Hello Will, Before starting the major overhaul of my Monty 17 I cut as large a hole as I could in the aft wall of the cockpit. I then fabricated a treated plywood frame that was screwed on the ocean side of the aft cockpit wall with flathead wood screws. Now I had a way to screw the "new" access panel into place over a gasket to waterproof the flange. Later I added a see thru 4" quick access panel in case something went south concerning the "hole in the hull" back there used for the stock cockpit drain. That panel has allowed me to install the two cockpit drains as well as thru bolt numerous additions to the transom, like motor mount, boarding ladder, numerous screw eyes and safety points. I was also able to do away with the long cockpit drain hose with associated kink that came from the factory and replace it with radiator hose as well as fiberglass the thru hull for the cockpit drain to prevent an electrolysis generated leak. All from the relative comfort of simply lying on the cockpit floor on a cushion. Pictures of the access panel are shown in my photoes at the MSOG photo site, under the boat name "AS-IS". Any further questions, I will be glad to fill in details. Tom B On Tue, Jan 31, 2017 at 3:42 AM, Wilson Frye <fryewe@mac.com> wrote:
Thanks, Jerry.
Hmmm, A side effect of this approach is that the OD of the tubes is increased.
End result has to be round, consistent OD on both ends of each of the drains, and that OD has to be relatively near the dimension suitable hose is available in.
All this work has to be done while wedged into the quarter berths. I was just in both sides replacing motor mount and ladder fasteners and on the port side, I can only slide in on my back and when in far enough to do that work, the bottom of the cockpit locker was right up against my chest as I rotated my body inboard to work.
Not sure I could do a good job. That's why I thought cutting out the old stubs with my vibrating multi-tool, patching the holes (most of which can be done outside the boat, and requires no "fine" work inside it)...then putting in new thru hulls would be easier. Still have to wiggle in to put the thru hull backing plates and nuts on and tighten them, and install hoses and clamps, but that should be a lot easier than the epoxy work.
What do you think? A good deal more expense, but probably a lot better workmanship.
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 31, 2017, at 1:06 AM, jerry@jerrymontgomery.org wrote:
What I'd do, Will, is to build up more glass over the aluminum tubes, using epoxy resin, so that it wouldn't matter if the aluminum went away. obviously, sand everything first.
-----Original Message----- From: Wilson Frye Sent: Monday, January 30, 2017 8:11 PM To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats Subject: M_Boats: Cockpit drains
All,
My M-17 (#359) cockpit drains are routed from the fuel tank locker through hoses internal to the boat to exit underwater through aluminum through hull stub connections. The aluminum stubs are a bit corroded, but don’t appear to be unsafe, but I am considering modification to avoid the inevitable problem of leakage due to the corrosion.
More recent builds have the cockpit drains located in the transom, about 3 inches above the waterline, about a foot port and starboard of centerline, through what appear to be Marelon thru hulls. On the MSOG site, Bob Eeg mentions using Whale check valves to prevent back flow into the fuel tank locker.
Has anyone done this modification, and if so, are there “lessons learned” that I should be aware of? I’ve a bit of experience doing fiberglass hull repair (closing holes and openings that are no longer needed due to configuration changes with West System.
Thanks. Will