22 Cruiser, How To Get The Bilge Water Out?

ggray

I ignored the water under the cockpit last summer, but want to do something about it now. The bilge pump just doesn't seem to be located where it can pump all the water out.

I've seen the suggestion to install a pump below the aft deck/cockpit sole, but before I take this somewhat complicated step, I wonder if caulking the joint at the aft of the cockpit sole, and plugging (fiberglassing) the gaps fore and aft in the "walls" either side of the (for the lack of a better name) bilge compartment would contain all "cockpit" water to the area the pump can evacuate. I'm thinking, how else can water get under the cockpit sole than by this route? I have a picture of this area that I'm having trouble inserting, but I figure you know what it looks like

Is this a reasonable solution? Is there anything else beside a pump under the sole? I'm curious why the factory didn't address bilge water differently.

Even so, I think I would install a small deckplate...maybe a plastic water fill fitting... in the sole that I could remove water that's under there now, and what little might leak around the battery hatch seals.

thataway · Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:22 pm Post subject:

photos would help. Ask the administrator (Tyboo or DaNag for an album.

Where is the bilge pump now? The lowest point is the forward end of the cockpit when the boat is floating in the water, or level on the trailer. When on a plane, the water flows to the small sump between the fuel pump aft--and all 22's should have a bilge pump there.

By 2007, I believe that the level cockpit floor was glassed in (My 2006 had a removable floor made of two sections. Once glassed in, there were enough small holes for the water to get under the floor. Thus you are correct that a removable round plate in the forward cockpit would help to get access to the bilge there. It would be possible to put a hand pump or a suction tubing for a pump there. However there is not really room (height) to put a bilge pump under there. Some boats had a hole drilled so water could flow into the step as you enter the cabin--there would be a bilge pump under this step which would get some of the water out, if the boat was level-.

lloyds · Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:24 pm Post subject:

I'm confused. There is no space under the cockpit, just core. Shouldn't be any
gaps.

Wandering Sagebrush · Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:55 pm Post subject:

ggray · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2021 8:36 am Post subject:

Do I need an album to post a picture? There is a button here to post an image[/img]but I'm not sure what to do next.

The bilge pump is in the lowest section of the bilge pan, right at the drain plug. It looks like this pan sits right on the hull bottom, as it should.

As I see it, I need to either install a pump under the cockpit sole, or contain the water (rain primarily) such that all or nearly all, has to drain to the bilge pan and not allowed to escape before the pump can remove it. The latter would be simpler.

Otherwise, it gets under the sole where the pump can't remove but the top "layer".

thataway · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2021 1:05 pm Post subject:

ssobol · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2021 6:57 pm Post subject:

My 22 has the fixed flat floor in the cockpit. This ends just before the aft cabin bulkhead, so there is a small gap. Depending on how the boat is loaded, water can collect at the front of the cockpit rather than in the bilge sump at the transom. If the aft cabin bulkhead is not well attached (at it seems that a lot of them are not completely sealed) there are gaps where the standing water can enter the cabin. One solution is to fill the gap between the forward edge of the cockpit and the aft cabin bulkhead with sealant to keep the water out of the cockpit. This was done on my boat and works well.

thataway · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:11 pm Post subject:

Yes, proper construction would be that the entire aft cabin bulkhead should be tabbed with fiberglass to the hull inner surface on both sides, before the cockpit floor is installed. Apparently because the cockpit floor cosmetically covers this area, some short cuts were made in some boats. There have been cases of rot in the core of the aft cabin bulkhead.

ggray · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2021 8:24 pm Post subject:

Thanks for all the suggestions and information.

The arid dry type systems would certainly empty the water, but I'm thinking they are designed for removing "the last bit of water", not for pumping the volume of rain that can fall into the cockpit.

I'm looking at this bilge pump with a remote pickup:

https://www.whalepumps.com/marine/product.aspx?Category_ID=10008&Product_ID=10003&FriendlyID=Bilge-IC

No dimensions are provided so will have to contact the mfg to determine if the pickup will fit below the cockpit sole forward; I think it will. It would require mounting a deckplate above where the water collects to mount the pickup, and a deck plate aft to assist in running the pickup hose back to the bilge basin where the pump would be located.

