Transom Scuppers

Chris Patterson · Jul 20, 2012

That "kit" is little more than small pipe leading through the transom, commonly available. I would buy it, AND the tool through Fisheries Supply, (and still own the tool for later, as apposed to renting it). I've heard people say that the swaging tool that you rent is almost worn out, and irritating to make work, but that's hearsay. I'm not sure that I wouldn't put a long plastic thru hull back there.
And somewhere I saw a feller put a piece of PVC pipe through it, and sealed it up with silicone. I think I may be inclined to use Sika 291, or 4200 though..

Richie50 · Jul 20, 2012

I did install transom Scupper based on all the recommendations I read on this site and used the kit from C.D. Being new to boating I didn’t see a need to buy the tool and trusted the C.D. kit would make this an easy install, which it did. I had no issues with the tool and the kit did include everything needed for the installation.

CaptGregg · Jul 20, 2012

The PO installed one transom scupper but he installed it too high in my opinion, it allows a 1/4 inch of water to sit in the transom so I let mine drain to the forward scuppers and make sure the drains a clear.

CaptGregg · Jul 20, 2012

I never have water come in that rear scupper and I never have water go out of it either.

Joe · Jul 21, 2012

Put a drain in the front then, if that's the direction the water's flowing. You don't need a "kit" to install some more cockpit drains. All the fittings, hoses and clamps can be purchased from any chandlery.

Chris Patterson · Jul 21, 2012

Yeah, they're too simple to make out of many things. That one apparatus I was referring to is a tube that is flared on one end, and you use a tool to flare the outside end after it is put through the hole.
I can think of at least a half dozen other ways that it would work just as well. A plastic thru hull being high on that list..

For the boat that drains in the front, all the earlier Catalina 22s did. The rear scupper is just an "emergency" overflow, so that if the boat is left unattended for an extended period of time, and the front drains clog, (as they seem to do quite regularly), then water will not enter the cabin. Or, if you ship water over the stern, take a small knockdown, etc, the water will empty faster; as apposed to sinking the boat, and other minor nuisances such as that..

Chris Patterson · Jul 21, 2012

And, a little off the subject, but while I'm thinking about knockdowns, if you're in stiff winds, or big waters, make sure the cockpit seats are latched shut tight.
And, every hatch board should have a sliding bolt latch on both sides.
If those boards slide/float out, or the seats open, the situation could become dire. Quickly.

Bilbo · Jul 22, 2012

Slow Mo^cean said:
So how well does the rear scupper work. On my boat, when in the water, the cockpit is raked forward so it would seem this kit might not be as effective.

The rear scupper mod from CD increases the water flow something like 8 times faster than with the fwds alone. It only becomes less effective when the cockpit is almost empty. The rear scuppers help in a knockdown and they clog less easily with debris when the boat is stored outside.

Chris Patterson said:
...
And, every hatch board should have a sliding bolt latch on both sides.
If those boards slide/float out, or the seats open, the situation could become dire. Quickly.

I don't think that sliding latches on either side of each board are necessary.
1) if the sliding hatch is drawn back (as it should be in such a situation) then the boards can't float free.
2) If all three boards are in place, only the top one would be necessary to have some locking bolts.
3)Because of the water pressure exerted on these boards in a knockdown, I'd think that the only way they would float away was if the boat is actually in the process of sinking after this water pressure were neutralized with a full cabin of water.

ShotgunSlim · Jul 23, 2012

My '86 has the rear scuppers and like Capt. Gregg mentioned above, they are mounted a bit above the cockpit floor and allow some water to accumulate back there while on the trailer, especially in the lazerette compartment. My solution to keeping that area dry is to take a well worn out tube sock from the dog's toy pile, wet it thoroughly in the lazerette water and then snake it out the closest scupper hole, leaving a couple of inches of sock dangling in the wind. This acts like a giant wick and will keep the rear of the cockpit dry on it's own. If we do get a storm with some blowing debris to clog up the scuppers, there's still an open one for the overflow. Plus it's fun watching the dog trying to get his sock back until a squirrel or something else distracts him....

Bilbo · Jul 23, 2012

I like that wick idea. One could even through some rope in ther bundled up.
My factory rear scuppers are actually mounted even with the cockpit floor. What they did was to put a small dip/trough sideways across the place where the cockpit floor and the inside of the transom meet. Of course the floor also slopes down to the stern. If I had a concern of water staying inside on the hard, I'd raise the trailer tongue. Generally out on a lake mooring or dockage, there isn't much to clog the fwd scuppers (If I had 'em). Now we N/S 22ers have the Anchor locker. Mine had cloged with debris from the bottom and it was half full of water the last time. A lot of them leak into the Fwd. V berth locker. -always has to be checked.

CaptGregg · Jul 23, 2012

I like the wick idea, may try it, right now I got my trailer tongue low enough that all the water flows to the front scuppers, get in there every now and then to suck off the screens I installed with a wet/dry vac and everything's happy.

ShotgunSlim · Jul 25, 2012

Maybe if you raised your trailer tongue so all the water flows to the back of the cockpit, with a wick in one scupper and the other open, you wouldn't have to worry as much about the front scuppers getting blocked with leaves, pine straw, etc.. As much as I worked on sealing up the cabin on my boat, I've found I get less water inside with the trailer tongue raised up a bit.