Scuppers below water line

[keeper seeker]

I recently purchased a 1990 Seafarer that was repowered in 2004 with a 5L Mercruiser w/ alpha 1 drive. I launched it this week and noticed that my scuppers are below the water line. It has a full tank. Is there too much weight? Can this be corrected? I am at a slip. I am fairly new to boating, and worry ablout safety.
Any suggestions?

 

[magicalbill]

The scuppers sit a little below the waterline on my twin-engine 232 Gulfstream. Any water that comes in drains out fine.
The key for you is if the drain holes in the deck do not have water coming up thru them, they should drain fine.
Put it to the test dockside..Run a hose into the cockpit and see if the water drains out.

 

[keeper seeker]

Thanks. I'll try that out today. If know if I look in the holes in the floor, there is water in there.

 

[BobP]

Don't worry about it, irrespective of the boat design experts dos and don'ts.

Does your feet get wet back there? That's all that matters.
Presuming you don't have the football team out fishing.

Make sure scuppers are metal and hoses replaced, double clamps.

Enjoy the boat and sleep like a (just fed) baby.

 

[keeper seeker]

I just returned from the marina. I hooked up the washdown hose and let her blast. The water drained thru the scuppers as you suggested.

Thanks for your help and words of wisdom.I actually was loosing sleep over this. Tonight I'll find something else to worry about.

 

[magicalbill]

It's understandable..I wondered about my Gulfstream also...Glad all is OK...

 

[uncljohn]

One thing- have the scuppers and scupper lines been replaced on the boat? If its a 1990, then hopefully they have. 15-20 years is pretty much the lifespan of those things. I have an 88 and redid all my thru-hulls and hoses about 7 years ago.

So, the fact that your scuppers are below the waterline is not an issue as long as the scuppers and hoses are in good condition and double-clamped.

 

[sfc2113]

A good tip for saving the day with a broken scupper:

I keep 3 sizes of nerf foot balls on my boat sm-med-large.

if you loose a scupper or the hose breaks or even if you accidently punch a small hole in your hull the right sized football into the hole will plug it up when it expands. Could give you a chance to save your boat if you have time. I have used this method and can testify it works even underwater holes like a missing bildge drain plug.

 

[TonyD]

Hi, new to the forum. However, I have been a Grady White Owner for the last 4 years. I have a 1989 Tournament 190.

On the subject of scuppers, i can't say when the last time the scuppers were addressed as I bought the boat second hand. However, the scupper on the starboard side will take in water. If standing aft and port side, your shoes do get wet. it does drain though.

Is this a sign that the scupper flap should be replaced?

Thanks!

 

[94 Tournament 192]

You can buy replacement scupper flaps from any grady dealer but the generic ones you can buy at just about any marine supply store work fine. I picked up a pair of new ones for my 94 Tournament 192 at West Marine 2 weeks ago and they fit perfectly. Installed in 10 minutes and cost about $20 all together if I remember right.

 

[JeffN]

One thing- have the scuppers and scupper lines been replaced on the boat? If its a 1990, then hopefully they have. 15-20 years is pretty much the lifespan of those things. I have an 88 and redid all my thru-hulls and hoses about 7 years ago.

My boat is a '83 and the scupper hoses were just redone a couple of years ago. I'm glad I replaced them but they were in pretty good shape still. This season I redid the fuel fill and vent line and same thing - glad I replaced them but they were not in terrible shape. They were very hard to pull out but it is not like they were crumbling or coming apart as I removed them. They came out in one piece and after removal I twisted, folded, and turned them trying to make them split but they would not. I was impressed how strong they still were. As I said though glad I replaced them for my peace of mind.

 

[TonyD]

You can buy replacement scupper flaps from any grady dealer but the generic ones you can buy at just about any marine supply store work fine. I picked up a pair of new ones for my 94 Tournament 192 at West Marine 2 weeks ago and they fit perfectly. Installed in 10 minutes and cost about $20 all together if I remember right.

fantastic thanks for the responce...


TD

 

[Pez Vela]

However, the scupper on the starboard side will take in water. If standing aft and port side, your shoes do get wet. it does drain though.

Is this a sign that the scupper flap should be replaced?

No ... it's simply means that the deck is below the waterline at that time and place. The scupper flap reduces, or eliminates, the rapid entry of water into the cockpit when operating your boat in reverse, but does not otherwise seal the scupper. If it did, water would not drain out.