DaySailer.org Forum

I've had my 1978 DS II for only a few sails now - besides problems with the bildge filling up with water (which I am working on repairing the leaks), the bildge will not drain out the drain hole very much when I open the screw plug and tilt the boat up considerably. I end up having to pump and then sponge the water out of the access port next to the CB housing. Any thoughts on how to solve the blockage? - I was thinking about cutting a large hole in the cockpit floor a foot or so in front of the transom to access this area and hopefully remove the blockage and then putting in an access port to seal it. Would this hurt the integrity of the floor back there? Would it be better to try and remove the cockpit drainplug first as it seems to be blocking the way some - it may be that the floor drain area right up against the transom has become concaved to the point of preventing a flow for drainage inside the bildge.

Also, I have some long pieces of styrofoam (shaped like 2x4s) running several feet but completely detached (and floating when water is in bildge). Is this a big problem for the boat?

I think your problem is the styrofoam. After a few years these blocks start to break down and begin to soak up water. I must have removed 200 pounds of soggy blocks from my DS1. The DS2's have the same problem.

Someone on this site has produced a handbook that deals with this problem. It is worth the $

If you haven’t already, try pushing a small screw driver or something similar into the drain from beneath the boat. It may help to dislodge the blockage. You may need to do this several times. Brad

I had considerable blockage from deteriorating plywood (or whatever wood they used back there) from the transom blocking my drainage plug. I installed a slightly larger plug assembly and fit a small pvc pipe (1 inch diameter and about 1 1/2 long) to keep that area clear from wood pieces. Btw, we had considerable leakage from the old plug assembly contributing to the bilge.

My next project is the bilge drain on my 74 DSII. Centered low on the transom, below the cockpit drain and line with the auto bailer and the cockpit drain is what appears to be a bilge drain hole that was covered up. To be honest, this appears to be a job done at the O'day factory. A bilge drain was added to the starboard side of the transom at the top edge of the water line stripe and about 2 inches from the starboard side.
It seems to me the drain should be as low on the transom as possible to completely drain the bilge. Since I will be replacing the auto bailer, I thought that might allow me to see what is going on with the covered up bilge drain. Does anyone know there is a liner between the inner and outer hulls where the thru-hull for the auto bailer is? If there is not a liner or sleeve, would removing the auto bailer to clean out the bilge in front of the drain help Kenny G? (It's probably time to reseal or replace the auto bailer anyway) In my case, I am either going to install a new bilge drain on the port side to match the one on the starboard, or open up the one that was covered up and install a new drain there. Thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks to everyone who responded. So from what I am hearing, it seems there is physical blockage then of either foam or gunk and/or wood pieces (this would not surprise me). Sticking in a screwdriver does nothing as the cockpit drain is in the way and there is only a very thin space between the cockpit floor and the hull below it at the transom (and it seems the cockpit drain is in good shape so I don't plan to replace for another $40 - $50). I think I will try to gain access to remove blockage by cutting a new 4" - 6" access port in the cockpit floor a foot or so up from the transom. It does not make sense to me to put a single drain in close to either side of the boat since it is not near the lowest point. Maybe it would make sense to have one on each side and one at the bottom, but if the one at the bottom works fine, then no need for the others.

Kenny G wrote:I think I will try to gain access to remove blockage by cutting a new 4" - 6" access port in the cockpit floor a foot or so up from the transom.

You may need more than one access port.

I wouldn’t cut a port opening until you have exhausted other means to clear the blockage. You could weaken the floor and in the process of cutting the opening you could cut through or cause damage to the internal hull skin. Personally I would avoid cutting up your boat. I would raise the bow and insert a plumbers snake through the bilge drain opening and ream away. Brad

Good idea about the plumbers snake, but it really seems from looking through the drain hole that the space between the floor that forms the back lower well is so close to the hull there that almost nothing will squeeze through, including water. Maybe it just appears that way, so I will try something, but even a slotted screwdriver would not go in.

Kenny G wrote:Good idea about the plumbers snake, but it really seems from looking through the drain hole that the space between the floor that forms the back lower well is so close to the hull there that almost nothing will squeeze through, including water. Maybe it just appears that way, so I will try something, but even a slotted screwdriver would not go in.

Whoops I must have meant an electricians snake. They are usually thin and flat with a slight small curved hook in the end to pull wire through small openings. A tool rental store or maybe a neighbor may have one. It should be thin enough to get in. Brad

Have you popped the drain assembly out of the transom? If you haven't, you might try that to make it easier to access the void. You'll want to reseal it when you reassemble it, to keep water out.

I did pop out the drain plug and housing; it basically fell out and I will need to reseal it well when I fix the larger problem. And an electrician's snake might work better or maybe a wire hanger if the blockage is close enough to the transom. Thanks again. I'll let you know what I discover and how I resolve things when I have time to meddle.