Drain tubes – sailing and on trailer

[hughsheehy]

Another silly question from the master of silly questions..

The drain tube..

Two times I’m not sure I’m doing the right thing.

At the moment, when parked on the trailer, the bow is down. Now with a tent cover, I’d thought that no rain would get into the boat, but somehow water is getting into the bow section. Does anyone support the trailer so the boat sits level and the bailers can become the lowest point of the boat? With the drain tube I’m guessing that any water that went down the mast would then make its way back to the bailers too.

Second…when sailing. The tube should be closed, right? A tapered bung?

H

[andyt15064]

One right and one wrong. You definitely do NOT want the boat sitting in the dinghy park with the bow down as water collects in the front, however good the cover, and makes any wood up there soft over time. Prop up the bow so the boat is level and open both self bailers whilst parked (move the launching trolley forward or back if necessary). Water gets in by running down the mast and into the bow section.

The drain tube(s) are there to take water from the bow compartment to the cockpit and out of the bailers whilst sailing. This is unlikely to function well if there is a bung in the tube.

Andy

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