But I think I will first see what I can do to seal around the cockpit sole to force all cockpit water into the bilge basin, and keep it there for the pump to evacuate. I'll have to insure that little or no water leaks through the battery hatches. or direct it to the middle into the bilge basin, if possible.

I just think the space below the sole should be kept dry. I will install the forward deckplate to remove what water is in there now, monitor conditions in the future, and leave it open when possible for ventilation.

I'm impressed with so much about this boat, but I think this could have been done a lot better.

ggray · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2021 9:07 pm Post subject:

I found the dimensions of the Whale pump remote pickup, and it's only 2 1/4 " high, so I think it would fit.

hardee · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2021 9:18 pm Post subject:

All of the above are reasons I love my 22 Cruiser. No floor except the cockpit sole that is also the upper side of the hull. If there is water there, I can see it AND it can be pumped out (with one of the 2 bilge pumps) either at rest or on plain.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

ggray · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2021 9:55 pm Post subject:

Sometimes improvements...aren't!

It's nice having a flat, level floor, but it does add weight, and this issue.

thataway · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2021 11:42 pm Post subject:

The whale diaphragm pump would work-but I wonder if you will be able to pass a hose thru the bilge area under the fixed cockpit floor. Then you will. have to seal that area as it emerges from the relatively small space.

I would consider putting the pump under the galley--shorter hose run, and going to be far more accessible--you can use a bulkhead fitting, rather than running the hose directly thru a hole; this would prevent any leakage into the cabin. I don't know if your 22 has a step inside the cabin door--but the pump could go there also.

The pump for the dry bilge DIY will move a fair amount of water: the diaphragm pump I used would handle 1.2 gallons a minute. That would be a very heavy rainfall to accumulate 1.2 gallons a minute in that bilge area.

But if you are really getting a lot of water under there, the Whale pump will pump out more.

In any case put the circular plate over the front end of the cockpit floor and pump it out. In the long run a cockpit cover unless you have a full boat cover, will serve you well.

If your lazarett hatches are leaking then there is a cover which will fix that problem.

]

ggray · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 9:15 pm Post subject:

While I believe there is some water under the cockpit sole, I now think its not near the problem I was worried about.

I removed the panel in front of a fuel tank and can now see how the cockpit pan is made. It's like a bowl within the hull, and should contain all water that enters the cockpit. As mentioned in a post above, it looks like water could leak through the joint between the sole and the aft cabin bulkhead, but mine looks secure except along the sides of the hull.

I will drill a hole below the cabin door into the space under the cockpit sole, as see what's there.

Depending on what I find, I could install a deckplate, or a deck fill fitting.
https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1&id=3470506.

If I need to install a pump pickup there, I think I would run the hose aft, and epoxy around a ss tube passing through the aft bulkhead to the bilge basin, effectively a bulkhead fitting. There would need to be a small deckplate above this in the cockpit to do this and to attach the hose.

Thanks for all the help!

ggray · Posted: Sat May 29, 2021 1:10 pm Post subject:

OK, now that we are in the water, I found how water was getting under the floor. And it was. A lot of water.

We've had some rain. When I stepped on the boat, into the cockpit, I noticed something that I had not before. I could see a flow of water into the bilge pump sump. I felt around in the sump, and could feel a hole. A hole that drains any water the gets under the cockpit floor aft into the sump where it can be pumped out, but only when the bow is up as on a plane. However, when at rest, water in the sump and water in the cockpit goes the other way, to under the cockpit. You can't see the hole...maybe you could if you stuck your head all the way back to the transom.

Is that hole supposed to be there? If I haven't made myself clear, I can take a picture to show it...once it stops raining and I can get the water out.

But I think it would be better with no hole, or best, a drain plug that could be removed when desired. But as it is, all rain that falls into the cockpit is going to flow into the little sump, and drain immediately to under the cockpit.