H34 Cockpit Drains

[Bob Poff]

I ran into a potential gotcha in my 34 on Sunday.

I cut away some of the the quarter berth bulkhead to get access to the batteries and fuel tank. While in the past I've noticed a notch cut in the plywood as it meets the "deck" and saw a hose there, I never gave it much thought.

The hose in question turns out to be the scupper drain hose. And it was laid between the fuel tank and the bulkhead lying on the fiberglass stringer below. With a sort of sharp bend. I have to assume this is how it was installed at the factory with the notch cut for it and all.

While taking pictures I noticed a wet spot under the hose.
Sure enough it has a small hole on the underside were it's been rubbing.
(I taped it up for now. It will be replaced as part of the project)

Unless you were really looking for it, you'd probably not find this hose had failed. In fact one time on a winter inspection trip I found about 1 1/2" of clear water in the pan below the engine. I couldn't fathom how it got there. No obvious places looked wet. Now I know.

Since my boat is only hull #95 there are other things that are different from later boats. (for example it DOES NOT have a seperate filler for the aft water tank) So I hope in later builds they rerouted this hose.

Beware, a good downpour could leave you with significant water in the bildge.

 

[Allan]

Drain hose routing

Bob,

Interesting discovery. My 1985 H34 (hull 798) has the drain hose going directly to the through hull. It just drapes over the fuel tank. Guess that was an improvement that wasn't passed on to earlier owners.

I am very interested in your bulkhead access project. Right now I am in San Diego at a family reunion. I'll be home early next week so I may email you then about your experiences. I did move my batteries from down in the well to inside the salon. That gives more room on that side of the bulkhead...just need the easy access. I envision storage for stuff that is currently on the berth.

Regards,

Allan

 

[kloudie1]

H-34 Cockpit Drain

Here is what the starboard side one on my 34 looks like.. I've tied teh fuel fill over to ease access.. the drain hose (mildewey white one) goes straight to tthe outlet..

 

[Dan Johnson]

Bob...

My H34 is a 1983 also, with hull #113. The starboard cockpit drain on my hull is constructed the same as Claude's. It must have been a production change made between your hull's construction and mine.

Attached is a picture similar to Claude's. The drain hose is on the left. The black hose is the exhaust. The one in the middle is the fuel tank vent hose.

I also have the "notch" cut in the bottom edge of the verticle bulkhead. I think it was done to clear the fuel tank holddown strap bracket located there.

The only issue I have had with any of these hoses is finding the hose clamps less than tight after I bought the boat. It's something that everyone should check periodically.

 

[Bob Poff]

That notch seems to be cut to fit the hose. But looking at your pictures starts me to wonder if this hose really was a factory install or a replacement. It does seems awfully long. More so since Dan's boat is so close to mine in number. But then you also have that water tank filler under the emergency tiller cover. I don't.

This is just the beginning of a rehab project I've been playing with on paper for almost a year. New batteries, charger, cleaner AC and DC power distribution in that area, replace hoses,..... ad nauseum.

And of course I decided to make an access through this bulkhead because I'm too bloody big to fit down through the starboard locker.

 

[Dan Johnson]

Bob...

if you don't have the aft tank fill under the flip-up teak step plate at the aft boarding ladder, where is that tank's fill located?

I must admit that having access to the starboard locker thru the aft cabin is most attractive, I can still fit down the "hole" as needed--but I don't dare eat anything while I'm down there or I won't be able to get back out! An access panel in the aft cabin bulkhead probably won't help me as I've got battery charger and autopilot computer mounted where they couldn't be reached from that new point. How you gonna squeeze through it? :dance:

 

[kloudie1]

Cockpit Locker Stuff

Interesting that you should mention the hose clamps on the drains.. Many years ago when I was looking at different 34’s to buy, I looked at one whose drain line had come off so the drain was running into the bilge.. when we got aboard, she looked like she was sitting a little low .. When we opened the companionway, the floor had about 6” of water over the floorboards! I didn’t take that one!
Battery charger and stuff.. Bob here is the forward end of that locker with the charger and the old Signet instrument wiring..

 

[Richard Bryer]

My '83 ( actually a late 83 I would guess- small mast base, Yanmar, but cleat in the anchor locker and a 15X12 prop- must have been using up parts) looks like all the other pics- straight from the drain to the outlet in the hull. I would guess some one retro fitted yours. I dont like the way it could have water standing in it as the ends are higher that the middle. Was that 34 with the water in Chicago, Claude- I looked at one there that was going to end up with water in it. Sad boat.

 

[Bob Poff]

From the evidence it does begin to look like mine was a replacement.
Originally I thought "OH $#*%! If that's the way Hunter installed it you would never know if it parted. How many boats are like this?".

