Macwester 27 cockpit drain.

R

ronmarson

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The cockpit drains on my Macwester 27 empty under the boat, causing them to be almost useless in a real swamping. (In fact they struggle to clear water when I throw a few buckets of water around to wash things down)
Has anyone tried running a drain out the back?
I was thinking of one large bore hole through the aft end of the cockpit and piping it past the steering column and out the transom.
I suppose all the 27's were fitted the same, so I am sure it must have been modified by someone out there.
Capt. RoN
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Big drain out the back not a bad idea if you can arrange it, and you think big boarding waves are likely. My cockpit drains are fairly useless but there's not much scope to improve them unless I start running pipes right through accommodation spaces.

One thing you might check before taking on the job is whether the existing hoses are clear. I recently replaced the long run of hose that takes both of my drains to a single seacock; it had a dip in the middle (which I eliminated when fitting the new one) and in that dip were a load of 5mm ball bearings, several nuts and bolts, and a chunk of brass bar. Even with a clear run the draining speed won't be great, but that debris certainly wasn't helping.

Pete
 
ronmarson said:
The cockpit drains on my Macwester 27 empty under the boat, causing them to be almost useless in a real swamping. (In fact they struggle to clear water when I throw a few buckets of water around to wash things down)
Has anyone tried running a drain out the back?
I was thinking of one large bore hole through the aft end of the cockpit and piping it past the steering column and out the transom.
I suppose all the 27's were fitted the same, so I am sure it must have been modified by someone out there.
Capt. RoN
.
Click to expand...


I think the cockpit drains are only about an inch above the waterline so you ar'nt going to see a rapid flow.Sounds like you are suggesting altering it to a position which is even shallower than it is now Ron.
I have two drains at the back of the cockpit floor in a little recess, one extreme Port the other extreme Starboard & I can't see how they could be improved upon.They drain through two great big seacocks about a foot down through the bottom of the boat & below cockpit moulding.You can see them by looking aft of the rear most inspection hatch above the prop shaft.Sounds to me like the change you are suggesting Ron would be more likely to have water siphoning back into the boat.
 
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Thanks Nichplas,
Your sound the same as mine except mine drain(?) straight down through the bottom of the boat some way underwater.

Thanks Pete,
I have stripped them down and they are clear, it's the design that stops fast draining.
So far I have not had a wave over the back, but they are not even good enough to drain the wash down water.
I was hoping that some one had drilled straight out the back and through the transom. I know this might allow some water to enter the cockpit with a big following sea but it would drain out again just as quick.
There would be little or no fall on the drain as the cockpit is quite deep, and the exit point will be only a smidgen over the waterline, but a cockpit that drains so slowly (3 mins. for a bucket of water) must be dangerous.
I will try it and report back. (when I have finished the head lining) and (the cushions) and ( repaired and refitted the toilet) and............
Capt. RoN
 
Hello Capt RoN,

NickRobinson asked if your drain hoses were crossed? My Rowan has the same situation as your Big Mac, and the drain hoses are crossed - as they should be. This does help with cockpit draining when heeled over. The reason I ask is because I saw a Rowan last year with 'straight' drain hoses, which, of course, will prevent draining when heeled over.

As for your other suggestion, have you asked on the Macwester Owners' Forum? You may find some help and suggestions there.

Geoff
 
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Appledore said:
NickRobinson asked if your drain hoses were crossed? My Rowan has the same situation as your Big Mac, and the drain hoses are crossed - as they should be. This does help with cockpit draining when heeled over. The reason I ask is because I saw a Rowan last year with 'straight' drain hoses, which, of course, will prevent draining when heeled over.
Click to expand...

Unless the boat heels enough for the seacock to be above sea level, it wouldn't make any difference.
 
I don't have experiece of the Macwester. but I used to sail on a T24 which had two drains directly out of the transom at cockpit sole level. These were si,ply tubes glassed in and they worked admirably well. Being straight tubes, we rigged sorbo rubber balls with holes drilled through them and threaded with bungee so they could be pulled up to stop the holes on the outside in a following sea. Simple and foolproof.

Rob.
 
ronmarson said:
Thanks Nichplas,
Your sound the same as mine except mine drain(?) straight down through the bottom of the boat some way underwater.
Click to expand...

That's exactly the same as mine Ron except mine dos'nt take three minutes to drain a gallon of water.I've never timed it but I'd say it was more like 20 seconds.Have you tried opening & closing your seacocks a few times? Maybe they are jammed half closed or something?
About the last thing I would be worried about is a wave coming over the stern,they seem fantastic seaboats & that has never given me a moments concern.
Maybe you have got more weight at the stern of your boat meaning that the cockpit drains are barely above sea level that would effect the flow would'nt it? I can tell you that I can look down my drains when the boat is afloat & I reckon the water level is about 1" possibly two below the drain surface.With the water line outside about 1" possibly two up the transom (I'll check next time I'm down there but my boats got no weight in the stern at the moment with practically no Diesel & the batteries removed) It varies quite a lot according to the amount of Diesel onboard & batteries etc & I think it's quite easy to alter the trim balancing it out with the amount of fresh water stowed up front & other gubbins.
I would be worried about drilling a hole in the transom incase I altered the water level still further putting the cockpit drains below sea level.I hope this helps.
 
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"I would be worried about drilling a hole in the transom incase I altered the water level still further putting the cockpit drains below sea level.I hope this helps."


This is a very valid point. A few years ago I made a box for my Camping Gaz cylinder and housed it in the cockpit locker, well above the water line. I drilled a hole in the transom for a bronze through-hull fitting and ran an armoured hose from that and into the side of the gas box, at its lowest point of entry. The result was, and still is. that the box gets a layer of sea water in the bottom! So, really, the gas vent is of no use at all!

G
 
Thanks Nicholas,
all thoughts from others helps. It's just a matter of opening my mind.
I agree the likelihood of a wave coming over the back is small but when it happens I will be megga peed off if I haven't addressed this now that I have identified it.
Doubt I will get to it this winter, the head lining is taking up far too much time..
Thanks for your thoughts.
R
 
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