Draining the Bilge on the Hard

[S/V_Surya]

I would drill from the outside under the keel next time it is hauled. Thinking 1/2 inch hole threaded into the fiberglass. Pull it for winter haul out and epoxy in place at spring launch. That is add epoxy thickened with silica up into hole and then add the plug.

[jfssail]

Some of us have masts that cannot be completly from rain water. Each winter, while on the hard, my bilge accumulates over 3 gallons of water each month requiring a 5 hour round trip drive each month to pump out water or remove ice from the bilge.
This past winter I drilled a 1/4 " hole at the low point in the bilge. I then sealed the surfaces with some clear epoxy. I added enough epoxy to the hole such that the 1/4 " SS round head bolt has to be almost threaded into the hole from the outside. I used two flat washers, two 1" flat fawcet neoprene gaskets, lock washer and nut to plug the hole this Spring.
This set-up kept the water level in the bilge this past winter to 1/2". the distance the hole is off the bottom of the bilge.

Jack F Stewart
1993 C36 #1233 "Windancer"
Port Clinron, OH

[SabreKai]

For what its worth, I drilled a 1 inch diameter hole in the bilge of my second boat, a 38 foot North Sea fishing cutter, built of Oak on oak framing. That worked fine. I also drilled a hole in the keel of my HO28 which was a steel boat. My current steel boat has a threaded hole in the keel at the bottom of the bilge sump. For the Grampian 26s I owned, I never drilled a hole in the bilge but it would have made things easier. Both of them used to get water about 3-4 inches deep building up over the winter. Scooping up ice water is no fun. Mopping it up with a sponge is even less fun. Your fingers turn blue from the cold.

Id say that if you did drill the hole, and sealed the bore sides with epoxy, you should have no problems. How to reseal it is a good question. If you haul out every winter, I'd be inclined to plug the hole with a Bolt, washer, washer nut arrangement with some sealer. That way you could remove it when ever you need the drain. 1/2 inch diameter works well.


Sabre

[Patient]

I found this on the web and thought it was informative.

The interesting tidbit was the decision to glass and bottom paint over the plug once it is installed. When on the hard it is chipped away with a chisel then the plug drained.

Pearson 10M Garboard Plug installation.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

smart ass answer......
fix the rainwater leaks.

or the actual answer.....
yes you can, using a garboard drain as seen here Pearson 10M Garboard Drain

Patient........I Beat ya to it!!!!!