I'm surprised by all the fuss about water in the bilge. My boat is Ericson
built. I sail on SF Bay, so the boat sees its share of rain and water over
the deck. The bilge pump keeps the bilge dry enough to avoid problems.
I do take water down my mast when it rains. In the winter I use an electric dehumidifier to keep the boat dry and sweet. It will suck the water right out of the bilge. The model I use has a storage capacity of about 1.5 gallons, at which point a float shuts it off. In heavy rains I empty the reservoir weekly.
I also use a dripless coupling on my shaft. I'm sold on it--it has been trouble free since I installed it in 1993.
It's important to keep the weep holes clean and debris out of the bilge to keep the pump working well. I wash out the bilge with a hose and check and clean the in-line filter as well as the strainer on the pick-up a couple of times a year.
I had assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that my cabin sole was standard. I have a couple of easily removable panels on the sole through which to gain access to the bilge, one near the mast to service the through-hull and one under the companionway steps.
Good luck and good sailing to all.
Bob
Jane Doe
28555
Robert E. Izmirian
rizmirian@comcast.net
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-olson911@sailpix.com [mailto:owner-olson911@sailpix.com] On
Behalf Of nrmartin@pacificcoast.net
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 5:54 PM
To: Schaefer, Klaus
Cc: Derek Reijnen; Jon E; olson911@SailPix.com
Subject: RE: automatic bilge pump outlet
Quoting "Schaefer, Klaus" <Klaus.Schaefer@mercer.com>:
HI OLSON 911 GANG
I USE A SMALL WET DRY VAC TO REMOVE WATER BEFORE LEAVING THE DOCK.
EVEN THIS DOES NOT GET ALL THE WATER. DUE TO THE SECTIONED BIDGE A SMALL
PUMP
MAY RUN DRY LONG BEFORE THE WATER IS GONE.
ON THE OUTLET FOR THE PUMP UPWARD BEND BEFORE THE OUTLET WILL STOP AND BACK
WASH. DO CHECK THE ORIGINAL PUMP HOSES AS THEY CAN BREAK DOWN IN THE HOT
ENCLOSED SPACE IF YOU TIE WITH STERN TIED TOWARDS THE SUN. DON'T LAUGH
WE TOOK ON 12 GALLONS OF WATER ONE MORNING POWERING TO A START WHEN THE
BILDGE
PUMP HOSE SPLIT.
HOPE THIS HELPS NIGEL
> I have found a handpump to be much the best. My boat has a panel that
> conveniently lifts up to give me access. Before every sail, I handpump it
> dry. After a while, like brushing your teeth, you don't think about it
> anymore.
>
> I'm pretty sure that no electric pump exists that will get the water low
> enough. Keeping the bilge water low is essential, at least for me,
because
> otherwise when heeling a lot it flows through wire holes into the lockers.
>
> My mast leaking is pretty minimal since I taped up the access points along
> the mast. I can get the collar reasonably tight with plastic wrap, with a
> conventional boot on top to protect the plastic wrap. If I didn't have a
> Sailcomp with a wire running down the outside of the mast and into the
boat
> at the collar, I'm pretty sure I could get it watertight there.
>
> Klaus Schaefer
> Jersey Girl
> Lake Ontario
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-olson911@sailpix.com on behalf of Derek Reijnen
> Sent: Mon 14/05/2007 6:43 PM
> To: Jon E; olson911@SailPix.com
> Cc:
> Subject: RE: automatic bilge pump outlet
>
>
>
> I have the same issue. Since it rains often in Seattle, I've got
loads
> of rainwater coming through the mast and into the bilge, with only a
> manual pump to get rid of it. I keep wondering if any 911 owner has
> found an electrical automatic pump small enough to fit in the
shallow
> bilge, but robust enough not to just clog up. Since the bilge is
also
> compartmentalized, getting all the water out without resorting to
> lifting the floor is quite difficult. The result in my case is
there's
> almost always water sloshing in and around the bilge and floors when
> sailing.
>
> And while I'm on the subject of water, anyone find a truly effective
way
> to keep rain water from coming through the mast? I can't believe how
> much water comes in. I've tried various collar solutions at the
deck
> (Mast-Tight, waterproof tapes, etc.) but nothing seems to stem the
flow
> - much of which I suspect is getting into the mast above the deck,
> particularly at the masthead.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-olson911@sailpix.com [mailto:owner-olson911@sailpix.com]
On
> Behalf Of Jon E
> Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 2:35 PM
> To: olson911@SailPix.com
> Subject: automatic bilge pump outlet
>
> O911 owners,
>
> Shanti came without an auto bilge pump, and I'm installing one. Does
> anyone have suggestions on locating the outlet mushroom? The manual
pump
> discharges through the transom "vents" near the bottom but I wonder
if
> using those would produce backwash into the bilge in a following
sea.
>
> Also, I noticed that the flat bilge is really hard to keep dry with
the
> standard rule-type pumps. Anyone have a trick (I'm using the old
> giant-sponge method
> now) to keep that a little drier?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jon
>
>
>
>