Replacing drink holders on swim platform with combo drink holder / rod holder

[John Wolfe]

I have a 2019 Yamaha SX 190 and bought some nifty rod holder combos to replace the cup holders on the swim platform. Unfortunately I can't find the info on the guy in Fla. that I bought them from to ask this question :
When I took the drink holder out, I realized there was a short piece of hose leading to a discharge just below the cup holder ... if I insert the new rod holder ( which , obviously is much longer ) I was about to attach a longer piece of hose and realized that the bottom of the rod holder is lower than the discharge port .. since water doesn't flow up hill, this is a problem. Others have said not to bother with the drain hose .. just let it drain into the cavity and it will find it's way to the bilge ... if this is so; why would Yamaha incur add'l costs to drain them overboard ?
Any thoughts or advice will be appreciated.

 

[Mike Cardillo]

My Scarab used to just drain into the bilge. It typically isn't that much water although it is a bummer that you can't use what is already there. If you do attach it, any idea how much water will sit (aka how much lower will it be below discharge)? If some water just sits in the tube maybe it isn't a big deal?

 

[2kwik4u]

Cap it off, or put a drain on it......mostly if you have kids.

My now 2yr old would literally sit on the rear platform and dump buckets of water on his head. One bucket over the head, one bucket out of the bilge pump. Was a never ending cycle (at least while he was on there).

At the VERY least I would add some tubing to the bottom to at least ROUTE the water to the bilge. The area directly under the cupholders is the same flat area as the rear storage areas. If you get too much water in there, it will soak the carpet and wick its' way up into the storage area. Get some tubing to ensure the water at least bypasses that rear area, and keeps your storage areas dry.

 

[obrien19]

I replaced my cup holders with combo rod/cup holders like you are on the swim platform, last year in my SX190. Didn't bother hooking up the drain hose. Didn't any excessive water in the bilge. Think you will be fine either way.

 

[KevJul2019]

Any pictures? I am thinking about doing this myself. Where did you buy the cup/rod holders at?

 

[obrien19]

Any pictures? I am thinking about doing this myself. Where did you buy the cup/rod holders at?

Sorry, don't have any pictures currently. Boat is in storage currently. Ordered the cup/rod holders from Amazon.

 

[LawRenceAr190]

Hello, new to the jet boat owner crew. Did you buy the 15 or 30 degree holder? Thanks

 

[poordealguy]

I just brought a 2021 AR190 home - replacing swim deck cup holders with the mate series rod cup holder combo is my first upgrade. I have the 30degree holders.
We will have preteens clambering on to the swim deck so would prefer to drain the water vs capping. Anyone found a good solution yet?

 

[Steve73]

What size screws and drill bit did everyone use to install these? Stainless steel, flat head, number 10 screws?

 

[drewkaree]

You are correct that the water won't flow uphill. Like your P-trap for the home plumbing, you WILL have drainage, but not until the point where the level in the rod holder is above the outlet, AND you will always have water in that tube unless you blow it out with some air at the end of the day.

I agree with @2kwik4u especially given your needs and the change to the rod holders, since you're definitely going to have water in the rod holders anyway, cap them off or plug the hole. No sense in inviting extra water into your boat, which is why I think Yamaha designed the hose/drain for the cup holders there. Better to only have a cupholder full of water than a permanent open hole leaking into the bilge.

No idea how much support is on the step-over area, but perhaps you could move those rod holders to that area, and run the drain behind the seat cushions, and buy some new rod holders without a drain hole to replace the current version you installed.

 

[2kwik4u]

You are correct that the water won't flow uphill. Like your P-trap for the home plumbing, you WILL have drainage, but not until the point where the level in the rod holder is above the outlet, AND you will always have water in that tube unless you blow it out with some air at the end of the day.

I agree with @2kwik4u especially given your needs and the change to the rod holders, since you're definitely going to have water in the rod holders anyway, cap them off or plug the hole. No sense in inviting extra water into your boat, which is why I think Yamaha designed the hose/drain for the cup holders there. Better to only have a cupholder full of water than a permanent open hole leaking into the bilge.

No idea how much support is on the step-over area, but perhaps you could move those rod holders to that area, and run the drain behind the seat cushions, and buy some new rod holders without a drain hole to replace the current version you installed.

Just realized you were referring to a comment I made in '20. Man time flies.

My rear cupholders had been "drained" to the cleanout hatch for a few years now. Did this in '19 and it was well worth the effort!

https://jetboaters.net/threads/drain-lines-from-cupholders-to-rear-cleanout-tray-on-2017-ar190.23671/

I'm sure the rod/cup holder combos are much deeper, so they likely won't drain back up to the cleanout tray. I would be tempted to put a single drain lower on the transom. Above the water line at rest, and with a one way check valve to prevent backflow.

 

[drewkaree]

I totally didn't realize it was an old comment. The newer comment must have bumped it up, and I wasn't paying attention to the dates.