Garboard drain size

[John Nardi]

Does anyone happen to know what size hole saw I would need for a standard size garboard drain plug for the transom?? Thanks, John

[Pete Fallon]

John Nardi,
If I remember correctly I used a two piece bronze garboard drain that had a flange type lip on the inside with a 3/4" pipe plug and an inner flange ring so it could be through bolted , used #6 bronze flat head machine screws with nuts and washers on the inner transom so it could be bonded into the system. I am pretty sure the hole size was a 3/4'" spade bit. You just have to measure the inner flange lip for the right size hole saw. I know that the transom FRP was over 2- 1/2" thick just off the bottom of the inside bilge. I drilled the hole from the inside of the hull with a 90 degree drill head, so that there was no water to leave a puddle at the transom. There is so much meat at the transom keel/overlap that the bottom screw hole had a #8 self tapping screw, just ream out the bottom hole so the #8 screw fits flat into the outer flange. Some of the factory 31's had drain plugs in forward bilge under the forward sole hatch just off the center line of the keel, it was fitted with a 1" T handle plug set up.
Pete Fallon

[John Nardi]

Thanks for the reply Pete...I ended up buying the Plug first and it needed a 1 inch diameter auger to cut the hole...I was pleasantly surprised how thick the transom was...Thanks again!

[Rawleigh]

If you go up a foot you will be surprised how thin it is!! LOL! It has withstood the teat of time though!