Is this normal?

[RLWP]

This business about pumps in the cabin bilge

 

I have not come across a pump yet that will pump out less than about 10mm of water. I have not yet found a float switch that will switch at less than about 20mm

 

20mm of water in your bilge is quite a lot, more than I'd expect from condensation

 

Your 'emergency' pump is unlikely to ever work, even when there is a lot of water in the bilge

 

On the three occasions when we had water in the bilge (all water tank related) we had to get the water out ourselves. In between, our bilge has always been dry

 

I'm not sure what the benefits of a cabin bilge pump would actually be

 

Richard

[Greedyheron]

It would probably only serve to make me feel better. I have never used the one in my current boat but I like that it is there just in case. there would have to be a lot of water in the bilge for the pump to work but its there just in case there ever is a need. i have a small brass hand pump too which I tape the pipe to a stick so I can get little bits of water out- that works well and is usually only used if I drop something or I'm cleaning the bilges (that ones GRP and the bilges like to be clean). Ill put a small hand pump on the narrow boat to so that I can get out little bits of water if I need to. Separating the two cabins should make getting little bits of water easier I guess as it won't just be wondering about down there.

[Pretty Funked Up]

This business about pumps in the cabin bilge

 

I have not come across a pump yet that will pump out less than about 10mm of water. I have not yet found a float switch that will switch at less than about 20mm

 

20mm of water in your bilge is quite a lot, more than I'd expect from condensation

 

Your 'emergency' pump is unlikely to ever work, even when there is a lot of water in the bilge

 

On the three occasions when we had water in the bilge (all water tank related) we had to get the water out ourselves. In between, our bilge has always been dry

 

I'm not sure what the benefits of a cabin bilge pump would actually be

 

Richard

Well I had a springer spring a leak at the front from turning and a fresh water pump silently leak over 200L under the cabin floor on two different boats which the holes were blocked and no cabin bilge pump. Both times I wish they werent or HAD.

 

The boat saved with weedhatch leak had 16-18" from baseplate to lowest hole. I firmly believe if the hole had been any higher it would have caused the weight to pull the engine vents under alot sooner. If those vents had gone under we would never have saved it (they where 15mm from going under at 2am!!)

 

So from my experience if I was making them into sealed compartments each one would have an auto bilge pump. Oh yeah and the condensation you get pool up down there when you have polystyrene block type insulation is shocking, when it rains heavily I had leaky windows and door (has to be heavy though). No I would not block my holes without fitting a pump or a moisture alarm thingy .

Edited March 21, 2013 by Pretty Funked Up

[Malarky]

Hi all

Sorry about all the posts, narrow boats are new to me and I'm still learning. I'm wondering if I'm just over cautious or whether my ex hire boat was fitted out and built in an odd manner, some examples...

The water tank is big, the water pipe ran under the floor with built in furniture on top, the only stop cock was at the other end of the boat. I see a few issues with this. If the pipe ever split, for example if it froze, there would be no way to stop the entire tank emptying into the boat. The only way to replace it would be to rip most of the fittings out. The pipe also blocked one side of the bilge drainage. Is this normal? I plan to puta stop cock next to/ on the outlet from the tank and run the pipe above floor level so I can get to it.

 

The only access to the cabin bilge was a small hole towards the back end- is this normal? When laying new floor we will plan to put access panels throughout.

 

The pump for the shower was under the floor, to get to it the floor and showertrayhad to be taken out, to get the shower tray out we had to remove the bulkhead between bathroom and bed. We will put the pump in a box next to the shower.

 

There is a bilge pump but no float switch- which concerns me as what if there was lots of water in the engine bilge and I was not on the boat for a few days,( not the separated drip tray under the engine)? The cabin bilge opens out into the engine bilge so any leak/ flood further up the boat would end up in there sooner or later ( presuming the drainage channels were not blocked by random bits of wood/stones/ pipes).

 

Presumably all this means that nothing ever broke (until i took it all apart to look at) as there would have been no way of getting to anything to fix it. Is this all quite normal?

Short answer: no, it's an enthusiasts thing, but curiosity gets the better of us!