How to access cockpit drain hoses.

[newage1461]

I have a 1981 H30 T that is taking on water somewhere. When we are out with a good wind blowing, I end up with 1-2 quarts of water in the bilge in an hours time. It is not the shaft packing. I'm guessing it's coming from the rear of the hull, possibly the cockpit drain hoses. The trouble is I don't know any handymen that are under 2' tall and weigh under 30#.

I assume there has to be a reasonable way to access the area where the fittings exit the bottom the rear. Last year the bilge only had dust in it. Now it gets washed weekly. In light wind there is no water, only when blowing and we are heeling. ( and kicking a lot of butts )

Any ideas ?

 

[wheatfieldcrows]

Do they have seacocks?

 

[David in Sandusky]

Good possibility

On ou h27, if we get up to hull speed, the cockpit drains back up into the cockpit!

On our boat, access to the stern area is by removing the carpeted plywood bulkhead at the foot of he quarter berth. I'll bet it's the same on your model. Look for screws embedded in the carpet on the bulkhead.

 

[Ian McGain]

My suggestion would be to check all through hulls in the boat. I found a leak in the hose sink at the head that exits at the water line.

 

[JoeWhite]

Since you indicated water in the bilge only when underway - It must be due to flexing of the hull. I had that problem and it was due to a broken plastic ring that holds the transducer to the hull. It would leak only when underway. I replaced them both - depth sounder and knot meter.

 

[Nereussailor]

I had the same problem when I bought my 1983 H30. The hoses were cracked and would only leak when it rained really hard or when heeled hard. I replaced the starboard one by going in through the lazzarette on the starboard side and removing the fuel tank. It made for easier access. I cleaned the fuel tank out while I had it out. The port one was much harder because there was a small 8"x10" hatch cut in the plywood at the rear of the aft port berth. I worked through that, but it was really tight. I did most of it by feel. The other thing I did while I was there was to cross the hoses from port cockpit drain to starboard through hull and vice versa. They were never crossed from the factory. Also check the exhaust hose where it goes out through the hull. I had a slight leak there too. It takes a lot to manuver around down there, but it can be done. I'm 6'1 and weigh 265. I'm not sure if your boat is built exactly like mine seeing that it's 2 years older, but it might work. Maybe you can get the Admiral to crawl down there.

 

[ggrizzard]

The H30 access to the rear is, as David said, behind the quarter berth bulkhead. Access to the fittings is cramped but doable for most.

Might be a broken hose clamp and loose hose fitting.

 

[newage1461]

There is a small opening in the port bulkhead, but I haven't opened it yet. I thought I read somewhere in the forums of someone cutting an opening in the plywood under the rear hatch, around the steering post, and then just fitting another piece of plywood over the opening and screwing it into the remaining piece of the original plywood. Of course I can't find that thread when I want to...

 

[Dalliance]

My cockpit scupper hoses are accessed through the starboard lazzarette. There is a removable plywood bulkhead at the aft end - held in place by four screws. Though I suspect this may be a modification by a previous owner. I'm pretty lanky and able to reach everything in there through this opening with some contortion and a few scrapes & bruises. Not going to work for someone bigger.

P.S. The lav sink drain that Ian McGain mentioned would also be highly suspect in my mind. Mine is also at the waterline and the through-hull there was plastic with no seacock! It now has a bronze through-hull & seacock.