the cockpit? These may have been fitted below the level of the washboard to drain gas out before it spills down below. Cockpit drains are below water level so can't be used to drain gas.
Crinan12
Active member
Is that the wee vent thing you mean? It goes out the transom
But surely 2 large holes through the transom would be OTT for gas locker?
But surely 2 large holes through the transom would be OTT for gas locker?
Dipper
Well-known member
Not gas then. I agree. The holes are really too big for gas. Seawater drains does seem the most likely explanation.
