floor drains

[MH Hawker]

While I was out over the weekend I got caught in a heavy down pour and ended up with several inches of water sloshing around in the back of the toon, This also happens when I wash the carpet, and yes I know i can get the fence spacers and raise it to let the water run off and next time I replace the Capet I will add those but until then I am going to add 2 drains. Should be able to place them out of the way. I found these and they should work fine and they have screw in plugs to stop any water from coming up through the floor while under way. I will take a pic when I do the install. this is a attwood 17211-3

 

[dls322]

Re: floor drains

Interesting idea. I installed the risers when i redid my floor a few months ago and love them. You "should" be able to easily isntall them if you wanted. The backs of the ones i got are open so if you just loosen up your side rail bolts you will be able to get them installed....this is assuming your bolts have enough slack in them to accommodate the extra space....mine did not! LOL

These "should" work as long as you get them as flush as possible...if they are too high water will not be able to drain.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: floor drains

I would find a few inconspicuous places in the deck, drill a hole, seal the edges of the hole and install a rearward facing rubber flap on the underside. This would let freeflow drainage without opening drains and would block water from underneath.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: floor drains

Interesting idea. I installed the risers when i redid my floor a few months ago and love them. You "should" be able to easily isntall them if you wanted. The backs of the ones i got are open so if you just loosen up your side rail bolts you will be able to get them installed....this is assuming your bolts have enough slack in them to accommodate the extra space....mine did not! LOL

These "should" work as long as you get them as flush as possible...if they are too high water will not be able to drain.

I wont know how tall they will be till they come in, but I had around 3 inches of standing water lol so I am sure it will at least drain it down and its very rare I am in the rain.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: floor drains

I would find a few inconspicuous places in the deck, drill a hole, seal the edges of the hole and install a rearward facing rubber flap on the underside. This would let free flow drainage without opening drains and would block water from underneath.

Thats a real good thought on a rubber flap to block off any water from underneath. These do have a screw in plug and my thought was to keep the plug in unless its needed to drain the deck. But I may add a flap just because or sort of make it pocket like and seal the front and sides with the back open.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: floor drains

With the flap, it would always drain. Think of it as self bailing. I had the same issue on my old boat wondered why it took so many years to think of putting risers under the fences.

 

[Old Screwball]

Re: floor drains

Seems like a 'doable' thing. I'd think it would be easier to walk around your boat with a ratchet and back off all the fence bolts a turn or two, put a screw driver between the floor and rail bottom to lift it up and stick anything (bolt, couple of washers, plastic spacers) between, then tighten down the rail bolts. You don't need much space to drain the water.

Good Luck!

 

[Malibu Rudder]

Re: floor drains

I agree with Old Screwball. I am not fond of putting additional holes if it is not necessary.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: floor drains

I have considered the fence spacers several times but due to the furniture lay out that would work but only open it up on the drivers side and that would work but having a small drain on both sides is just a lot easier and simpler and if the boat is tilted one way or the other it wont matter. I plan on filling the hole void with 4200 to seal the plywood end grains and adding some sort of a cap on the bottom to stop any splash and give it a Venturi effect while running. I am waiting on them to come in. This may happen once or twice a year. I could also just put 2 holes in the bottom fence rail to let it drain out that is a common way to fix it.

 

[newcomlr]

Re: floor drains

I was considering risers at one time, but read enough posts here to talk me out of it. Seems adding risers can allow water in as much as out.

I'm fortunate that my Barge has an aluminum deck. The fences cover all carpet so with the playpen cover on everything is covered and somewhat sealed. I haven't had a situation where I've had water pooled and sloshing but if I did, a couple of discrete drains makes sense.

The analogy would be leaving a few bricks out of the foundation of your house to promote draining? Floor drain makes more sense in my mind.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: floor drains

On my boat, the fences are on risers and the furniture are on small feet that allow water to pass. With the cover on I will get some rain water on the front deck that will pass under the rail and right out the back. But I would prefer that to the old boat that had everything bolted down and water would congregate at the base of the rear furniture like a swimming pool. That promoted consistent moisture and rotting of the furniture bases. With the vinyl flooring teh water doesn't even get slowed down.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: floor drains

The drains made it in yesterday, so its now a matter of when its home the next time and that may be with in the next week or so, the starter has been acting up and I think I am going to change that out, I cleaned and polished the connections a week ago and the solenoid was changed last year and I have a brand new starter in a box that I got last year so its just a matter of dragging it home to work on.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: floor drains

Went out today and had a real good day till I was putting it back on the slip The started decided it had had enough and went completely out so after I got ever one home, hooked up the trailer and headed back and brought it home and went ahead and changed the starter out in the cool of the evening under my big shade tree.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: floor drains

Got both of them installed today, took about 10 minutes each a 1 inch hole then smeared 5200 around in the inside of the hole to seal up the end grain a bit more on the flange and 2 screws and done. Should work fine in the rain or when I am cleaning the carpet.

Like all things the fence spacers have pluses and minus yes it lets water run out, it also lets rain running off the cover to run under the fence, My boat is out in the weather all year under a mooring cover so rain run off is a thing to consider.