Replaced my anchor locker drain fitting due to leaks

[drewkaree]

I measured my new 3/8" fitting and it's .650 on the threads....you were measuring the shank, not the threads, right? I should be ok.

Measured the mashed in threads on the plastic part. the smooth shank itself is actually thinner than the threads so it sounds like you should be good, and it sounds like the same situation I had, went with a smaller fitting and it slid right in the hole, no problems.

 

[drewkaree]

I put the SS drain in mine and removed the crap they had in there stock.

Was thinking there may be even a better way, especially if you want to put a keel guard on higher up, like I have been contemplating doing. Anyhow my thought is to possibly drill a hole and let it drain just below the cup holders onto the deck up in the bow. Put a real nice thru hull fitting there. Since our boats are self bailing, and there really isn't much water ever coming from there, it would then travel into the ski locker channels then back and out the scupper. Then you could seal the front hole completely and Keel Guard over it, OR put a real nice small plug in it, OR glass over it. Alternatively you could use a hose and run it back through the boat and let it dump out on the deck or run the hose under the deck and let it dump out in either the Gas or Ski Locker Channel.

I dunno, just thinking about stuff. Not sure it is worth the effort.

Not sure how the front of your boat is shaped, but I have a step there. So there would be a little bit of a hose needed to connect between there and I would require two fittings, otherwise I could just have it dump into the bilge. I considered just sealing up the hole, and having the fitting to dump into the bilge to handle any rain or spray that might get in there, but drilling a hole is very difficult backwards into that area as far as access with a drill, even a right-handed drill.

The drill bit itself becomes the issue, and I'm not sure how well a step bit would work but that is about the only bit that you would be able to use that would give you the clearance required without buying a special shorty drill bit.

 

[mrcleanr6]

I did the anchor drain on my boat a few months back. The 3/8” thruhull should fit perfect in the stock hole they drilled for the junk plastic drain. Just add a little sealant and your good to go. I uad someone outside the boat hold the head while i tightened up the nut on the locker side.

@HangOutdoors, i put my keelguard on and it does go above the drain. Before i stuck the guard on i marked where the head was going to go and cut out the circle. I was able to take a dremel and feather the edges out around the cutout so the guard sort of tapers into the head of the thruhull. Not necessary but makes for a more professional looking job.

 

[RobbieO]

Anchor drain removal tool...5 second removal...transmission snap ring pliers....

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Anchor drain removal tool...5 second removal...transmission snap ring pliers....

Aren’t you crafty!!!

 

[Yambers]

Anchor drain removal tool...5 second removal...transmission snap ring pliers....

You are smarter than me.. I used my fingernails..

 

[drewkaree]

You are smarter than me.. I used my fingernails..

He's smarter than me too. I've got a snap ring pliers, and didn't think to use it!

 

[RobbieO]

I did the anchor drain on my boat a few months back. The 3/8” thruhull should fit perfect in the stock hole they drilled for the junk plastic drain. Just add a little sealant and your good to go. I uad someone outside the boat hold the head while i tightened up the nut on the locker side.

@HangOutdoors, i put my keelguard on and it does go above the drain. Before i stuck the guard on i marked where the head was going to go and cut out the circle. I was able to take a dremel and feather the edges out around the cutout so the guard sort of tapers into the head of the thruhull. Not necessary but makes for a more professional looking job.

Agreed...the fitting I have fits perfectly. Just need to adjust the length. Looks great as well

 

[Maineiac]

This looks great!

I decided to cheap out and put some 3/8” tubing inside the stock fitting all the way to the interior and then finish it off with 5200. I also noticed a gouge on the inside that I sealed up too.

 

[Mesa50]

So, you guys convinced me to check out my anchor drain. Look what I found. Looks like they gave a 9 year old a punch and a hammer. Trying to decide if I should fix it myself or let it sit at the boat dealer for who knows how long.

 

[HangOutdoors]

@Mesa50 If you have the boat in your possession just fix it. Not sure what the dealer is going to do. Put another Yamaha stock POS plastic thru hull drain there and slap some 5200 on it? Not sure if they would do anymore than that.