Claude that's sort of the way I want things to look like. I'm replacing 3 group 27s (2 on one bank) with two G27s and a smaller start battery. All AGM. I hadn't thought about moving one of the 27s outside of the fuel tank. But that sure would make some more room. Also a new Xantrex charger. Some utility power. And maybe some LED work lights in there.
After the electrics done, I might attack the fuel tank and delivery.

Dan, the best I can see there's a selector valve marked 1 & 2 next to the water pump. That, and the piping that disappears aft, is the only thing I've been able to find. Nothing under that cover. I talked to Noel Hasty who's at my marina with a 34 later than ours. His aft tank fills from a deck plate like the other fillers atop the aft coaming or side deck. Toward port if I remember correctly. But ya know... I haven't dug that deep down inside of the lazerette ..... hmmmm. Don't use that tank anyhow.

The worst part is going to be getting the old charger out. It's gonna be a long reach to the outboard screws from above or below. As to getting in there. I stand a better chance this way than the overhead route. But if the winds blowing from the south west you might hear me cussing all the way over there in North East.

 

[kloudie1]

Rich, nope.. that one was in Pensacola.. Rod & Reel Marina.. which we called the Rock and Roll Marina because it had hardly any protection!

 

[Dan Johnson]

Bob...

my charger is mounted in basically the same place as Claude's, only in a horizontal format. My connector barrier strips and the autopilot computer are on the bulkhead side you cut, above the batteries' location.

I don't use the aft tank either but I can't imagine where the fill might be if not under the teak step plate.

I'm pretty sure the cockpit drain hoses in my boat have been shortened as they run straight from the drain to the thru-hull and not along the underside of the cockpit sole as I noted in Claude's pic.

Speaking of LED lights, I've installed three of the "courtesy light" versions to light the deck boarding area, and one each to light the cockpit sole at the companionway and in the starboard wheel footwell. I tied them into the aft cabin work light over the icebox, with their own switch in the starboard locker. When turned on the ammeter needle barely moves and they throw a nice subdued white light at night onto these areas for safe footing.

I have ear plugs aboard as the wind ALWAYS seems to blow from the Southwest!

 

[zds]

The factory location for the aft tank fill is in the stern laz, in the stern-port corner (you have to get your head way in there to access it). A common modification is moving it to the open space next to the emergency tiller deckplate.

 

[Dan Johnson]

Thanks, ZDS...

I'll look for evidence that it was located there originally tomorrow.

 

[zds]

Once you find it (I suspect you will - remove EVERYTHING from that laz and poke around on the port side) move the fill to under the emergency-tiller teak cover. The job will require removing the plywood cover over the tank (in the aft birth) and running new hose, but it's well worth it for 2 reasons: (1) easier access to the other half of your water capacity, and (2) using the aft tank, and leaving the port tank full, help to combat the starboard lean from the batteries and fuel tank.

Once you have that cover off you have to decide for yourself how best to utilize the empty space on the port side of the tank.

 

[Bob Poff]

Well that solves another mystery. Thanks.
I'll take a look when I get there next weekend.

How much empty space is hiding back there?

 

[Bob Poff]

Holy Contortionist Batman!

zds was right!

Removed the stuff from the port lazerette.
Stood on my head.
And awayyyy back there, almost needed binoculars, was the aft tank filler.

Now there's some spiffy ergonomics for ya!

 

[Allan12210]

And That Was the Easy Part

Bob,

Now you have to go through the aft berth to get to the tank fitting so you can change the hose to a longer one that goes up through the lazarette bottom then into the coaming under the trap door. You can reuse the filler up there. Some of the things on these boats are just like a car...the people who design them don't have to fix them.

Allan

 

[Bob Poff]

You're right Allan.

Some years ago a friend was working on his Beech Bonanza.
While he was talking to the factory he made a comment about how hard it was to reach something on the engine.

The reply was "Sir, we build them to fly. Not to be worked on."

Moving that filler is somewhere way down the list for me. Someday.

These pictures what I'm dealing with now.

 

[Dan Johnson]

Bob...

if I had a third battery installed where you have that "Stowaway" one, I wouldn't be able to get down there to get at anything else!

 

[Bob Poff]

Yes Dan, and it dosen't help me one bit. That's one of the things that started this whole project.

I bought a new pair of G27s for the house and a smaller battery for the starter. All AGM.

I like Claudes placement of one of the batteries outboard of the fuel tank. It would add some roll moment but I might be offsetting that with the lower weight of the smaller start battery. Which will sit on down on the lower shelf. And the XC charger that's going in, I would think, weighs less than the ferro-resonant transformer in the current one.

By the way, we drove past the front door of NERYC one day about a month ago.