Cockpit scuppers flap stuck

[Ernie]

Hi all
I have a problem clearing out the hoses and freeing the flap that covers the drain holes, when I was my cockpit those self all the drain hoses back up and drain into the battery lockers, I suspect the flaps outside are stuck with grime or growth. I haven’t been able to get them to open by reaching under neath from the swimstep. I blast water into the drains, does no good, I’ve tried to remove the flex tubes to get in and poke a rod through from to free the openings from inside the lockers
They turn but are I can’t get them to back off the the drain pipe. I really hate to force that stuff around these pvc fittings, breaking is a bad thing, right?
Anyone had success with this operation?

 

[BB marine]

I removed both of the hoses off the transom thru hulls of my C26. For different reasons. One had a cut in it from an improperly installed hose clamp and was leaking into the bilge. The other was to change the hose routing so the water would drained better. I used a heat gun to soften the hose. A hair drier set on high heat will work too. Start heating the hose and slowly work it off the barb, if you heat it and work it slowly you will not damage it and it will slide off. The hose is stiff but the heat will make it much more pliable. Good luck!

 

[Maggie Anne]

I had similar issues on my R27OB, it was indeed marine growth that was keeping the valve from opening. Similar to Ernie's experience I was not able to use high pressure water in the drain to cause the valve to break free. I did find that I could reach these valves from the swim step and after cleaning off the opening I was able to use a thin knife blade slid into the opening under the bottom of the flapper valve and that gave me leverage to open the valve. It took surprisingly little force to do that, apparently it doesn't take much growth to allow the valve to stick.

 

[Ernie]

Hi
Thanks
Good advice
I was able to pry the flap open and clear
I’ll try heat to do a thourough cleaning

 

[KKRCRACE]

I plan on replacing mine every year, the factory ones get very hard. When I first realized they would not open I drilled 1/4 inch hole in the lower portion so that they would drain and used a small hook to pull them open. The aftermarket ones I use now are thinner and more flexible.
KKRCRACE

 

[rpmerrill]

Yup the flaps get pretty hard and are reluctant to open anywhere near wide open.
I was able to get mine to open using the hose AND a wooden plug.
Each scupper has two inlet drains. I was able to plug one and blow into the other with the hose. (Luckily my hose nozzle was a pretty tight fit.)

The problem is that the small gap between the swim platform and the transom is too tight to reach down and access the stuck flaps.
Last year while hauled for the winter, I drilled a small pilot hole in the flaps. I installed a small sheet metal screw part way into the hole. Head protruding 1/4 inch or so. Now it's easy to reach down and tweak the screw head and open the flap while flushing the junk out.

I did have some short pieces of string tied to the screw heads but discovered that strings weren't needed.