Hi:
Everyone is right on with their advice. The problem with teh Ranger is
that there is scant freeboard to put an above the waterline cockpit
discharge plus if above the water line minimal if any head for
drainage. Rangers are great boats, but.......................

So Colin, have you got your tape measure out and looked closley if the
measrment between the waterline and cockpit drains alow an above the
waterline through hull for cockpit discharge?
Bob

Tape measure standing by. Heading out to the yard tomorrow. Thanks very
much for everyone's comments. I think in general redoing the through
hulls above is a good idea and in fact one that occurred to me earlier,
but may be out of scope at least for this season.

I don't want to screw with the existing through hulls (hell the boat's
been floating for 35 years now) so I'm thinking get the proper valves
and get the nice new hose that Will Not Break. I will of course
endeavour to not have another connection point in the hose below
the waterline, which is basically the way it is now.

Bob yeah there is going to be *very scant* freeboard I bet. Closing the
seacocks? I don't know, I get out there once/twice a week and if it
rains a lot cockpit will flood and possibly forward into the cabin.
Transom drainage came about 2 years later as a standard design AFAIK
and in this cockpit the traveller is supported by a little wall on the
back there that closes off the rest.. The (outboard) engine well itself
drains back but everything else is to the front (Roger).

What's the complexity with the teflon tape? I've used this before on
conventional plumbing but I suppose it's not as critical there - what
is the right and wrong way to apply it?

Is there a reasonable way I can confirm that the through hull is
bronze?

I will pull the old hose off there in the morning and look at the
threading. Maybe I can paste a photo in here at that point.

Again thanks for everyone's comments. I may have more info to follow up
on tomorrow. Cheers,

-Colin

wrote:
I don't want to screw with the existing through hulls (hell the boat's
been floating for 35 years now)

'K... it does work, but some of us are paranoid and just
*have* to tell you about all possible failure modes


Bob yeah there is going to be *very scant* freeboard I bet. Closing the
seacocks? I don't know, I get out there once/twice a week and if it
rains a lot cockpit will flood and possibly forward into the cabin.
Transom drainage came about 2 years later as a standard design AFAIK
and in this cockpit the traveller is supported by a little wall on the
back there that closes off the rest.. The (outboard) engine well itself
drains back but everything else is to the front (Roger).


I think closing off the cockpit drain valves while you're
away from the boat is a bad idea. That's one of the things
that make solid fiberglass tubes a good idea IMHO. But
you're right, it's worked all this time and will continue.

It would be less trouble than putting in solid tube fwd
drains and may help if you add a drain tube thru the back
wall under the traveler. Cockpit drainage capacity is one of
those things where more is definitely better!



What's the complexity with the teflon tape? I've used this before on
conventional plumbing but I suppose it's not as critical there - what
is the right and wrong way to apply it?


The basics of the right way:

Always start with clean thread.

Always double check that you're using the right tape for the
service.

Start one thread back from the end of the nipple. The
initial thread contact must be metal to metal.

Wrap the tape the same direction as the threads, so that as
you screw in the fitting, the tape wraps tighter.

Never more than three wraps.

Never put teflon tape on any non-tapered fitting, and never
use teflon tape as a substitute for the right size & pitch
of thread.





Again thanks for everyone's comments. I may have more info to follow up
on tomorrow. Cheers,


You're welcome and I'll be looking out for your results. I'm
going down to the boat this weekend myself, epoxy kit in hand!

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

"DSK" wrote

I think closing off the cockpit drain valves while you're away from
the boat is a bad idea.

I agree 100% now that I understand the configuration of this cockpit.
Having the hoses break is a much smaller danger.

--

Roger Long

wrote:

Tape measure standing by. Heading out to the yard tomorrow. Thanks very
much for everyone's comments.

I don't want to screw with the existing through hulls (hell the boat's
been floating for 35 years now)
Colin

Hi Again:
My Ranger friend and I stood there staring at his two 1 1/2" valves
scratching our head for a long time. We both agreed that freezing and
sinking or filling the cockpit with water that spills into the cabin
and then sinking were real possibilities. After lots of staring and
talking, and a couple beers, we came to the same conclusion that you
did. Heck, the boat has been sitting at the same slip for 8 winters and
did sink yet. And three of the winters were ugly.... 0 degrees F for a
week., 3" thick ice covering the marina.
Go figure.?!

