Self Bailing Hoses Open or Close??

I'm pretty happy with the my newer boat. I have dealt with nearly all current concerns except this one. Water in the bilge coming from the two fittings on the transom that hook up to the deck drain hoses. They sit below water when sitting still. It supposed to be self bailng, and for the most part it is. Let me state at this time that I HATE working in the hull! Would it make any sense at all to just close them off completely at the transom and disconnect the hoses so any water that washes over the transom would just drain to the bilge?

Re: Self Bailing Hoses Open or Close??

I'm not sure I follow you. You state that you have water in the bilge coming from the two fittings on the transom that hooks up to the deck drain hoses.

A self bailing feature is designed to routes the water directly out of the boat without mechanical intervention. This provides the ability to remove large quantities of water quickly without the need for a bilge pump.

If the water is leaking into the bilge you need to find the source of the leak and repair it. Removing the hoses and allowing the water to just dump into the bilge totally defeats the purpose of a self bailing cockpit and puts you totally at the mercy of your bilge pump.

Lots of rain, a dead battery, a clogged screen and you're sitting on the bottom.

Re: Self Bailing Hoses Open or Close??

I agree that it is best to find the source of the leak and repair it rather than allow the water to collect in the bilge. Furthermore, allowing water to collect in the bilge is not a good idea because other debris such as twigs, leaves etc can also collect in the bilge besides water causing the bilge to clog. Also allowing water to collect in the bilge means that the standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitos.

Re: Self Bailing Hoses Open or Close??

Well, I filled the boat with water and none leaks out, but I know that the weight of the boat in the water may still cause some to leak in. I'll keep an eye out and brak out the fiberglass if neccessary. The previous owner had closed the scuppers off completely with rubber behind the original rubber flaps. I thought that was wierd so I cut them out
(but still have flaps in place).So I'll replace the drain hoses and fittings that run from the deck to the transom first . The only other spot it could be coming from is the deck wash system. If that's the case, it's gone. I don't use it much anyway.