What Is A Scupper Valve?
Author : Efrain E. Silva
Scupper valve….easy term to remember, right? Yeah, right, you might be thinking to yourself. And what the heck is it good for? Well, let’s chat again….
The scupper valve is no less than an important piece in the function of the boat or paddle boat / canoe as it can simply just keep out any water from nastily getting in through your scuppers ( heh, heh, mischievous water foe ) . But before I even start to delve into talking to you some more about that, you might not know what a scupper itself is in the first place….a nice starting point of reference, I might interject…..
A scupper is, plainly and simply, just an opening in your vessel’s side walls, all in all, that can let water drain itself out. And scuppers, as a matter of gosh, darn - tootin fact, as I like to say sometimes, are not just for boats or paddles but they even make them for stairs and halls or corridors. For instance, a scupper, quick lesson to catch here, in a stairwell, is meant to not let the area enclosed get stuffy as it naturally lets air out, in small quantities, from both sides. Neat, no? You can see more of these online and even Google a few pictures if you want ( and come to realize that you have used more scuppers already in your life - time than you ever even knew, he he heh ) . Buildings using rooftops on their rails also use scuppers. There are so many instances of scuppers out there, but in the case of ships or boats, you will find them right at the base level, from where they can best easily let water escape ( so your whole vessel doesn’t get over - filled and start to sink, for that would be beyond bad ; in that case, I hope you said a prayer and brought your life vest with you, LoL ) .
But scupper VALVES are highly known among those who paddle. Paddle boats could really benefit from scupper valves as they can even drain out water that comes in accidentally, and quickly, through the paddle boat’s sides ( usually as you paddle really fast or from side to side. Scupper valves have holes in them that are designed to make it so that you can let water out but not let it come back in as you do so, in other words keeping the water trapped outside the paddle boat. And they can make a paddler’s day go by so much easier and cost them less effort in having to push water out manually, not to mention constantly, all while possibly getting some water back in by accident.
Some are corded valves and as such are so easy to remove. And guess what, guys? They’re cheap as heck. I bought some online the other day for $4 each. You can’t “ebay” enough with these, in fact, I order all the time ( even for people who also like to paddle with me ) . It makes a nice present.
