Prepping for bottom paint and new scuppers

[SBH2OMan]

Hey guys, just weighing in for opinions & advice. Today I pulled my old scuppers and scraped away old bottom paint and sanded off a bunch of gunk to just assess things. One of the things I discovered were a bunch of holes hiding under the bottom paint that had been plugged with silicone, but weren't sealing, so I popped the silicone out. A couple of the holes were wet inside, but didn't actually "drain" water out.

I'm planning to patch all the holes, then re-drill new holes for the new scuppers.

In addition, I discovered a really lousy patch job hiding under a cable cover from an old transducer cable. I pulled the two screws and then pried off the black plastic cover to find that the PO had just basically squirted silicone up the old cable hole and it had partially filled a 3/4" hole in the transom, but the silicone had shrank and was barely water tight. Luckily this was above the water line.

So here are my questions (in no particular order):

1. Should I over-drill all the scupper mounting holes and then plug with 1/4" dowels and West Systems epoxy? Or should I just slightly over-drill them and just squirt West Systems mixed with a bit of filler and then tape it up and let it cure?. Is using a 3/16" birch dowel a good option? Fluting could be tricky on something so small... I'm just leery of drilling a bunch of 1/4" holes (even though they are only about 1" deep).

2. Whichever of those two options I use, should I worry about patching the gel coat since it will be covered with bottom paint, or should I just have the yard apply epoxy primer and bottom paint?

3. I'm assuming I should get a 3/4" dowel and plug that big transducer cable hole. The one thing I'm wondering about though, is whether I might ever want to run another transom-mounted transducer, since I've been thinking about adding a CHIRP 'ducer and the transom-mount one would be a LOT cheaper and let me keep my existing B744v in the high speed fairing block. I'm wondering if there is a good but non-permanent way to patch that hole? (maybe just wet it out with West Systems and push a plug in there of some sort?

Thanks guys!

Transducer cable hole:

 

[tomysel]

Was the scupper in stall by the PO? Parkers have sale bailing cockpit so the scupper shouldn't be underwater.. mine are about 3-4" above water...

 

[SBH2OMan]

Yes they we're there when I bought the boat about 5 years ago. The boat is a '93 so it's older. It has always sat with the scuppers underwater according to the PO when I bought it.

 

[shawnee83]

Any chance you can post a pic of you cotpit from the deck looking towards the scuppers and of the transum from the deck and behind the boat? I can't get past wondering if your scuppers were modified? Also, your tab mounting position in relation to the strake with that style blade may be ok but see attached pic for tab mounting instructions. Again, only bringing this up because your mentioning issues getting on plane and speed etc.. What size are they?

 

[SBH2OMan]

Any chance you can post a pic of you cotpit from the deck looking towards the scuppers and of the transum from the deck and behind the boat? I can't get past wondering if your scuppers were modified?

Shoot I was just at the boat about an hour ago and could have taken pics. I only have these close-ups showing the scuppers from inside the cockpit.

You can see that there are little "wells" where the scuppers are mounted below the deck sole. Also you can reach your hand into that little pocket and there is a "void" forward of the edge of the deck. Always wondered why it was built like that because it just seems like a catch for water to sit all the time (which it does). It is always wet, as you can see.

Also you can notice that the little plastic flanges have gotten brittle and broken off. Not sure if that is going to allow intrusion of water or not...

 

[shawnee83]

So your transum is a solid type, all the way across? It's not a notch and water isn't coming in through a notch? That style scupper I would have thought would have exited the transum straight out from the drain hole. Perhaps with a slight down angle, but straight out the back and that would place it just above the water line?

 

[SBH2OMan]

So your transum is a solid type, all the way across? It's not a notch and water isn't coming in through a notch? That style scupper I would have thought would have exited the transum straight out from the drain hole. Perhaps with a slight down angle, but straight out the back and that would place it just above the water line?

yes, the transom is solid/enclosed and the motor is mounted on a bracket (non-flotation style, unfortunately). Basically the cockpit deck sole is about level with the waterline when I'm standing on the boat.

