found our leak.. interesting cockpit drain hose routing!

[oldfauser]

Let me start: This last summer, during a race, while on starboard tack, we noticed water in the port quarter berth! Not a lot of water, but water! (it's suppose to be outside the hull, not inside ) So we start looking for the source... couldn't find it right away, but had an idea. (we were busy with the race!) So the boat was pulled last month to get the bottom soda blasted, 10+ years of bottom paint.. So today we tackled the issue; found the leak in the port scupper drain hose where it "T"'s with the starboard hose. The sealant that Ericson used when they attached the hoses, dried out. Easy fix (We also decided to tackle all of the hose fittings to avoid the issue in the future).

What is strange is the routing of the drain hose for the outboard scuppers in the cockpit - it exits the boat by the galley!!! The ones inboard, by the pedestal, drain out the between the waterline and the transom.

very strange... i'm sure that there is a reason, but i can't think of it at the moment...

Art
crew on E32-3 "Aces Dream"

 

[Emerald]

Generally, the scupper lines are crisscrossed port to starboard, or as near as possible, to minimize the water coming back up the scuppers as you heal.

 

[bgary]

What is strange is the routing of the drain hose for the outboard scuppers in the cockpit - it exits the boat by the galley!!! The ones inboard, by the pedestal, drain out the between the waterline and the transom.

Interesting. On my 32-3, it's just the opposite - the outboard scuppers go aft to the thru-hulls under the transom, and the inboard ones join together at a "tee" and drain out under the sink...

 

[oldfauser]

Interesting. On my 32-3, it's just the opposite - the outboard scuppers go aft to the thru-hulls under the transom, and the inboard ones join together at a "tee" and drain out under the sink...

do you get water in the cockpit when heeled?

I think the E32-3 i sail on is 50 or so hull numbers newer, so it's interesting that the connects are different!

Art

 

[Christian Williams]

Some owners redirected the crossed hoses of the outer drains to the nearest seacock, just because a long run of hose without a sag to hold glop was hard to achieve. Water only comes in to windward, and can be stopped by closing the seacock.

On my E38 the hoses are crossed--and some water still comes in under certain conditions.

E32-3 factory plumbing:

 

[oldfauser]

the 32-3 I sail on has the out two scupper hoses connected to the "T", and the center two crossed to the thru hull fittings at the transom. Looks like it came that way from the factory; not the way it is shown in the manual. I wonder why the change?

do other 32-3's with the hose routing as its in the manual have issues with water coming in through the scuppers when heeled? We get some in the leeward outer scupper when heeled 20 or so degrees... the reason this started - one hose was leaking!

Art

 

[Ajeffery]

Cockpit scupper drain hose configuration E38

Hi Art,

I have the exact same configuration on my 1987 E38 and had the same exact problem/leak point. I am also stumped as to why these two drains T into a common hose that drains to a through-hull under the sink. The worst part about this configuration is that most of this common hose, up to the T, actually is constantly UNDER THE WATERLINE (on my boat at least). If this through-hull is left open, there is standing water all the way up to the T junction, which in my case was the location of the leak. When I discovered this I was concerned... To me, this seems like a design flaw and a disaster waiting to happen, however I am no sailboat designer and maybe there is a good reason for this configuration that neither I nor my sailing friends (including a couple surveyors) can figure out. I was considering changing it to more of a configuration like the other two cockpit scupper drains.

Does anyone know the reason for this design? I’d bet Christian Williams or Mr. King would know; any and all comments would be appreciated. Thanks,

Andrew
1987 E38 “Aurora”
Corner Brook, Newfoundland
Canada

 

[Christian Williams]

I'm just a yacht owner, like you. We all need to think these things through until we're satisfied. And not everybody comes to the same conclusions.

My own analysis is that through-hull hoses are part of the boat. They should be considered to be as reliable as the keel or the rudder or the stays. They're holes in the boat beneath the waterline. Any of them can sink us.

Most owners, I think, feel safer closing their through-hulls when not on the boat. I get it.

However, I feel safer leaving them open, because I am certain my hoses and clamps and through-hulls are sound. It seems to me that if you don't feel safe leaving them open when you leave the boat, you should not feel safe when you take five people sailing with them open. Or when you set out around the world with them open.

This is a minority view. The general advice is, close the seacocks when you leave the boat.

The point is: the boat can be plumbed various ways. However you plumb it, consider the hoses and their connections as important as the hull, and make them equally watertight.

 

[GrandpaSteve]

Interesting. On my 32-3, it's just the opposite - the outboard scuppers go aft to the thru-hulls under the transom, and the inboard ones join together at a "tee" and drain out under the sink...

Mine is the same as Makana. Also, I close my thru-hull valves when away from the boat, if I develop a leak when I am on the boat I will be there to close the valve. My valves are marelon and they appreciate being exercised regularly.

If I do forget one I am not worried, everything is in good shape.

 

[Glyn Judson]

Scupper line to the sink drain???

Andrew, We too had the same ridiculous plumbing nightmare, a T-fitting in the galley sink drain. I thought at the time and still do that it's a bunch of crap and soon after getting our boat, I added a second seacock for the errant T'd hose and I might add, long and sagging hose to the galley. I also took the opportunity to enlarge both cockpit scupper seacocks from factory original 1 1/4" to 1 1/2". I also tend to side with Christian in that I leave all my seacocks open in the boat all the time. I trust the hoses I installed myself along with the highest quality clamps and the new seacocks. To paraphrase Loren, my 2 cents worth. Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey CA