Many ways to sink a boat: Plug, Washdown, and Bilge Pump

D

Donald Tyson

Member
Last Week I forgot to put the plug into the back and quickly took on 6" of water. Once I noticed it that plug went in at record speed.

Earlier this week I turned on the washdown pump (after opening the valve). Hazzard, needs work! I noticed that the stream that I was supposed to receive at the hose nozzle was instead spraying all over the house battery area. Apparently it had been compromised in some way...probably from freezing here in my yard. Then it dawned on me that if I left the valve open, with the leaking wash down pump, it would soon fill the boat with water.

While rooting around down there I noticed that the bilge pump hose was rubbing harshly between the valve and the washdown pump. Furthermore, due to this tightness and rubbing, the bilge pump is not able to entirely seat in the recessed area provided for it. The bottom of the pump is elevated 1" off the floor.
Advice welcome as it sometimes helps a lot to talk about things.
 
Donald Tyson":2gtk0aze said:
Last Week I forgot to put the plug into the back and quickly took on 6" of water. Once I noticed it that plug went in at record speed. ...
Click to expand...

Been there done that.

Getting the boat on plane will allow the water to drain. But you still have to stop some time to put the plug in. But if you're ready to do the plug before you stop, the amount of water you have to pump out could be less.
 
I was so spoiled as my last boat was a Carolina Skiff 24. It had 10" of foam in the floor and no water would come in unless multiple big people stood back there. Rarely did I use the plug.
 
When we re-powered, the dealer put our C-22 in the water and I came over for the test run. After we got the boat back on the trailer, I noticed that the stern plug was not there!!! Never even noticed underway or at the dock!
 
Unfortunately, many approach boating with various levels of understanding or
diligence required about operating a vessel properly.

Some, thankfully, seek education prior. Kudos! Some, because they can write a
personal check, do so for the appeal of freedom, exploration and pleasure water
affords and then go off willy-nilley, somewhat clueless in their new surroundings.

Also, unfortunately, when things go wrong on the water (and they do), others are
put at risk for resolution/aid.

The following 'standing orders' (boat check, each watch) I learned aboard "Ocean
Star" on an Ocean Navigator training sail from Bermuda to Norfolk, late 1990s.
Having such a dedicated requirement, or other modified for your vessel, increases
your safety at sea.

Check and record:
1. Lines, coiled and stowed
2. Chafe on running rigging
3. Sails properly trimmed
4. Lashings, ventilation, hatches, port lights
5. Navigation lights
6. Bilge - amount of water
7. Batteries - voltage and amp draw
8. Stove - propane shut off
9. Gear stowed below
10. Engine(s) when operating
11. Fresh water faucets - drip, pressure switch
12. Weather, barometer - improving, level or decreasing
13. Log book entries

Have fun and be safe out there.

Aye.
 
Having a launch or starting routine that you faithfully follow is a good way to avoid leaving something forgotten.

I start at the rear of the boat while it is on the trailer and move forward.
Plug in
Rear tie down straps removed
Battery on
Outboard tilted up
Fenders attached
Launch rope attached and tied off if launching solo.
Etc etc……..

I don’t vary the routine.

The other important item is preventative maintenance on electrical and any thru hull fittings.
 
Years ago, I forgot the plug and almost sank our sailboat at the launch ramp. The drain hole was about 1.5" in diameter. By the time I ran back down the ramp, the water in the boat was a foot above the floor, and getting the plug in was a frantic affair.

I now have a checklist I follow every time I launch or trailer our C-Dory. That's the best way to avoid a critical oversight.
 
mutski":qs472tvl said:
Years ago, I forgot the plug and almost sank our sailboat .... SNIP
I now have a checklist I follow every time I launch or trailer ...SNIP
Click to expand...

It's strange, sounds maybe counterintuitive and errs on the side of safety but
having OCD dedicated diligence with system checks before and during your on
water adventure may, someday, save your marbles.

Aye.
 
Wife is putting together checklists for everything. It should help.

I now have a checklist I follow every time I launch or trailer our C-Dory. That's the best way to avoid a critical oversight.[/quote]
 
Donald, sounds like progress; see below if you intend to nail it, kinda.

Step #1: Create well thought out checklist for your vessel.

Step #2: Follow the checklist every time; put thoughts into action.

Then reap satisfaction in the fact you've done 'bout everything you can do to
check your vessel. And now relax 'cause if The Universe doesn't approve, there'
little if nothing you can do about it.

Aye.
Grandma used to say, "Sometimes doing your best is no guarantee the result
will be similar."
 
Foggy":c2tpou4o said:
Donald, sounds like progress; see below if you intend to nail it, kinda.

Step #1: Create well thought out checklist for your vessel.

Step #2: Follow the checklist every time; put thoughts into action.

Then reap satisfaction in the fact you've done 'bout everything you can do to
check your vessel. And now relax 'cause if The Universe doesn't approve, there'
little if anything you can do about it.

Aye.
Grandma used to say, "Sometimes doing your best is no guarantee the result
will be similar."
Click to expand...
 
Bilge Pump siphon
Earlier this month on my first day in the North Channel I left from De Tour State Harbor headed for Check in at Meldrum Bay Canadian Customs. I was cruising at around 14 mph until I cleared Drummond Island when I encountered sizable waves directly on the nose. I slowed to about 6-7 mph and recalculated my arrival time at Gore bay to include about 5 more hours into the long fetch… made an executive decision to cross over to Theselon for a much more comfortable ride. I checked into customs at the marina there and before heading to the grocery store I thought I’d clear the splash from the ride that had accumulated in the sump with my new secondary bilge pump. When I returned from the store and started cooking dinner I heard the bilge pumps turn on… repeatedly. I checked the sump and it was refilling every few minutes. Long story short, not wanting to pierce another thru hull or combine hoses with check valves, I had run the new hose up through the engine control boot to the engine well and over the transom. Although I had run it at home several times with all the extra weight including full fuel and gear the hose end was below the new deeper waterline and was siphoning backwards into the sump. All it took was the short initial blast to fill the hose once. This error was caught by a kind neighbor and rectified immediately but it could have happened the next day when I was anchored alone in a beautiful but secluded cove at Turnbull Island… I’m convinced that I have tired Angels watching over me and am eternally grateful for Life Lessons…
 
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