[Public-List] Cockpit Drains

[Greg Roberts]

Hi Folks,
This is another of my crazy questions that is mostly intended explore
ideas... 
I'm hauling out here in a little over a week and plan to replace all
of my thru hulls and add proper seacocks. All of them have ball valves
except the cockpit drains where I installed Marlon seacocks. The
cockpit drain seacocks are really tough to get to. I have to turn my
head sideways to slide it and my upper body between the counter and
the top of the engine. I'm not claustrophobic but my lizard brain
screams "What the hell" the first few times I do it. It would suck to
do in any kind of a seaway and forget it if the engine is hot. So I
either need better access through the cockpit sole, the port locker,
or I need to move the valves.
So, here's my question: Has anyone reconfigured the cockpit drains to
somehow run to above the water line thru holes? I haven't measured how
far above the water line the cockpit is but there must be some margin
or we'd get water coming in the leeward drain when heeled. The cockpit
is sloped forward so I don't think drains aft would work. I'm guessing
the thru hulls would be just above the water line so I'd still want a
seacock on them so they could be sealed if there was a problem with
the leeward side.
Regards,
Greg
P.S. I don't think I can reach them from the bronze inspection port
but I don't think I've actually tried. Anyway, less holes below the
water line is still worth discussing.