Boat Forum / Building / February 2007

Before I can help you, I need to know: is your sink on a boat?  If so,
is the boat a powerboat, houseboat or sailboat?

The next question doesn't have anything to do with how to solve your
problem, but is important nontheless: if we're talking about a boat, are
you in coastal waters or on an inland lake or river?

I assume you are in a house, not aboard a boat.
If you are handy with tools, one (messy) option is to remove the sink trap
(the U-shaped piece of pipe in the drain line underneath your sink) and
clean out any clogs in the U or above or below it, perhaps using a piece of
coat hanger wire as a makeshift augur.
You'll have to bail any standing water out of the sink, but there will still
be plenty of it in the pipe, so put as large a pan as possible under the
trap before you remove it, and have a stack of towels nearby.
You will need a large-mouth wrench to remove the nuts that hold the U in
place. Be gentle. The pipe may be made of plastic, or of brass (perhaps
chrome-plated), and either can be broken or mangled with too much pressure.
Moderate force in the right direction (counter-clockwise) should loosen
them. Take careful note of the several parts (washers, etc.) you encounter,
so you can reassemble everything later. Back them off further and you should
be able to drop the trap.
If the blockage is far below the trap -- that is, between the trap and main
sewer line, beyond the reach of your makeshift wire coathanger
cleaner-outer -- you're going to need professional help, or at minimum a
trip to the hardware store for more gear.
If you find and clean out a blockage in or near the trap, you can then put
it back, carefully reusing the plastic washers. Tighten everything firmly,
but don't go Rambo on the pipes. Test it before you remove the catch pan
from under the U. If the sink drains and there are no leaks, have a
well-deserved beer.

Alex