What is the purpose of this 'tube'/channel on outside of boat?

[OliveOyl]

Can anyone tell me what the purpose is of a horizontal channel which runs along the outside of my cruiser stern narrowboat, a bit above the gunwales is? It is only on one side of my boat.

It is about 1" in diameter, and when it rains heavily, water appears to drain out of it, (but this could just be water cascading down from the roof). I assumed it was a drainage channel until I noticed yesterday that it is only patent at the stern end, but not at the other end.

[MHS]

Can you post a photo please  

[Tim Lewis]

Torpedo tubes for us a against wide beams?

[Alan de Enfield]

7 minutes ago, OliveOyl said:

I noticed yesterday that it is only patent at the stern end, but not at the other end.

Its probably the system guessing what you wanted to write, but gives us a clue what you mean by 'patent'

[OliveOyl]

4 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Its probably the system guessing what you wanted to write, but gives us a clue what you mean by 'patent'

What do you mean by 'the system'? By patent, I mean open.

[OliveOyl]

If you zoom into this photo, and lok to the left of the right foot shown, where the gunwale ends, you can see said channel and

[Alan de Enfield]

11 minutes ago, OliveOyl said:

What do you mean by 'the system'? By patent, I mean open.

The computer software = 'system' (guessing all sorts of words that you don't really mean)

Patent = Open ?

Open ended, open U-shape sorry I'm just not visualising this.

Does it run all the way to the stern ? Do you have to step-over it as it is at a height above the Gunwhale ?

[OliveOyl]

21 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:

Torpedo tubes for us a against wide beams?

Not at all!

[OliveOyl]

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

The computer software = 'system' (guessing all sorts of words that you don't really mean)

Patent = Open ?

Open ended, open U-shape sorry I'm just not visualising this.

Does it run all the way to the stern ? Do you have to step-over it as it is at a height above the Gunwhale ?

Apologies, I have a medical background and the word patent is often used to mean something is open - see Wikipedia definition below:-

"I didn't pursue another source for a web definition of the biological usage because I recalled an example that explains how the word "patent" is used in a biological (medical) context. The term "patent Ductus Arteriosis" refers to an "open" (as in "not closed") Ductus Arteriosis."

 

I have now uploaded a pic -does this help? It runs parallel to the gunwale, and slightly above it, on one side of the boat, only.

[Alan de Enfield]

4 minutes ago, OliveOyl said:

Apologies, I have a medical background and the word patent is often used to mean something is open

We are all different - my engineering background - patent would mean design protection (no one else can make or copy it)

 

I can only guess at a drainage tube - where is the other end?

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

where is the other end?

Connected to the leaking Paloma

[Athy]

I guess that in the phrase "patently obvious" the meaning could be "clearly" or "openly".

[Alan de Enfield]

Or, a 'hard and glossy surface' (as in patent leather)

[OliveOyl]

9 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

We are all different - my engineering background - patent would mean design protection (no one else can make or copy it)

 

I can only guess at a drainage tube - where is the other end?

And my business background also means that I too, use the word in a protected design sense but hey ho.

9 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Connected to the leaking Paloma

You are a one, Rusty!

 

This is partly why I asked, because I have also found some water elsewhere and am trying to trace where it's coming from, cos I've never had any leaks before.

[mark99]

Patent leather shoes.

 

Squirt some water in it?

 

No don't - in case it's a breather for fuel! 

Edited April 30, 2018 by mark99

[Alan de Enfield]

4 minutes ago, OliveOyl said:

I've never had any leaks before

You must - at least have one on 1st March (its compulsory)

 

The complexities of the English language

[rusty69]

5 minutes ago, OliveOyl said:

14 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

 

You are a one, Rusty!

I've been called a number two before, but not "a one"

[Mac of Cygnet]

Here is the enlarged area as the OP requested.  It looks to me as if the pipe is emerging from inside the boat.

[springy]

Central Heating header tank overflow ? or prv blow off if it does come from inside ?

 

springy

[mark99]

Can you smell anything from there when you rock the boat - just to eliminate fuel tank breather.

[MtB]

Even though we now have pictures, I'm still mystified!

Have you tried following the pipe to see where the other end goes?

[OliveOyl]

4 minutes ago, springy said:

Central Heating header tank overflow ? or prv blow off if it does come from inside ?

 

springy

Central heating???? I wish!

11 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

I've been called a number two before, but not "a one"

[OliveOyl]

6 minutes ago, mark99 said:

Can you smell anything from there when you rock the boat - just to eliminate fuel tank breather.

I'm pretty sure my fuel tank breather is at the back - sorry, stern  - just next to my gas box as a couple of people have referred to it as such.

[rusty69]

Yep. I'm stumped too (not difficult I know).Perhaps an old gas pipe or Popeyes periscope. A better pic would help, as would tracing the other end of the pipe as suggested

[OldGoat]

I enlarged the pic a bit more and the pipe appeared to be rectangular in shape. It's in a silly position for a discharge / overflow pipe, so I wonder if it was where you could put a guard rail to stop small persons / pets from jumping or falling overboard? Is there a similar pipe on the other side of the deck?