My big Winter plan is to remove the thru hull cockpit scuppers from Dragonfly.
Mariners have half-inch scupper tubes to drain the cockpit. They are notorious for clogging and, when extra crew is aboard, they let water in when heeling.
Since the scupper tubes block the space directly under the cockpit next to the CB trunk where I want to install the batteries for an electrical system, and the current state of the thru-hull fittings is disintegrating, I want to just remove them and open up that space below.
I have thought about scuppers out through the transom, but that would require sloping the cockpit sole aft. I still want a self-bailing cockpit, so my solution is to drain the cockpit into the CB trunk. That means some water may not drain until I tack, but I think that will be ok. I've been considering building up the forward outboard corners of the cockpit sole to funnel the water towards the CB trunk. This should work for all but the most severe heeling conditions. I feel this approach will also mean the scuppers don't back flow either because they will be higher than before, when on a heel.
I will have to glass over the old thru-hull openings in both the hull and the cockpit sole. If I put the sloping corners in, that will take care of the sole opening. I could even cut the corners out and have more space for the batteries. I will add a battery pad that will also cover the old holes in the hull. Then I have to cut slotted scupper opening into the CB trunk. No fittings, just a glassed opening on either side of the trunk. I may even slope the slot out into the cockpit an inch or so. The opening size will be somewhere around 1"x 3" or 4", to allow for faster drainage.
I hate fiberglass work. I always get it on me and spend the next 12 hours itching. But, this will be outside in Winter. I'll tarp it over and put a heater under the boat. That means it won't be the heat of Summer when I want to work in shorts and shirtless.
If I manage to get this done, I can float Dragonfly and if it isn't still Winter, going for a sail in our local reservoir is next. If there is still some Winter left, the next project is the yuloh.
I have a couple of commissions to get done before any of that.
-Will (Dragonfly)