Cockpit Sole

little doc · Post by **little doc** » Sat May 24, 2008 4:54 am

Hello All, I am the new owner of a B35 1981 with a teak cockpit sole. The boat is FABULOUS except the sole leaks like a sieve. It is partly the gutters draining into the bilge, and not into a sump drainage system or overboard, and partly from the rubber gasketing in the hatch hinges breaking down over time. How effective are the gutters at keeping water from spilling into the bilge if they are diverted into some sort of collecting system and if so, what system? I assume a passive system that drains overboard is better than something requiring power like a shower sump drain, but...? I expect that I will be replacing my sole with a glass sole in the next few years, but currently a rainstorm will cycle my bilge pump about every 2 minutes. Thanks for the great site. Scott 1981 B35 Island Time

Seafighter · Post by **Seafighter** » Sat May 24, 2008 8:01 am

I have a glasstech sole and routed the hatch gutters overboard. The bilge is now completely dry.

Post by **dougl33** » Sat May 24, 2008 11:02 am

Scott, Welcome aboard and congrats on your new boat. Unfortunately, there's nothing wrong with your cockpit sole. Pretty much all Berts come with a leaky sole. It's just the way they were designed. Some have installed a sump like you mentioned and others have come up with elaborate lines and hoses that drain via a fitting in the transom. I have a 33 that is always plugged in at the dock so I just deal with it.

CB35 · Post by **CB35** » Sun May 25, 2008 6:09 am

To answer your question; a sump collection point will help out a bunch. I don't worry about the rain water getting into the bildge, keeps thinks cleaner. I would route lines into a sump and then pump over board. Running lines to an overboard drain means the hole through the hull would have to low on the hull. Not my idea on good practice. Into a sump (shower pump) and then overboard high on the hull. Or just forgetaboutit.

little doc · Post by **little doc** » Mon May 26, 2008 8:28 pm

Thank you gentlemen (and Ladies?). It is great having a forum of people with similar boats to bounce ideas, successes and adventures off of. Scott.

Mike_Lenz · Post by **Mike_Lenz** » Wed May 28, 2008 8:30 am

I had a cockpit cover made which solved most of the problem with excess water from rain/weather when I'm not on board, not to mention the area stays much cleaner. Mike.

Post by **dougl33** » Wed May 28, 2008 8:45 am

Now there's a simple solution.

BECCA ROSE · Post by **BECCA ROSE** » Wed May 28, 2008 12:38 pm

Frank P. has mentioned an idea like that before, just need to find the right material. Heavy rubber mat? Bill 1989 33 FBC Cummins 330B > ~------- [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... a_Rose.jpg[/img]

Post by **dougl33** » Wed May 28, 2008 12:52 pm

I think a material similar to what your bimini top is made of would suffice. It keeps you non-hardtop boys dry when it rains doesn't it?

Grady Smith · Post by **Grady Smith** » Wed May 28, 2008 2:56 pm

I had a couple of thru hulls in the boot stripe added on the transom. Bronze only. We reinstalled oversize pvc pipes underneath the cockpit running back to them and the bilge is extremely dry. They used to drain into the bottom and have to be pumped overboard. Just need to keep the gutters clean as the small holes plug from debris... I used to have a cockpit cover made of the same canvas as the Bimini. It was so nice for keeping it clean and the water out. I am going to have another made soon........it sure gives piece of mind when a heavy rain comes and the boat is 2 hrs away. And the dock power keeps blowing.......... Grady

lobsta1 · Post by **lobsta1** » Wed May 28, 2008 5:58 pm

Grady, Aren't you going to a mooring by the Beverly/Salem bridge? Due to a ??? that Doug L had about water coming back up if I backed down hard; I put one of those trapped ping pong ball cages onto my bronze thru hull at the boot stripe. Seems to work well. I am over at Tuck Point right in front of the grey condos. Stop over some time. Al

Mike T · Post by **Mike T** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:23 am

Lobsta, you got the wrong "Grady"! I'm "Grady Wahoo" on the other site. lol I'm still working on my 35 down in Fall River. New tanks are almost done and will be on the delivery truck shortly. Just rebuilt the carbs on the rebuilt 440's, running fine on the temporary Tempo. I'll be taking the scenic route back, Newport and the Vineyard are in the plans. I just found out last week I got the summer off, unfortunate, but with full severence till September I'm gonna have the summer I've always dreamed about, on a Bertram to boot!

Say hi to "Shrinkwrap Jack" for me. He knows me from Strombergs. I'll be putting the RIB in next week, and will stop by... Cheers, Mike (aka "Black Bart) PS I can't find the link to the "rendevous", I logged in to find the date, to see if that could fit into my "summer off" plans....

Post by **dougl33** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:47 am

Mike, It's on the General page. Here's the link: http://www.bertram33.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1417