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And that folks is why you always leave you bilge pump on auto


Bantam_dave21

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.....and obviously turn off your water pump when not aboard....

 

Sat here reading through the forums. I hear a gush of water going overboard and the water pump going to the dozen....only blown a water pipe off in the engine bay for the hot water tank....that I can only think would not have been pretty had I been away from the boat or worse - asleep....

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I always worry more with Cruiser Sterns especially when they are left for weeks on end unattended in the winter with no cover over the Back Deck . I dont know if you have 240v Dave but I picked up a cheap aqua vac from Wickes ( £30 ) a few years back and hoover out the Bilge periodically , handy to have aboard

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2 hours ago, Parahandy said:

I always worry more with Cruiser Sterns especially when they are left for weeks on end unattended in the winter with no cover over the Back Deck . I dont know if you have 240v Dave but I picked up a cheap aqua vac from Wickes ( £30 ) a few years back and hoover out the Bilge periodically , handy to have aboard

My cruiser stern would get water run off from the Gunnels more so if the Bow fresh water tank was empty or low so i had some bund walls fitted across the step throughs and cured it.

 

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14 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

I've finally (after 39 years) got around to installing a float switch on the bilge pump. I wonder if it will ever operate.... 

Here's hoping that, after waiting so long, you've wasted your time! :D

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4 hours ago, Parahandy said:

I always worry more with Cruiser Sterns especially when they are left for weeks on end unattended in the winter with no cover over the Back Deck . I dont know if you have 240v Dave but I picked up a cheap aqua vac from Wickes ( £30 ) a few years back and hoover out the Bilge periodically , handy to have aboard

Two good ways to reduce the worry:

(1) get a back cover

(2) keep the drainage holes clear.

(I do both).

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A similar thing happened to me.  While away, my calorifier exploded in my engine bay (cruiser stern).  On my return I was puzzled as to why my water tank was suddenly empty.  I proceeded to start filling my water tank.  Then I noticed my water pump was running and I was very confused.  Eventually I checked under my deck boards.  I have no auto setting on my bilge pump.  The engine was pretty much submerged.  Boat didn't sink though.

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As MP says if the leak is internal  itmost unlikely the baot would sink as the amount of now bilge water would be the same as the amount that was enclosed Mess maybe yes disaster unlikely in terms of sinking

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I heard of a boater once who installed a permanently plumbed-in house/domestic water tank complete with a ballcock valve to keep the tank permanently full. I think the boat may have been called Darwin!

 

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4) Ensure that the drainage holes are above the waterline when the boat is underway (a design fault at the sharp end of our boat when first built, with a wooden foredeck). Not too much water came in, but it did take us a while to work out where it was coming from....

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7 hours ago, Machpoint005 said:

There's a lot to be said for Colecraft shells...

Not quite true - our boat is Colecraft and has drain points from the roof directly above windows. If it rains hard water gets in no matter how firmly the windows are closed. The problem is cured now - I've blocked off the drain points with a strip of steel and accept that there will be some ponding on the roof - the water gets off the roof at the next set of drain points about 4ft further aft.

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On 12/06/2018 at 12:55, WJM said:

I heard of a boater once who installed a permanently plumbed-in house/domestic water tank complete with a ballcock valve to keep the tank permanently full. I think the boat may have been called Darwin!

 

 

 

Nothing wrong with that, provided he also installed an overflow pipe (big enough to cope with full flow from the mains). 

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