tstore Posted June 6, 2017 Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 Hi all I have drainage rails on the stern which were blocked when I bought the boat and resulted in flooding the engine bay. I unblocked them but they keep blocking even though I cleaned the rails out. The rails drain vertically downward to an L shaped bend and out the side of the hull horizontally. No amount of poking with a long screwdriver unblocks them anymore. Can you give me some suggestions as to what might work to unblocked them? P.S. I am waiting for a pram hood to be made for the stern which I am hoping will prevent the rails having to drain so much off the stern in the future. Thanks very much for taking the time read. Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotEver Posted June 6, 2017 Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 Mine kept blocking so eventually I gave up with them. I cut them off about 2" below the channel leaving a spigot. I then pushed a piece of hose over each spigot which then curved gently to two new hull fittings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tstore Posted June 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 Did cut the existing drainage pipes right out and use the existing hull exits. My pipes are square shaped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tstore Posted June 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 Sorry should have read, did you cut the existing drainage rails out and use existing hull exits? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotEver Posted June 6, 2017 Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 3 minutes ago, tstore said: Sorry should have read, did you cut the existing drainage rails out and use existing hull exits? Nope, I fitted two new hull fittings. On reflection my outlets were square too so I cut them off flush and had a chap weld on a couple of short bits of steel pipe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opener Posted June 7, 2017 Report Share Posted June 7, 2017 I used to fill my rainwater butt at home via a vertical length of small gauge plastic water pipe - forever blocking at the top with cr@p! Too high to reach without stepladders. Pop to your friendly neighbourhood curtain shop and get yourself a suitable length of plastic covered curtain wire and keep it coiled up in your oddments box. Most of the time you should be able to clear blockages with a bit of aggressive poking. Maybe leave one end of the wire fairly rough and you can screw that end into an obstruction (assuming it is just leaves or general crud) by turning the free end. Also useful for clearing blocked sinks and similar. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 When mine got blocked with leaves and other detritus which became quite solid, I unblocked them with a wire coat hanger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUIGENERIS Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 Best way to keep pipes unblocked is to feed a length of small diameter chain through them, and fix a large enough keyring to each end so that they do not fall out, but allow sufficient extra length so that you can just pull it back and forth to clear detritus that gathers, in older wooden boats we use that alongside the keel below the ribs to keep the water passing through between them. Cheers. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tstore Posted June 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2017 Thanks for the responses. I got one unblocked with the wire curtain rail but the other won't unblock! I'll get a wire coat hanger. Great idea on the chains but how would you feed the chain down the pipes considering mine is L shaped? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotEver Posted June 9, 2017 Report Share Posted June 9, 2017 1 hour ago, tstore said: Great idea on the chains but how would you feed the chain down the pipes considering mine is L shaped? Push it through with the curtain wire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tstore Posted July 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 Hi all Still having great trouble with the one drainage hole/square pipe blocking at the mere hint of dirt. The curtain wire does not bend through the 90 degree angle so can't use it to feed a chain through it. Tried washing it down with water but that didn't work either. Anyone got any other ideas on how to feed a chain down through the 90 degree bend? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain_S Posted July 28, 2020 Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 Get at it from both ends? Onboard and from the outside? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tstore Posted July 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 I cant as having difficulty passing anything through the 90 degree bend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan de Enfield Posted July 28, 2020 Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 15 minutes ago, tstore said: I cant as having difficulty passing anything through the 90 degree bend! Apiece of flexible single core cable, tape it onto the chain & give the end a 'bit of a bend' and it should follow even 90 degree bend if you push. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgreg Posted July 28, 2020 Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 From the pound shop... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tstore Posted July 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 Excellent I'll give that a try! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stilllearning Posted July 28, 2020 Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 An air line, pressure blow it clear? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen-in-Wellies Posted July 28, 2020 Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 Push bike brake, or gear cable outer might work too. Have used it on sink U bends in the past. Jen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machpoint005 Posted July 28, 2020 Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 Looks like a use for the broken Morse cable in my cellar. I knew it'd come in handy one day ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEngo Posted July 28, 2020 Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 If you know an electrician, borrow his(her) fish tape. They will ferkle almost anything, anywhere you want it to go. N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machpoint005 Posted July 28, 2020 Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 3 hours ago, BEngo said: If you know an electrician, borrow his(her) fish tape. They will ferkle almost anything, anywhere you want it to go. N 17 squid from Screwfix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotEver Posted July 28, 2020 Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 5 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said: Push bike brake, or gear cable outer might work too. Have used it on sink U bends in the past. Jen I keep a length of that springy plastic-covered net curtain wire around for jobs like that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty40s Posted July 28, 2020 Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 7 hours ago, rgreg said: From the pound shop... How much was that then?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opener Posted July 28, 2020 Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 Flexy curtain wire is your friend for many applications, and cheap too. I've been using mine on the pick up tube in the water tank. Step one was to feed it through. Step two was toremove and strip back some plastic sleeve, damage the end to make a worm/hook then cut the wire to a suitable length and stick it in an lecky drill. The threshing and hook end should help it pull itself through and clear any blockage regardless of right angle. Worth a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotEver Posted July 28, 2020 Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 12 minutes ago, Opener said: ... then cut the wire to a suitable length and stick it in an lecky drill. Run the drill in the correct direction so that the wire tightens the twist and doesn’t try to undo itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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