Self bailing - important?

Z

zuunami

New member
We're starting to narrow down our boat search to a 22' C-Dory (if we can find one! :), and there's only one thing that's kind of an issue, and it's that the 22's aren't self bailing. We're in Fort Bragg, CA, and have no access to covered storage during the winter, and it can rain at any time of the year (well, it used to!). So I was wondering what the thoughts were out there about whether the increased cost of a self-bailing 25' are worth it? I know that's a rather general question, but that's the only kind of questions we have right now :) thanks!
 
On a trailer, it's not a problem because you can just pull the drain plug. In the water, we used a little solar charger to keep the batteries topped off so the bilge pump wouldn't kill them. It was never a problem keeping the water pumped out and we get a ton or rain.

This year I purchased a slope back cover to keep the cockpit dry and clean. A very nice and significant improvement.
 
Agree with above, and if you are looking for, replacing or adding a bilge pump, Be Advised that some of them function by cycling ON every few minutes to see if there is a need to pump, (detected when there is a load on the pump) so whether it rains or not your batter will have a continuous drain on it.

I wouldn't get that kind or model of pump.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

9_Sept_Seq_2019_Cal.thumb.jpg
 
Even though the 22's are not self bailing, it is rare to get significant water in the cockpit when underway. The full Camper back and Bimini solve that issue when under way.

We have had a slant back cockpit cover on most of or boats. On our current 25, the slant back keeps water out even in the very strong thunderstorms we have in Florida.

If I was leaving a boat in the water, I would put in a bilge pump in front of the aft cabin bulkhead. I might even go so far as to put in one of the last drop type of pumps, which use a small pump and sponge. such as the "Dri Bilge" system.

OR the Arid bilge

Here is a DIY (and several have done this with instructions in our forums.
 
Thanks everyone, I guess I'm just being overly concerned about water getting down into the core. I guess it wasn't until recent years, and maybe even not currently for the 22', that the core is foam instead of wood. I saw an interesting video on YouTube where the owners took out all of the handrails around their 22', drilled them out larger and epoxied them, to make sure no water go to the core that way.

Karen
 
Bob, I am I the only one that sees the two solutions you posted, which are almost identical, and wonder why they are $700 apart in price?? $149.99 or $900???
 
Tom the components cost about $50. Here Ben Stein shows you how he put together his system. I have a very similar system,

The "Dry Bilge" which apparently has been set up by Sureflo (who has the Chinese built pump at the heart) is all of the $50 or so dollar system components put together in a nice package for $150. For the average boat owner this is a good answer.

There is also a Dry Bilge system kit, with a digital timer for $395.

The Arid Bilge is slightly more sophisticated, and runs from $875 up to over $12,000 for 12 intakes and filters, remotes etc for a "super Yacht"...

I think the DIY does exactly the same thing.
 
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