I was talking to an RN with 25 years experience as an operating room
nurse. She said there is a motto in the OR, "better is the enemy of
good."

NOw evertime I start another project on my boat I mumble repeatedly,
better is the enemy of good...

Bob
Bob

Jere Lull wrote:
In article .com,
wrote:


Hi Bob, yeah that's the case here, these drains are basically bottom of
the boat , most definitely below the waterline. Boat is on the hard, on
the cradle, so no concerns about doing this while afloat.


I'd spring for what's called a seacock, but it's just a ball valve with
a base. Among other things, they sit lower.

Definitely use teflon tape on the threads so you can take it apart for
rebedding a decade or two from now.

I'd spring for better hose than the clear reinforced. Don't even
consider the clear stuff.

I had a Ranger 26 and replaced all this stuff. Mine came with gate
valves and needed upgrading. I put ball valves and reinforced hose on.
The surveyor told me about a fellow who put The black PVC pipe on and
it leaked constantly because it didn't flex when the boat worked. I
would avoid anything too solid for that reason. Take the time to
replace the drains in the cockpit at the same time. They are not large
enough and the screens on them slow draining down a lot.

By the way, I filled the cockpit in my R26 during a spin wipeout. Good
drains, open valves and a secured lowest hatch washboard are the order
of the day.

Gary

MMC wrote:
Doug,
I agree about the design, but would it be easier to fill the existing holes
and install thru hulls above the waterline? this would also negate another
post about freezing water causing problems.
MMC

I have heard of guys doing this but it requires you to cross the hoses
(so port side exits stb etc) or when seriously heeled, water comes in.
A better way is to relocate the drains through the transom. All of this
is unneccesary. Mine worked fine, (and so have yours) for almost 40
years. Gary Mull was a good designer.

Roger Long wrote:
Drains above the waterline are also much less prone to clogging. The
floating stuff goes right through instead of building up into a mat at
the water level.

You should close the seacocks on below water hoses when leaving the
boat so that means coming back to water (and slime if its been a long
time) in the cockpit.

Are you sure your cockpit really drains forward? Sometimes builders
just put the drains there because it is easier. A good arrangement is
drains straight back through the transom. You can get through hulls
with flappers to prevent back surge and there are special drains to
install low for complete drainage.

With a Ranger 26 it only has to rain about three inches and the cockpit
would drain down into the boat. I wouldn't leave my boat with the
drains closed.

Bob yeah there is going to be *very scant* freeboard I bet. Closing the
seacocks? I don't know, I get out there once/twice a week and if it
rains a lot cockpit will flood and possibly forward into the cabin.
Transom drainage came about 2 years later as a standard design AFAIK
and in this cockpit the traveller is supported by a little wall on the
back there that closes off the rest.. The (outboard) engine well itself
drains back but everything else is to the front (Roger).


I think closing off the cockpit drain valves while you're away from the
boat is a bad idea. That's one of the things that make solid fiberglass
tubes a good idea IMHO. But you're right, it's worked all this time and
will continue.

It would be less trouble than putting in solid tube fwd drains and may
help if you add a drain tube thru the back wall under the traveler.
Cockpit drainage capacity is one of those things where more is
definitely better!
If you run the drain hoses back under the cockpit you can get right back
to the transom. The little traveler bulkhead doesn't extend down below
the deck. But why bother?

The other challenge on my boat was teeing in the drains up on the seats
to the deck drains. That would make fiberglass pipe much more difficult.

Gary

On Sat, 08 Apr 2006 21:42:21 GMT, Gary wrote:

All of this
is unneccesary. Mine worked fine, (and so have yours) for almost 40
years. Gary Mull was a good designer.

I agree. Install good quality ball valves on top of the existing thru
hulls, use reinforced hose rated for underwater service, and call it a
day. I had virtually the same configuration on my old Cal-34. We
replaced the original gate valves with ball valves at the request of
my insurance company and everything has been fine for 20 years since.