MS 400 Cockpit drains

[welippisch]

Curious as to why the cockpit drains are below the waterline in the MS 400. They do have stopcocks because of this. It seems that they drain very slowly because of the back pressure while in the water. Does it make sense?

An incident I'd like to pass on - I could not figure out how fresh water was filling up the engine bilge after a heavy rain. It seems that a cockpit drain became clogged by barnacles, it just happened to be the one that also drains the lazeratte cover drain. During heavy rains the cover drain would then overflow and leak into the lazertte. The water in turn seems to run forward thru the weep hole into the ER. From there it runs into the sealed engine bilge. I'd have to pump it out each time into the bilge under the shaft.

Anyone else experience this?

 

[Shrew]

Cockpit drains don't drain UP. Are you SURE they are actually below the water line?? If that were the case, your cockpit would be a bathtub in heavy rains.

 

[Skipjack99]

I used to get tons of water in the lazertte after heavy rains until I figured out what I believe was the culprit. The two drain holes underneath the cockpit access door on opposite sides would get clogged from debris. Any particles on the boat (dry leaves, spiderwebs, bugs, etc.) would make its way into the channels under the cockpit access door every time I rinsed off the boat or it rained. Now I make it a habit to always wipe down the entire channel, door, and drains every time the boat gets wet.

Since doing so, I have not had water in the lazertte for several years now.

As far as the cockpit drains draining slowly, I have to regularly remove the caps with a spanner wrench to clean out any debris which get in there as well. This usually speeds the drain. In addition, the hoses for which these drains are attached may also have debris lodged in them as well.

 

[Bacchus]

On the MS 34T/HT the cockpit drains are under the swim platform but above water line. Check to confirm but I doubt they are below WL.
They do need a good flush once in awhile to make sure they are clear especially a hatch drain that tends to collect debris.

 

[Shrew]

The cockpit scuppers are IN the deck of the cockpit. They should be connected to through-hulls. Which are we describing as being below the waterline. The cockpit scuppers or the through-hulls??