Bilge Pump

Rule Bilge Pump Break Down from Two Fish on Vimeo.

The more I learn about boats, the more I realize the marine industry is an industry of fear.  Preparation is prudent but frequently I find myself planning for extremely low probability scenarios.   Having a decent flood plan is not a bad idea.

How would Two Fish flood?

1)   Most likely candidate would be a failed hose or hose clamp.  We check for loose and rusty clamps frequently and  replace as necessary.  Hoses that contain hot engine fluids should be replaced before they deform.

2)  Much less likely would be if a thru hull fails.  Near each thru hull are a variety of wood and synthetic cones to fill any leaky point.  The speed at which water enters is not fast and the bilge pump can actually keep up with a failed thru hull.

3)  A failure of a fitting in a remote part of the boat such as under the port head or under the master bed.  Both of these areas did not have limber holes at construction.  We added these to allow a leak to flow back into the bilge.  The limber holes are fairly small so will allow small amounts of water to pass but will continue to keep some separation of space for the bulkhead.

4)  Hull failure due to impact would not be fun.  Our manual bilge pump and electric might not be enough.  I would try to use the engine’s raw water pump as well.  I think this scenario is unlikely.

The reason I took out the bilge pump is that it was mis-firing.  It frequently would cycle on and off as the sensor was getting confused even after cleaning it.  We bought the new model which has a sensor instead of a manual float.  But I have learned that the new technology also needs frequent cleaning.

The bilge on the Antares is not 100% dry.  The air conditioning condensation and hot water heater overflow deposit measurable water in the bilge after a few days.  Old salt water pumps for the Volvos can also leak into the bilge.  The Volvo pumps were replaced while in St. Martin.  Another source of water in the bilge occurred only once in huge seas. Water came into the bilge via the pump exit despite the loop.  If we encounter nasty seas again, I might close the seacock and turn off the pump.  The bilge manual states clearly that there should not be a check valve to prevent water coming into the boat.