Broken cockpit cooler drain

[hman]

I'm not sure which way to go here....While wiring a new depth sounder, I found the drain on the bottom of the cockpit ice chest was broken off. The drain it's self appears to be glued in with some kind of bond and the break is pretty clean.

Has anyone replaced this drain on a 23? If so, did you have to drill it out? Or, did you take the easy way and just glue the old drain extension back on?

Mine's pretty brittle, so I'm a little concerned, however having to drill out the old drain and seating a new one seems like it could be quite a chore as well as the possibility of cracking the box and ruining it for future ice chest use....

Any suggestions?

 

[Sunbird22358]

I'm not absolutely familiar with the ice box on the 23, but the ice box on my DS II does not have a built-in drain. I think that drain may have been put in by a previous owner. A call to Rudy at D&R Marine would answer that question and get some advice for repairing it if it is actually stock. (508) 644-3001.
Perhaps another O'DAY 23 owner will be able to help better than I can, but... I've never heard of or seen a drain in the cockpit ice boxes (seems like a logical thing to have a drain there..... but I've never seen an O'DAY that did.)

 

[centerline]

there are three ways you can do it. you can either clean up the broken edges on both pieces, and then epoxy it back together.... fill and fair out the inside after your done so it looks nice... or clean up the hole in the locker so it looks acceptable, and epoxy a marelon thru hull fitting directly below the hole,... or enlarge the hole and install the thru hull fitting in it.... the difference will be in whether there is a lip caused by the fitting before the drain hole, or no lip at all as the water escapes down the hole..

 

[Indysailor]

It is a standard feature of the boat. The drain hose runs behind the fuel locker and exits into the cockpit on the starboard side at the transom, just above the cockpit drain.
I would try a heat gun to see if the glue won't soften up so the fitting could be removed.

 

[LANCE ON CLOUD NINE]

If you decide to drill, take your time, have a few drill bits in increasing diameter, take tiny bites, pushing very gently on the drill. Stop just when able to get the flange off.