Transom port specifications & DYI info

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 06/26/2008 - 19:16
Forums: 
Maintenance, Repairs, Changes, and Upgrades

Does anyone have any specifications on the placement of the soon to be required transom port. I would like to know where to cut the hole. I have not seen any DYI instructions like I have seen for the required bow flotation bags.

TomT

sawyerspadre

Fri, 06/27/2008 - 18:09

If you buy the transom port from Harry at Flying Scot, it comes with directions and screws.

If you already have one Dee or Harry would probably fax you directions.

The center of the hole is 6.5" to the left of the center of the transom and 4.25" above the top of the waterline stripe. The groove makes it easy to measure this.

You use a 4.5" hole saw, and the holes for the screws are 7/64" I had to sand the hole to get it nice and smooth, and to enlarge it sightly. Use a good sealant, or resin to seal the glass edges. In this spot you should not hit any wood.

I did mine, and just did another for a fleet member. It's easy.

Phil Scheetz
FS 4086

Anonymous (not verified)

Sat, 06/28/2008 - 15:17

Thanks! I new someone would have the answer. I have marine grade silicone to seal the port. I just want to make sure I drill the hole in the right place.

TomT

JHS

Fri, 08/22/2008 - 15:17

quote:[i]Originally posted by TomT[/i]
[br]Does anyone have any specifications on the placement of the soon to be required transom port. I would like to know where to cut the hole. I have not seen any DYI instructions like I have seen for the required bow flotation bags.

TomT

Can I ask what's a transom port?

sawyerspadre

Fri, 08/22/2008 - 15:26

A 4" round hole in the transom, which can be opened to let water out of a swamped Scot, by towing the boat with a special bridle.

On the FSSA home page it will explain the new rules for transom port and bow flotation that go into effect in early 2009 for sanctioned events.

The spirit is to make it easier to empty a boat that has been swamped after a capsize.

Phil Scheetz
FS 4086

JHS

Fri, 08/22/2008 - 15:28

quote:[i]Originally posted by sawyerspadre[/i]
[br]A 4" round hole in the transom, which can be opened to let water out of a swamped Scot, by towing the boat with a special bridle.

On the FSSA home page it will explain the new rules for transom port and bow flotation that go into effect in early 2009 for sanctioned events.

The spirit is to make it easier to empty a boat that has been swamped after a capsize.

Hey thanks. Funny, I was wondering exactly that after looking at photos of a swamped-boat drill on another site. Once you get it upright, you gotta get the water out. Makes sense.

sawyerspadre

Tue, 02/03/2009 - 14:42

One bag, one port, and the specs are in the FSSA handbook. The kit from FS Inc, is the easy way to go. The fun part is glassing the blocks into the hull that the straps for the bow bag screw into. I love the smell of fiberglass resin in the morning.

I have done three boats recently with the transom port, it's easy.

Phil Scheetz
FS 4086

sawyerspadre

Fri, 04/17/2009 - 17:50

Transom ports make the boat much easier to empty if the boat is swamped. The bow float bag holds the bow up, so that you have a much better chance of rescuing a swamped boat without a long slow tow.

At big events in windy places, where it is conceivable to have a group of boats capsize within the same time period, the transom port and bow bag make it easier to tow the water out of a swamped boat. The safety boat uses a towing bridle which pulls the swamped Scot to the surface and the water streams out through the port.

This makes rescues much faster, and thus a safety boat can help others more quickly. This makes racing safer.

Apparently new boats have come with them since 1992, which is 15 years before the time they passed the rule. The FSSA then gave two years to get it done.

I did it on my boat and it is easy. A little fiberglass, a hole saw for the port and you are good to go.

If you have boat number 5400, you should already have this stuff. In my opinion, FSSA is catering to safety. I would have put it in, rule or not. It's like a PFD for your boat.

Have fun,

Phil Scheetz
FS 4086

Anonymous (not verified)

Fri, 08/19/2011 - 05:29

I did hull 3510 using the included instructions. I used a 4 1/8 hole saw, hit no core, and had to file out the hole with a rasp just a little bit. Make sure the the fit is every so slightly loose, otherwise the very weak plastic flange will distort making threading the cap problematic. I mounted with 3m 5200 slow cure and the screws. I saw some people use 4 1/2 hole saw which would probably be easier. Only out of desperation would I do this with a 4" saw even though the instructions say you can.

I drilled a small hole through a protrusion on the inside of the cap and added a lanyard. This lets me feel comfortable leaving the cap loose and also assuring that in the heat of a recovery the cap is not lost.

Frankly I would rather see them use a flap like you find in 470's. I know it isn't for bailing but even so the flap just looks nicer and would be easier to use.

quote:[i]Originally posted by TomT[/i]
[br]Does anyone have any specifications on the placement of the soon to be required transom port. I would like to know where to cut the hole. I have not seen any DYI instructions like I have seen for the required bow flotation bags.

TomT

karafiath

Tue, 08/23/2011 - 08:52

I just replaced my 20 year old 4 inch ports as the sun had deteriorated these. The new ones needed a 1/4 inch larger hole. There was a paper circle template with the packaging of the new ports and it was relatively simple to follow the pencil outline of the new port with a jigsaw. If I were installing just a single set of ports and had a hand held jigsaw I would not buy a hole cutter. IN ADDITION; My transom ports each have a light lanyard attached to the port covers!! If they are ever used in a swamped boat situation I will not have to worry about losing the port covers. They probably sink . Good luck with the project. FS 3512