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Aft bilge water?

Discussion in 'Carver Yacht' started by Washopay, Jan 27, 2012.

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  1. Rusty Mayes

    Rusty Mayes Member

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    Thanks NYCAP123, I was wondering if this boat was missing something.
    My Sea Ray had 1inch deep sumps at each end of the engine room bilge for water to find its way to and be pumped overboard and a high water higher volume pump and float switch mounted on the bulkhead 4 or five inches above the bilge floor for emergency bailing. I don't see why anyone would want or put up with any more the the smallest amount standing water in their engine room. The boat was 15 year old when I sold it and it still retained the new boat smell. I attribute that in part to keeping a dry bilge. So often I board other MYs of various sizes and they have that old boat funk. It has its charm I suppose but I'm not a fan. Invariably those boats have funky standing water and slime build up un the ER bilge and the smell permeates the entire vessel. I understand that it is a boat after all and the bilges are not designed to be absolutely water tight but for a pleasure craft that spends the majority of its time as a floating condo which most agree Carver MYs are actually best suited, one would think keeping a dry bilge would be paramount.
  2. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    If you saw some of the bilges I've encountered with 6" of oily water, rags and God know what else floating or sunk in it you'd know that your post just made me smile. Yes a small amount of thought in the design such as that little sump is a beautiful thing. Unfortunately many designers and architects stop thinking after making the house pretty. I've been a boat rat all my life but even for me there's nothing appealing about stagnant water or a dirty bilge. Some people knock Sea Rays, and for some good reasons, but I like them. Well thought out boats for the most part (at least for the first few years).
  3. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    Below is one example of what I meant.
    All four outlets are about 1' above the waterline, and all valves are normally open (the second from the left is meant for a watermaker that isn't installed in this particular boat, and is therefore closed).
    But as I said, that's not a very common arrangement - I'm aware of many builders who don't bother fitting valves on any outlet above the w/line.
    I'm just a bit surprised to hear that you never saw any at all.
    Is that so unheard of, in the US?

    Anyway, in the situation which you describe, stopping the water ingress from a broken hose would have been just a matter of closing the valve.
    Of course, if the broken hose is the one of the bilge pump, that still leaves you with a bilge pump that can't do its job.
    But hey, one problem at a time...! :)
    [​IMG]
  4. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Must be the size boats I ran, but never seen such a system above the waterline. Boy would that have been appreciated.
  5. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    For all builders I can think of, it ain't a matter of size. I've seen that on 40 footers, thou
    Those who think outlet valves are worth fitting, do it through their whole range - and the same goes for those who don't.
    I'd be curious to hear if anyone came across some US builders going the same route.
  6. Rusty Mayes

    Rusty Mayes Member

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    I amazed at some of the boats I've seen that use plastic hull fittings for the discharge just above the water line and even fuel vents. Two forty foot grand banks sunk in our marina with in weeks of each other a few years ago. both actually had thru hull fittings broken off at the threads. They went down in heavy rain. Both were very poorly maintained but not abandoned. I helped a friend move an early 90s 36 foot Silverton and we needed to fuel up first. Just as the tank was about topped off the bilge pumps came on and started pumping out gasoline! The tank vent had deteriorated in the California sun and the hose was laying on the bilge. What a mess. IMHO I think all fittings near the water line at least should be SS or bronze. They can fail with age as well but at least you can tell if something is close to failing as you can inspect for corrosion. not so much for plastic.
  7. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    If you have discharges above the waterline made of metal on most smaller boats they'll most likely be pretty, chromed, cheap pot metal (although I can't remember seeing plastic fuel vents and not sure that would meet standards). So are your odds better that plastic will deteriorate from the sun or cheap metal will deteriorate from the salt? Now on a system like Mapism showed the through hull would have to be a strong metal just to support the seacocks.