A Dry Bilge...

     I know, every boater's dream - a clean, dry bilge. Well, I am going to give it a shot. It's the journey, not the destination.....

     Dripless shaft and rudder seals are in the plan, along with today's post  - the rod holders. The factory graciously put one on each side of my boat, I believe, due to fate. One of my oldest and closest friends runs a charter business, and he lives to fish. BTW, if you like fishing, and you are in the New England area, have a look at his website: www.reelsteal.com. Anyway, the rod holders have these nice drains plumbed into the bottom, with a drain hose clamped to the fitting quite securely. Then, the hose is routed......nowhere. Yep, just drains into the bilge. Every time it rains, every time you wash the boat - right into the bilge. So, I started looking for small, 3/8" diameter through hull fittings, and discovered that no one makes them...

A little looking around the shop, and these stainless steel socket head cap screws looked to be just the right size for my needs. After a few measurements and calculations, the through hull fittings for my rod holders were born. Each took about 20 minutes to spin out in my lathe, and they worked perfectly. There is an undercut, under the head, to maintain a bead of sealant. My next design alteration will be the cockpit ice box drain, just behind the helm. (the Captain's personal stash...). Can you guess where it drains?