big scupper question

[31scorpion]

thanks everyone for help last time. new issue (sorry)<br />even though its a 31 foot boat my deck is "at waterline" (within 2" at rest) So scuppers very close to the waterline, if i decide seal scuppers and install floor drains with pipes to the bilge, i am afraid smelly bilge will be the result... boat is kept on trailer currently. any ideas..i thought about "shower box" installed in the bilge with bilge pump in it to control the water, and the smell, what do you think ??

 

[18rabbit]

Re: big scupper question

Scuppers are designed to drain water off the vessel, not bring it onboard and into the bilge. If you install drains to the bilge you will have effectively created a controlled sinking of your vessel. I suggest managing the water on the deck and keeping it out of the vessel. <br /><br />If your scuppers are round you can get rubber flaps for the exterior or stepped rubbers plugs that wedge in from the deck side. Plugs will keep water from coming in but they also won’t allow water to go out. Attach a length of line to back of the plugs and you can pull them as/if needed to drain the deck. If your scuppers are square (rectangular) install the exterior rubber flaps. That may be enough to solve your problem or at least make it manageable. The exterior flaps will not keep all the water out, but then they don’t have to. They will keep most of it off the deck.

 

[31scorpion]

Re: big scupper question

Thanks 18rabbit, I agree 100% it is much better to manage the water at deck level. I will deal with improving the "valve" on the back of the boat to be as best as possible one way road out of the boat, and keep "backwash" to minimium.

 

[hayhauler]

Re: big scupper question

Be careful of the "backwash." My father-in-law had just pumped his bilge one day, when a wave came over the stern and water got on top of the floor. The bilge, having no water in it, wanted to float and the boat quickly capsized. I would want my scuppers working right (letting water out but not in) but I think I would also make sure water that got in had a way to get to the bilge, so that that wouldn't happen to me.