 

[906Tony]

I was amazed how much water actually comes in to the anchor locker just from that drain hole from normal operation. This past weekend my brother in law and I were out on my boat and I had him drive (slow cruising) while I looked into the anchor locker. I saw water coming in through the hole. I told him to come see, so he comes walking up (putting more weight on the front of the boat) and then it was really coming in, so then we kinda backed away and it ran back out but I was kinda shocked. I personally think that hole is mostly useless. Im almost thinking of a way to nicely cap it off with some kind of sealed chrome cap and replumb an internal drain as @HangOutdoors mentioned.

 

[HangOutdoors]

If I ever get out of the current set of boat mods and household projects, I was going to look into doing that with anchor locker and just seal it up. Would have to empty out the way of the scupper I would think. I wouldn't want the extra in the bilge.

Although since @drewkaree has been on a water intrusion kick for the last month and a half pretty hard, perhaps he could design a way to put a motor and plumb that so it will just empty out another pee hole in the side

 

[Maineiac]

If I ever get out of the current set of boat mods and household projects, I was going to look into doing that with anchor locker and just seal it up.

So, never?

 

[hapyfishrmn]

So, never?

I was thinking we should create a thread on "What @HangOutdoors hasn't done to his jet boat today" haha

Enjoying all your mods!

 

[HangOutdoors]

At least someone is.. ... Admiral has me on pool project which maybe cancelled mid week and then i can take the boat out

Really, really want tobl try out trolling motor

 

[RobbieO]

If I ever get out of the current set of boat mods and household projects, I was going to look into doing that with anchor locker and just seal it up. Would have to empty out the way of the scupper I would think. I wouldn't want the extra in the bilge.

Although since @drewkaree has been on a water intrusion kick for the last month and a half pretty hard, perhaps he could design a way to put a motor and plumb that so it will just empty out another pee hole in the side

Actually you have made me think of an idea. Since my new SS anchor fitting is too long, I'll leave enough threads on it to install a plug on it once it's bolted in and sealed. Then when I need to drain the locker, just screw the cap off. Brilliant!

 

[Bizywk]

I'm puzzled. Maybe you guys can clear this up for me. I've been watching these drain locker threads for a while now under the mistaken impression that you were repairing UV damaged/cracked/unsightly fittings as a good cosmetic fix. On our first maiden voyage after the showroom floor, I managed to identify that the anchor locker drain hole lets in a ton of water water more than the anchor will ever bring in while at non-planing low speeds. That made me disappointed that the locker simply didn't have a tube drain or channel in the fiberglass back to the rear where forward momentum would assist gravity in the evacuation of anchor water and protect against the low speed water injection that physics demands. Just as @906Tony commented, I also briefly considered installing a temporary a plug that I could release if needed back on dry land to evacuate the little amount of water the anchor will bring in, but decided to ignore it as a non-issue because the anchor locker appeared to be a completely sealed compartment. With no place for the water to go, it couldn't really be a big deal as gravity and our post operation dry out with the hatches open would eventually win out. The biggest issue would then be a nasty damp rope with no airflow while underway. That's a flawed idea however if the water is really getting to the bilge somehow. How could water possibly egress from this compartment to the bilge? I'm so curious now, that I'm tempted to find a non-staining colorant to chase it.

In the first two years, my 2019 SX210 didn't pull a drop even with this intended hole in the boat just above the water line which would support my initial theory, but early this year after only a very short non-water sports pleasure ride, I trailered and discovered more water than I was comfortable with at the drain plug so something had definitely changed. I had a newbie driving for a little while so I assumed it likely came from a couple of quick lurching stops with water rushing over the swim deck in combination with the infamous rear maintenance port seal problem. Perhaps not?

 

[RobbieO]

We have been replacing the locker fittings with new LONGER fittings. The factory plugs were to short and did not reach the anchor locker, so there was an open gap in the hull. That's where water was getting in and running to the back. The new longer fitting corrects that. Hope this was helpful.

 

[Bizywk]

Yes. Upon visual inspection, I didn't detect that there were two walls. So you guys were probably taking on water as early as day 1. This makes a lot more sense now.

Thanks.