GW 228 - Scuppers

[sturgstev]

Have a '04 228 that i have for about ten years. I read this forum all of the time.

The scupppers have never been replaced.

I am not a "do it yourselfer" and the boats is at a marina and gets hauled once a year for engine service and bottom painting as needed.

Never have had a serious issue with sea water comming on the boat when we go ut in the bay or ocean but the water stays in the transum when I wash the boat down and it eventually drains out.

Today I went out on the bay and as a test put ten gallons of water on the deck to test out the scupper draining - after going about five miles there was still a lot of water at the stern so I think/know it should not be that way.

I will get the engine mechanic who also fixes what goes wrong to replace the scuppers and would appreciate direction from other GW owners and what parts to get and where _ Amazon??

many thanks

steve

 

[DennisG01]

While you should put scupper replacement (the little rubber flap) on the list of to-do things the next time the boat is hauled, I don't think that's your issue here. However, it "could be" if they were painted partially shut. Jump in the water and lift them up by hand a couple times to loosen them up.

BUT... the more likely scenario is that there's a clog. You might see the clog by lifting the flaps. But first, take a hose nozzle and send it full force down the floor drain to try and clear the clog. Most times, that works.

Do you still have some type of screen/grate on the floor drain?

At haul out (or take a peek now), also check the drain hoses for the scuppers. At nearly a quarter century old they may very well be due for replacement. You don't want them failing while the boat is in the water as that could be bad... as in "boat-sinking-bad".

 

[sturgstev]

Dennis

Thanks for your response.

The floor drain does not have a screen - just plastic and I can put my fingers in it.

Last time the boat was out I checked the rubber scuppers and they looked ok and opened and closed.

I will put the hose on the drain on each side with some soap to see what shows in the water. I think I did this before and did not see much action at the sterm of the boat.

I bet the drain hoses are worn out as I am sure they have never been replaced. I am the third owner of the 228.

thanks

steve

 

[DennisG01]

If the floor drain at least has some type of grate/screen (maybe a crosshair type thing?), then at least large things aren't going down there - which means you're more likely to be successful with the hose.

 

[sturgstev]

If the floor drain at least has some type of grate/screen (maybe a crosshair type thing?), then at least large things aren't going down there - which means you're more likely to be successful with the hose.

Dennis

The grate/screen is the crosshair type thing.

Went back to the boat and I think I got it fixed for now. At first put the hose with some soap and nothing came out the scupper. I could see just a little bit of soap color in the water but water from the hose was still on the deck.

Then released the deck lines and reached for the scuppers on both sides that are below the water line and moved the scuppers back and forth and there was lots of sediment/barnicles.

Then put the soap in again and used the hose - lots of noise from the inside of the boat and lots of soap in the water. Asfter a few minutes most of the water was off the deck. Repeated this again and lots of soap water in the water and the deck emptied pretty fast.

No water at all in the bilge area.

Will get the mechanc to check this out in the fall and get the scuppers replaced and have him check out the condition of the hose.

thanks so much.

steve

 

[DennisG01]

Good job on the roto-rootering

 

[sturgstev]

Thanks Dennis

My Calfiornia sister used to live in Allentown and I left Queens for California about fifty years ago.

steve

 

[Mustang65fbk]

I change out the rubber scupper flappers on my boat every season, they're less than $10 a piece for your local GW dealer and there are 3 of them total, at least on my particular boat. My boat when I first bought it had issues with the water pooling up back in the transom area of the boat when anyone over 200 lbs or so would stand back there. After installing the new rubber scupper flappers, I've yet to have any issues, and while it can take a minute or two to drain out the water in the stern area of the boat, I've never had that issue with it draining out since installing the new ones. The new rubber scupper flappers took me maybe 10 minutes to install, just make sure you don't strip out the screws and the hardest part is trying to find the screw hole when you can't see it. This season being the second season took even less time to swap all three of them out.

 

[DennisG01]

Thanks Dennis

My Calfiornia sister used to live in Allentown and I left Queens for California about fifty years ago.

steve

Small world, Steve!

 

[luckydude]

With a boat that old, I'd urge you to have the hoses replaced. They rot. If they break out to sea, you'll get a lot of water coming into the boat.

 

[sturgstev]

thank you everybody for your help.

steve

 

[Norcoastal]

thank you everybody for your help.

steve

REPLACE THE HOSES!!!!

When I replaced mine they crumbled in my hands. For some reason they have a wire on the inside that rusts and destroys the hose

 

[DennisG01]

REPLACE THE HOSES!!!!

When I replaced mine they crumbled in my hands. For some reason they have a wire on the inside that rusts and destroys the hose

It's a reinforced hose and is required for below the waterline use. The wire doesn't really do the destroying of the hose - time does that very well by itself.

 

[Norcoastal]

It's a reinforced hose and is required for below the waterline use. The wire doesn't really do the destroying of the hose - time does that very well by itself.

That may be true but it does however appear as if the wire may have contributed, either way, replace the hoses!!!

 

[sturgstev]

Checked the hoses on the 228 and they looked very solid - perhaps they were replaced by one of the prior owners.

Will have the mechanic review this in the fall though.

Water flow is very good now.

steve

 

[DennisG01]

That may be true but it does however appear as if the wire may have contributed, either way, replace the hoses!!!

This isn't meant to be argumentative - just informational/keeping rumors from spreading. The wires didn't hurt the hose. Think of it this way... your car has a bunch of rubber hoses and they are held by steel clamps with no problems.

When I replaced my cockpit drain hoses about 7 years ago, I used the "better" sanitation hose - smooth on the inside with plastic wire refinforcement. I honestly don't know if it's rated for below the waterline use but the stuff is super durable as I had it on a previous boat (with a vacuflush head) and I swear it looked like brand new when I sold the boat. So far, the stuff still looks great on the Grady. It sure is a heck of lot easier to deal with than the rubber/steel stuff!

 

[DennisG01]

Checked the hoses on the 228 and they looked very solid - perhaps they were replaced by one of the prior owners.

Will have the mechanic review this in the fall though.

Water flow is very good now.

steve

Excellent!