Transom Drain and the other Drain

[ceelonium]

Hi all, just took my boat out after a good year of sitting. I have a fiberglass Hull - it's a Lonestar from the late 50's I think 12 or 14 ft.

So I put the boat in the lake and forgot to plug the drain at the back of the boat. I hopped in after just a minute and put a wine cork in to stop the water coming in (successfully). Not much water got into the boat thankfully.

My question is: After I scooped out most of the water, I noticed that there is another drain plug near the transom drain plug. This second drain is not on the transom - but rather faces the port side of the boat but is located just a few inches from the transom drain plug.

Is this some kind of Bilge drain? I noticed that water is coming out of there as well - but only fills to the top of the tub area where the transom drain is located. As I continue scooping this out the little tub area continues to fill with water from this drain but the water only fills to a certain level and then no more. Is this normal or is there excess water in the hull somewhere?

Any advice is always greatly appreciated

 

[saumon]

Re: Transom Drain and the other Drain

A pic would help. You said there's "another drain plug". Is this really another drain with a plug or simply a thru hull drain fitting (hole)?

It could be the bilge pump discharge but, in this case, it's supposed to be above the water level and I don't think this layout of boat have a livewell. Whatever it is, water isn't supposed to enter at all.

Is this a similar model to this one? 1960 Lone Star 14' BOAT W/ TOW TRAILER Akron, Ohio | Phoenix Indoor Auto Sales

Another question that comes to mind is how in hell did you happen to have a wine cork ready? Just sayin...

 

[ceelonium]

Re: Transom Drain and the other Drain

Thanks for the reply. Yes my boat is very similar to the one you sent the link of.

I am unable to upload pics at the time - but basically at the end of the back of boat in the center where the transom drain plug is, there is a little sink area that is basically recessed into the floor. It's not a livewell or anything to put fish into - it just seems like a little tub area that allows for excess water. This little tub has the transom drain plug - and then on the port side of the little tub is a hole that leads under the floor basically. whenever I scoop water out from this tub, more water seems to be coming into the tub from that hole.

I'll try to post pics as soon as I can

 

[saumon]

Re: Transom Drain and the other Drain

That "little tub" you describe ("sink" area recessed in the floor) is the bilge and this exact function is to collect excess water that get into the boat. Now from your description, that other hole is the drain that run between the stringers under the deck and is there to direct any water that get in to the bilge.

Your condition is anormal. No water at all should come from there when docked or at rest. A continuous flow from that drain mean the structural integrity of the hull is compromised, a fancy way of saying the hull is cracked. Ah, and everything under the deck may also be shot! Sorry, but it's bad news...

 

[Mel Taylor]

Re: Transom Drain and the other Drain

Another question that comes to mind is how in hell did you happen to have a wine cork ready? Just sayin...

From now on I'm going to keep a new emergency kit in my boat consisting of a bottle of wine and a corkscrew with the following instructions on the bottle: In case of missing drain plug, use corkscrew to free cork from bottle. To prevent cork from leaking, be careful to not force corkscrew all the way through cork. Drink wine and use cork as temporary replacement for missing drain plug. Replace drain plug and wine at earliest possible moment after reaching land.

 

[saumon]

Re: Transom Drain and the other Drain

From now on I'm going to keep a new emergency kit in my boat consisting of a bottle of wine and a corkscrew with following instructions on the bottle: In case of missing drain plug, use corkscrew to free cork from bottle. To prevent cork from leaking, be careful to not force corkscrew all the way through cork. Drink wine and use cork as temporary replacement for missing drain plug. Replace drain plug and wine at earliest possible moment after reaching land.

I think it should be a mandatory CG requirement!

 

[Grandad]

Re: Transom Drain and the other Drain

My guess is that there is a chamber under the floor that is intended to remain dry for flotation purposes. I'm not sure why it's been plugged unless to provide a "double hull" for security in case you get a hole in the outer hull. Obviously carrying around a chamber with water in it is of no benefit and will only make the boat heavy and sluggish. If water has been trapped in the chamber for a long time, any foam flotation within the chamber is likely saturated and will take an eternity to drain and never dry out, even with both plugs removed. - Grandad

 

[ceelonium]

Re: Transom Drain and the other Drain

Thanks all for the reply. Because water got into the boat due to my not plugging the boat prior to putting it in the water, could it be that some water got into this stringer area and I just need to continue removing the excess water until it dries completely right?

The reason I say this is because the water doesn't continue coming in to the boat, but there's enough always in the bilge to fill the bilge - but it doesn't actually go any further up than this.

Thanks again I will get a shop vac and try to pump all the water out and hopefully it's not as bad a scenario as structural or hull damage.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Transom Drain and the other Drain

The second plug is to drain the boid between the sole (floor) and the outer hull..... it is replaced to keep rain water from reaching that area... Pull the boat out of the water.... Remove all plugs and elevate the bow as high as practical..... Once all water has drained plug BOTH drains before launching.

Once the boat is in the water periodically remove the second internal plug and check for water.... If water appears you have a leak or saturated foam that is still dribbling out water.