Holy transom

[snoopebj]

I finally plucked up enough courage to cut out a cockpit drain
now I have to figure out how to finish it.
As in the past your help and suggestions have been extremely helpful and any ideas here would be much appreciated.

[Yara50]

Emrys
Looks like you have already glassed over the cut? Try it out. If too much water sloshes into the cockpit you could always fit a non-return flap, but otherwise a straight hole is a good solution.

[snoopebj]

Hi Ian
The non-return flap is a good idea - the pics are'nt very clear but I've only cut the transom and cockpit holes so far (100x65mm) I'm thinking of forming a wooden plug to make a fiberglass insert and go from there.
I did buy some 100x65mm plastic gutter joints from Bunnings but on second thoughts I don't want a sealant joint right there and marine sealants react with plastic so it looks like a fiberglass type drain so far.
cheers

[Yara50]

I realised that you cut out the step, so there is only a small area to seal. I would use gellcoat repair putty to seal the cut parts. (Going to have to use some today to repair where a wobble roller on it's side chipped the hull. Crew inattention! )

[snoopebj]

The fiberglass drain (right) moulded from the wooden plug (left) ready to be glassed in.

[Yara50]

The plot thickens! Now I can see that the step is partially below the cockpit sole. Before you glass in it would be usefull if you could measure the height of the step hole above the deck. It would be easier then to cut just a circular hole and glass in a piece of pipe. Would be smaller, but might be enough.

Have you actually had a problem with the cockpit drains not being big enough?

[Ozzie]

Wondering about doing this too. I have always considered the cp drains in the 563 inadequate. Is the floor higher Emrys ? Or is it just the angle of the photo? I guess having it higher would be an advantage. The non return flap would be a good idea.

Thing about cockpit drain is you only need a big one when you need it. If for whatever reason you get a big greeny over the back and that can even happen in sheltered waters, you want to get it out as soon as possible. I have not calculated it yet but the weight of water the depth of the entrance door step by the area of the cockpit floor is not something you want unbalancing a 19 foot boat for too long in rough weather. It's not for looks that serious ocean racers have open transoms.

Keep up the good work and give us some test results

[Ozzie]

Raining rats and frogs all day on Lake Mac. Ive done some inside house painting and I'm bored off my skull so Im reading some old posts on this forum. Emrys , was wondering how the final product on your maxi drain went. Did you fit the non return and do you have pix. If you did and posted them somewhere else, apologies, I will get to them eventually

To recent acquirers of the 563, this mod is good if you sail in rough water, coastal or unprotected water. I have intended to do it just in case . The563 has two small cockpit drain but try plugging them, filling your cockpit to the cabin step and watching how long it takes to drain them be the judge yourself. Also just a reiteration of an old problem make sure your small plastic drains are well sealed to the cockpit floor or you will get water leaking into the bilge.

[Greg]

Ive recently been thinking about this too. Not by cutting out the step but using a much larger diameter PVC pipe with a screw cap end to plug it. I dont know if the step alone would have a huge flow rate if you were really stuck being hit with continues waves offshore. The lower section of the cabin door needs to be reinforced and sealed for those conditions too.

[snoopebj]

Hi Ozzie and Greg
My you are bored Ozzie - a lot of water gone under the bridge ( or through the transom? ) since then.
Strangely the only time I've used it in earnest is not offshore {where I find rolling swells or even medium breaking waves easier to handle) but on the Bombah Broadwater lake in the Myall lakes. I encountered a vicious NE choppy swell of a metre to a metre and a half heading across to Nerong. Furled and downed sails, clipped on the harness, pinned the lower washboard in and hung on for dear life. Like riding a wild bronco clinging on to the pushpit and tiller.Shipped water over the bow into the cockpit a few times and the outboard cavitating wildly. Pretty frightening really.
Never so glad to tie up to the quiet sheltered mooring at Nerong.
It was the first time I ever felt the righting movement of the Investigators 50% ballast hard at work and I swear it's a very reassuring feeling fellas - anything less and I would have been a goner. Another thing I installed after that experience was a small bolt on anti-cavitation plate from BCF on my Yammy 8hp. No affiliation blah blah
Large PVC pipes through the transom a good option too Greg. I just used the step as I found it useless for climbing in or out of the boat. A stainless four step ladder ideal for climbing out of the water.
Here are some pics plus link to my washboards.
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=176&hilit=washboard