Scuppers and bilge questions

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radioguy

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Aug 2, 2010
41
Catalina 22 Bottom of the ocean
This is a two part question :)

1. I've yet to put my boat in the water. I can see when I wash the boat that the scuppers drain nicely onto the ground. Do scuppers drain nicely when the boat is in the water?

2. If the scuppers do drain nicely when the boat is in the water, would it be possible to plumb a bilge pump to empty into the same hoses that the scupper uses to drain the boat? The point of this being that it would eliminate the need to drill a hole in the side of the boat for a bilge. It would be a nice, clean, simple install.

Thank you
RG
 
caguy

caguy

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Sep 22, 2006
4,004
Catalina, Luger C-27, Adventure 30 Marina del Rey
Some do T off from the scuppers. Others pump right into the cockpit. Some have hoses that they put out over the gunnel. If you do T off the scupper hose make sure your hose loops above water level.
Mine has separate holes out the transom for the electric pump and hand pump that are above water level. No chance of syphoning water in that way.
 

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Don S/V ILLusion

Don S/V ILLusion

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Sep 25, 2008
7,334
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Without extra and problematic valves or backflow preventers (both of which can fail), this becomes one of the easiest ways to sink your boat. One boarding wave or one big rainstorm can ruin your day.

NB - a loop would necessarily have to be above the cockpit sole which precludes proper drainage of the cockpit vias the scupper(s)
 
R

radioguy

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Aug 2, 2010
41
Catalina 22 Bottom of the ocean
Don S/V ILLusion said:
Without extra and problematic valves or backflow preventers (both of which can fail), this becomes one of the easiest ways to sink your boat. One boarding wave or one big rainstorm can ruin your day.

NB - a loop would necessarily have to be above the cockpit sole which precludes proper drainage of the cockpit vias the scupper(s)
Click to expand
Sir,

I'm asking only because I want to learn. I do not know much if any about this type (or any type) of plumbing.

How would this be an easy way to sink the boat? Is it because if the scuppers become clogged, then the bilge would just sit there and pump water into the cockpit, resulting in a bunch of water that would sink the boat?

I guess I'm just a little worried about drilling a hole in the boat for the bilge exit. But the water tight seal isn't terribly important there right, because it's above the water line? (Obviously I would use 4200...)
 
Don S/V ILLusion

Don S/V ILLusion

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Sep 25, 2008
7,334
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
radioguy said:
How would this be an easy way to sink the boat? Is it because if the scuppers become clogged, then the bilge would just sit there and pump water into the cockpit, resulting in a bunch of water that would sink the boat?
Click to expand

If the scupper thruhull clogged or froze, the bilge pump would meet that obstruction and backfill into the cockpit with no place to go. Depending on how high, if any, bridge deck you have, the water could then flow into the boat cycling the bilge pump until the battery depletes.
Something as simple as forgetting to open a valve in line could cause the same effect.
It certainly has been done the way you propose but my opinion is that it's a dangerous shortcut with no real purpose.
The bilge pump is one of the most critical pieces of safety equipment on any boat and regardless of the above, should have it's own dedicated thruhull if, for no other reason, to allow an unrestricted flow to ensure you have the ability to pump the max. capacity of whatever pump you choose.
 
R

radioguy

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Aug 2, 2010
41
Catalina 22 Bottom of the ocean
Thank you kindly for the information. My goal today is to locate a good place for a thru-hull in the transom of my Cat 22. I saw that Chip Ford used a hole on the side of his boat in order to keep the hose as short as possible. I may look into that too.

Thank you again for potentially saving my boat!
 
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