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Hi Y'all: The drain on my boat was blocked with some small leaves that were washed down by a rain. I tried a flexable drain auger, but it could not make the 90deg. turn to the final exit to the outside, and I could not relieve the problem by entering from the waterside, either. My "eureka" moment came when I thought of RIDEX. I put two rounded teaspoons down the drain, and when I checked three days later, the water had drained, so I filled the open drain tank to the top, and in a few minutes, all gone. since clearing the drain, I put a soft plastic filter over it. I will wait to see if the problem has been totally solved. Stew, home ported out of Oriental, NC, part of God's heaven on earth. "THE RESTLESS TWO"

If you can get a hose to it, you can shoot the hose on the discharge side of the drain (backwards) to unplug it. Naturally works better on the trailer than when in the water!

What is RIDEX?
I would be careful with chemicals in those rubber hoses. You wouldn't want something that could melt a hole in it.

As mentioned, blasting with a hose often works well. Maybe plug the sink drain when you do.


--Russ

Push some cord (1/8 inch) through with a fishtape, put a knot or two in it, and then tie it in a loop. Next time it plugs, just pull the knot through the pipe to clear.

I HATE to tell people to "do a search" ie; cockpit drains -- - - but do a search - - - there has been a LOT of discussion on this with many great ideas like Cat's.

Now - - - my .02

I'd be real careful backflushing this drain so you don't disconnect the hose (that's a whoops!).

Also see and search "sink drain" (I cleared mine by flushing down from the sink).

Have FUN!!!!!!

Rick Less

Paul S wrote:If you can get a hose to it, you can shoot the hose on the discharge side of the drain (backwards) to unplug it. Naturally works better on the trailer than when in the water!

That's what I do. I also keep a small stone on the drain hole.
Q1

pokerrick1 wrote:I'd be real careful backflushing this drain so you don't disconnect the hose (that's a whoops!).

I really really hope that drain hose can't pop off with the pressure of a garden hose blasting the drain. Last time I was in there I seem to remember seeing hose clamps. I should have checked on them.

--Russ

My drain has been plugged since I bought the 96X last year. This year I need to replace the outboard reinforcement plate. When I do the silly drain hose, that has the potential of leaking H2O into the cabin, will go the way of the dodo bird. I’ll plug the hole, remove the hose, and poke a new hole in transom where it should have been all along. This is the only aspect of the X design where they lost sight of function in favor of form. In the mean time 5 or 10 gallons trapped at the transom won’t sink us. The greatest danger until then, is a few mosquitoes might breed in the transom bird bath, but I think the antique Nissan will leak enough oil to solve that potential problem.

What really sucks it that I had hoped to dip the Phantom in a lake this weekend, and now I'm fighting a Spring time cold, that may prevent it.

Following seas,
DanO

Our drain was running really slow when we bought our 07 M slightly used and I put a water hose up to the drain but not too hard so I wouldn't make the hose come apart and back flushed it. I didn't cover the sink inside and what looked like oatmeal and tooth paste splattered on the wall and galley so I do recomend covering the sink with something before flushing. Luckly the oatmeal was the color of the wall, kind of, so it cleaned up ok. Our drain flows good now, and we use a plug in the motor well drain when washing out the cockpit so pine needles and dirt doesn't block the hose. Since the previous owners lost the almost new 26M to the bank it may have been retrobution with oatmeal

Okay... So is it me or did Roger design a bad drain system?

Seems like a common complaint. Cockpit drain clog. I NEVER had a cockpit drain clock on my Hunter. Yet my Mac clogs all the time.

Maybe the T fitting is the problem. Should there be 2 external drains? Is the hose too small?
Me thinks it may be time to upgrade the drainage.


--Russ

RussMT wrote:

pokerrick1 wrote:I'd be real careful backflushing this drain so you don't disconnect the hose (that's a whoops!).

I really really hope that drain hose can't pop off with the pressure of a garden hose blasting the drain. Last time I was in there I seem to remember seeing hose clamps. I should have checked on them.

--Russ

My 2006 M didn't have any hose clamps!!!!!! - - - - and I've heard of the hose coming apart with backflushing with a result that was very hard to fix.

Rick Less

to RUSSMT: RIDEX is a dry, small flaked, bacteria that is activated, just like yeast does, that is flushed into the holding tank that is connected to one's home, when not connected to a sewer system. We live way out in the country, and no sewer hook-up. Ridex bacteria breaks down all the solids into a sludge which ultimately drains into a leach field. Ridex is not unlike the products that are put into the holding tanks on boats. Thanks for your interest and help. stew

to ALL that have helped and commented: Thank you for the advice and suggestions. IMOP, a larger drain into the transom IS the answer. Think I will get an expert to give me a quote on having one installed. Be HAPPY you have an , , , or just being able to get onto the water with whatever you sail. stew