• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

Looking for suggestions about port side dorade box not draining properly

bsangs

E35-3 - New Jersey
Our '85 35-3 has a port side dorade with a cowl/cap, just aft of where we step onto her. The dorade vent is below in the Q berth, aft of the AC/DC panel. The dorade box "drains" through a hose and out an above-the-waterline thru hull. The hose runs behind the AC/DC panel, for some odd reason. Thing is, it doesn't drain. At least not that I can tell. It hasn't been a problem until yesterday, when it was pretty full from what I assume was me washing and rinsing the boat last week and not having the cap applied tightly enough. We finished sailing and there was water in the Q berth. Enough to soak some cushions. My working theory is the water splashed through the dorade vent as we heeled, though I didn't seen any drips from above. I took off the deck cap and the box was filled with water. I vacuumed it out, but as we were expected somewhere for a BBQ, didn't have ample time to completely investigate.

If the hose is clogged, can I just run a snake through to clear it, or is this gonna be something more sinister? I'm not looking forward to accessing the run of the hose behind the AC/DC panel, and really hope snaking is the simple solution. Anyone else experience issues with that dorade, and if so, what were your solutions? Thanks in advance. Hope everyone is having an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend.
 

Prairie Schooner

Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
Our previous owner installed a screw-in cap which we just leave in all the time. I'm thinking of installing a removable solar vent there which we will take out whenever sailing, putting the cap in.
 

bsangs

E35-3 - New Jersey
Our previous owner installed a screw-in cap which we just leave in all the time. I'm thinking of installing a removable solar vent there which we will take out whenever sailing, putting the cap in.
Wish I had a screw-in cap. Was unable to find one last year. There's a screw-in collar that sits an inch or so above the hole, and I use a 3" PVC pipe cap, which fits perfectly around it, when I want to seal it off. The vinyl cowl slides over the collar when it's unsealed. I do like the airflow that comes into the Q berth from the vent, because in our marina the wind generally blows S/SE, and with the way we're docked, the cowl vent collects it nicely. So not looking to seal it off, just want to unclog the drainage hose.
 

Prairie Schooner

Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
Wish I had a screw-in cap. Was unable to find one last year. There's a screw-in collar that sits an inch or so above the hole, and I use a 3" PVC pipe cap, which fits perfectly around it, when I want to seal it off. The vinyl cowl slides over the collar when it's unsealed. I do like the airflow that comes into the Q berth from the vent, because in our marina the wind generally blows S/SE, and with the way we're docked, the cowl vent collects it nicely. So not looking to seal it off, just want to unclog the drainage hose.
I had trouble finding a cap too. Seems it's a bygone format. I finally scored an old aluminum one at a marine consignment store. I can see where the added ventilation would be nice. I'm looking forward to finishing major triage and doing some of that fine tuning.
Cheers
 

bsangs

E35-3 - New Jersey
I had trouble finding a cap too. Seems it's a bygone format. I finally scored an old aluminum one at a marine consignment store. I can see where the added ventilation would be nice. I'm looking forward to finishing major triage and doing some of that fine tuning.
Cheers
Buy you a six pack or some bourbon if you can find another one. :egrin:
 

Chschaus

"Voila"
On our 35-3 the hose has a shutoff just out of site of the opening on the bulkhead next to the panel, the hose does not actually go behind the actual panel. when under sail we just shut the valve off while healing to port if the drain is going below the waterline. Fortunately we still have the original stainless cap if we decide to remove the vent.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
and really hope snaking is the simple solution.

Look at the photos in Post #2. Snaking not an option, at least on my boat. Perhaps your valve is closed, or there is debris in the drain line.

It's very simple, the plastic Dorade collection box drains through a small tube to an outlet on the topsides.
 

RCsailfast

E35-3 Illinois
IMG_0318.png
Just posted this on another thread. We needed all 3 as the previous owner never used them so got rid of them??? Never throw away boat parts! Also the cowl on the port vent couldn’t be removed without pulling the stantion off, it’s too tall to rotate between the angle support. Was going to shorten the cowl scoop in case we ever wanted to use it again but don’t miss it. I also believe there is a ball valve before the through hull drain hiding in the cabinetry. Wonder if it got closed somehow. I’ll look this weekend for its location, also I can’t remember if mine is open or closed after putting the cap on.
Also the o-rings for those caps are M4x65 Buna 70A. I’ve had to replace them as the got cracked and leak.
 

bsangs

E35-3 - New Jersey
Just posted this on another thread. We needed all 3 as the previous owner never used them so got rid of them??? Never throw away boat parts! Also the cowl on the port vent couldn’t be removed without pulling the stantion off, it’s too tall to rotate between the angle support. Was going to shorten the cowl scoop in case we ever wanted to use it again but don’t miss it. I also believe there is a ball valve before the through hull drain hiding in the cabinetry. Wonder if it got closed somehow. I’ll look this weekend for its location, also I can’t remember if mine is open or closed after putting the cap on.

Yeah, the ball valve is open. I snaked as far as I could and pulled out a lot of gunk, blasted a hose into it from the outside, but the water still doesn't drain. The good news is it can't come in through the thru hull either. I'm going to just seal it off when we sail, and keep the cowl vent on for when I'm docked or moored. Did that cap work with your existing deck plate, or did you have to replace the entire thing?
 

RCsailfast

E35-3 Illinois
Yeah, the ball valve is open. I snaked as far as I could and pulled out a lot of gunk, blasted a hose into it from the outside, but the water still doesn't drain. The good news is it can't come in through the thru hull either. I'm going to just seal it off when we sail, and keep the cowl vent on for when I'm docked or moored. Did that cap work with your existing deck plate, or did you have to replace the entire thing?
I replaced the deck plates as they were dull and worn, the cap fit fine on the existing stock deck plates and the cowls screw in fine to the new deck plates. Got lucky. The waste pump out deck fitting was another story as no caps fit the stock fitting so had to install a new deck fitting to have a cap that seals and the waste adapters will screw on. Sorry to hijack the thread a little but getting stuff that works with our aging boats can sometimes be a challenge.
 

RCsailfast

E35-3 Illinois
Our previous owner installed a screw-in cap which we just leave in all the time. I'm thinking of installing a removable solar vent there which we will take out whenever sailing, putting the cap in.
If you go down this road please post about it as I would like one that screw on the front dorade box. Been trying to make an adapter to fit a solar vent and keep getting frustrated.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
If nothing fits, buy a new cowl with included base, such as. It can be hard to match Ericson-era fittings.

And sometimes the Ericson vent hole is too large for the new cowl vase, as with ny stainless Vetus cowls. In that case a collar is required. I used white acrylic.
 
Top