As to the tabs, they are the original 12 x 12 tabs

 

[shawnee83]

Perhaps it's just hard to tell from the pic looking up the hole from the transum but it sure looks like it drops substantially from the cotpit/deck drain? I don't know why they would do that. You shouldn't have a wet deck though with that style transum. I've not seen a Parker with a below the water line scupper. That obviously doesn't mean that they don't exist because you have one. I just didn't know they made any that way. See what the real experts on here say.

 

[kidfreediver]

I would definitely fill that hole in and move the scupper up very easy to do and save u some headache that scupper should not be below the water line

 

[SBH2OMan]

The scupper ain't gonna do much if it is above the deck!

 

[kidfreediver]

Not helping if it's below from what you explain it would be nice to be even with the deck and hopefully slightly above the water line.

 

[hammered]

I also have a 2320 and my scuppers set well below the waterline.i realize this setup is not ideal but water seeks its own level.water will run out just a little slower.

 

[SBH2OMan]

Not helping if it's below from what you explain it would be nice to be even with the deck and hopefully slightly above the water line.

Yes - absolutely true. The ideal scenario would be to have a deck and a scupper that are both above the at-rest waterline. Though that being said I have a buddy with a boat who's deck is about 1' above the waterline and it is really weird to fish from.

I also have a 2320 and my scuppers set well below the waterline.i realize this setup is not ideal but water seeks its own level.water will run out just a little slower.

Just out of curiosity, what year is your 2320 and are you running an engine on a bracket, or v-notch transom?

 

[Flyliner]

Brent, I know you're hauled out right now but if you have time i would talk to the yard about filling and plugging that scupper hole completely and then filling that pocket/well and putting in a deck level scupper, which would hopefully be above the water line.

Question, does that scupper hole have a tube running through from the transom to the rear bulkhead or is the transom that thick and solid?

What's the length from the top of the deck to the bottom of that little well?

I'll have more questions and or suggestions...

 

[Flyliner]

Also what does the boat weigh in the slings? Most travel lifts have scales built in so I'd ask.

With the sluggish and issues you're having I want to make sure your foam floatation isn't waterlogged.

 

[SBH2OMan]

Brent, I know you're hauled out right now but if you have time i would talk to the yard about filling and plugging that scupper hole completely and then filling that pocket/well and putting in a deck level scupper, which would hopefully be above the water line.

Question, does that scupper hole have a tube running through from the transom to the rear bulkhead or is the transom that thick and solid?

What's the length from the top of the deck to the bottom of that little well?

I'll have more questions and or suggestions...

There is a tube that connects the interior of the transom to the exterior (about 18-20"). The actual transom is about 4" thick and then there is a space with batteries and the pump for the trim tabs.

The bottom of those wells are maybe 1-1/2" to 2" below the deck - not a huge difference.

I'll have to ask about the scale on the hoist. She goes back in next week so I'll make sure they check it then. I weighed it in the trailer a few years back in a truck scale and I want to say it was about 8.200 lbs with the trailer and whatever gas and gear was on board. (Pacific galvanized with stainless disk brakes and dual axles - tag says 1,550 lbs)

 

[Flyliner]

Ok, does that internal hose lay completely horizontal? Or does it drain downward toward the scupper hole on the transom?

I have some ideas for a drier deck but need some details.

 

[SBH2OMan]

Hard to say but they look pretty horizontal with how the boat is sitting in the blocks. That's with the deck having a 4° tilt to aft.

 

[Flyliner]

Additionally if there are barbed fittings on the rear bulkhead and on the inside of the transom connecting the hose end to end, you might want to look at replacing those barbed fittings if they are plastic. The cracking inside the deck is a tell tale sign it might be ready to fail completely, not good and can sink your boat.

 

[SBH2OMan]

They appear to be solid tubes that are epoxied in place rather than hoses. But I'll carefully inspect next time I'm on the boat.