Gettin' wet floors

[Guest]

There is what I believe to be a drain plug forward of the C/B trunk, on the port side of the "spine" that runs along the floor of my DS1. Great deal of rain today, and when I went out to bail, as I got most of the water out, there appeared to be some seepage from that fitting. Can anyone tell me what that is? Is there a product that will seal it up if it's a bit wet?

And, is there really no bilge drain on a DS1? I keep mine in the water, and simply cannot find a way to get the water to drain out of the boat. Under sail, I can remove the transom plug and some will drain out that way, but that can't be right. I am stumped!

Thanks for the all the help to date...GREAT boat.

Tom (tbeames65-at-cs.com)

[Guest]

The drain plug is to drain the forward flotation tank. Of course you may wonder how the water gets in this sealed tank? Two common ways: Through the drain plug or through a hole at the front of the centerboard trunk caused by the centerboard banging against the forward edge. Less common and more obvious, a hole in the forward hull.
Some people install self-bailers in the forward bootom of the hull. But this will only drain out the water while underway, going fairly fast. At mooring you have to pump or bail/sponge the water out.
Many people put inspection ports in the three flotation tanks to enable them to dry out.

Chris Lewton (clewton-at-erols.com)