Temporary Bilge Pump Solution

[pjl83]

After spending almost an hour clearing out the water from the bilge after all the rain we've had, I decided that something needed doing. I have the boat "nose-down" whilst I fit the sole as I am wanting it to drain towards the aft when the boat is sitting flat. This means that until the sole is finished, the bung is of no use to me for emptying out the boat.

Not wanting to introduce a battery into the boat yet, it left me with 2 options. The first would be to find myself a manual bilge pump and the second was to find a power source from somewhere for an electric pump. I opted for the latter as I already have the bilge pump for the boat, along with the hose, some cable and a switch. After a quick search on the net I found myself a wirable plug on Ebay that fits into the cigarette lighter socket in the car.

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Now with the car parked near the boat I can pump out the bilge using the electric bilge pump. I fitted a switch in-line to give me more control whilst using and directing the hose.

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I'll give it a trial run at the weekend. Hopefully it will work out ok and give me more time working on the boat rather than just clearing it out ;)

[Mike]

Excellent idea, Paul, and a solution one would expect a skilled sparky to come up with. :approval:

However, would it not be better to find some way to prevent water getting into the boat in the first place? As I have said elsewhere, unprotected plywood will rot very quickly if exposed to water, especially fresh water.

To keep the water out you really need a close fitting and waterproof cover over the boat. That can be expensive of course.

Another, far cheaper, alternative would be to mark the sole line on the interior of the hull with her sitting nose down as you have her and then to put her back in a position where the water drains out immediately rather than it pooling in the bow section.

There's always more than one way to skin the cat, as they say. :)

Regards

[pjl83]

To be honest Mike, all this bad weather has caught me off guard a little. If you'd have asked me a month or so ago, I would have been certain that by now the sole would be down and the deck painted. The cover has suffered slightly in the high winds which has let a lot more water in than it would have done otherwise. The ply inside the boat is up out of the wet and dry as a bone. The water is I think running down the sides of the cuddy where it is open at the front and not "raining" as such straight in.

I'll be up in Nottingham for the christmas break so I'll wrap it up again before we set off!