Important C-dory Tip!

timflan · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:29 pm Post subject: Important C-dory Tip!

When you leave the boat, especially if you expect any snow, rain, or wind, always be sure to turn on the automatic bilge pump.

Dreamer · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:46 pm Post subject:

Thanks Tim. But, if it's an automatic bilge pump, you shouldn't have to turn it on. It should be on all the time. There should be a switch to manually operate a bilge pump, but no way to turn it off short of removing the fuse. The pump should also be wired directly to the battery. IMHO

timflan · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:55 pm Post subject:

Roger, that makes a LOT of sense. I'm ALL FOR this idea.

For some reason, mine's got an intermediate "off" position. Why I left it in that position will forever remain a mystery. Oh wait. I just remembered that I had the kids "kill the engine" after I tied up the last time, and they got a little overenthusiastic, turning off all the switches and electronics. They were trying to be helpful, and indeed, it was helpful. They probably adjusted every switch so that any illuminate lamps went to black. Good girls!

Yep, just checked with Kiera, and she says yes, she turned all the lights off on the switch panel. She says she won't do that again.

Suffice to say, hand-pump bilge pumps work reasonably well. Having just had the same thing happen in October, (my fault that time...I switched both batteries off), I had already reconfigured all the "foot locker" storage to eliminate water-damagable items. So this time, there isn't really anything to do but let it dry out.

The good news is that there is no water in the V-berth, so my foredeck hatch re-bed appears to have been successful.

rogerbum · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:47 am Post subject:

In addition to leaving the bilge pump on all the time, you might consider a second bilge pump that is ALSO on all the time and on a different switch AND wired directly to the battery (the switch being available to bypass the float switch and manually turn it on in the event of stuck switch or a desire to pump a little water out).

timflan · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 1:29 am Post subject:

I have that second pump at the stern, but it only kicks in when the boat is underway...or the water is really deep. Trouble is, with the boat sitting in the water, the cockpit overflows out of the foreward bilge-pump sump BEFORE the aft bilge pump kicks in, apparently.

Actually, this is pretty likely. It's always troubled me that the cut-out for the bilge pump hose makes it that much more likely that water will overflow into the cabin. In fact, I wonder of the aft automatic bilge MIGHT keep up with the rain, even with the foreward pump offline, if the foreward sump didn't overflow into the cabin with anything more than about two inches of water in it!

rogerbum · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 1:47 am Post subject:

tsturm · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:44 am Post subject: Re: Important C-dory Tip!

timflan · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 9:59 pm Post subject:

OK, I tested it today. I turned off the forward bilge pump and turned on the hose.

Sure enough, when the water gets high enough, it spills into the cabin via the cutout in the bilge well. I'm going to seal up this gap somehow. Probably use the polysulfide LifeCaulk product...I've got tons of it leftover from my recent foredeck hatch rebed.

I used duct tape to artificially "repair" the cutout, just to satisfy myself that the aft bilge pump was working. Yup! The water has to get JUST BARELY higher than the bottom edge of the bilge well cutout for the aft pump to kick in. If it does kick in, it drains quite a lot of water out, in a hurry. But if water is able to escape (into the cabin), then the float switch on the aft pump never kicks over.

Right now my fuel tanks are both empty, so the aft may be sitting higher than normal. So it might not happen with full tanks.

I like redundancy, so I'm going to keep the forward bilge pump in the AUTOMATIC position whenever I leave the boat, AND I'm going to seal up the bottom of the cutout to enable the aft bilge pump to do its thing. Whew!

Good day to dry out the boat, but the way: lots of breeze, no rain, and 55 degree weather. I had an electric heater going and all the windows and hatches open...lots of evaporation and ventillation today!

rogerbum · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:24 pm Post subject:

So how low is the cutout in the bilge well? Also, do you have a lot of weight stored forward? Something still doesn't seem right - my 22 did not sit so far bow down that the rear bilge pump would not pump before water spilled over the bilge well.

timflan · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:32 pm Post subject:

I forgot my camera today, or I would'a made a purty pitcher for y'all. I probably won't be back tomorrow, but I'll add a picture here, since I've left the threshold step off for drying purposes.

Jazzmanic · Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 2:53 am Post subject:

timflan,

I know what you're saying about water running under the cutout under the bilge well. Same thing happened to us when the boat was left out in the rain overnight at Twin Bridges. There was a couple of inches of water in the cabin, what a mess!

I think that should be another project to add to my ever-growing list, seal the gap in the bottom. Good idea about leaving the bilge pump in the automatic position. Are you concerned about a power drain on the battery?

Also, something else I thought about was to keep at least the camperback bimini top up if rain is expected. Any rainwater should fall into the motor well, not in the cockpit.

Peter
C-Dancer

timflan · Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 11:00 am Post subject:

I'm not concerned about the battery...it's on a charger with shore power.

I am concerned about leaving the canvas up, because of the wind.

dotnmarty · Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 11:10 am Post subject:

Think about a mooring cover, the slant back canvas from the rear of the roof to the transom. I've even towed with it on occasion and it is fine. Also, when the boat is on the trailer I pull the plug and take fuse out of the direct wire to the bilge pump.