Wet Lazarette Solution

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Always been a little irritated at the standing water in my lazarette's center bilge.



1-1/2 to 2" and not enough to trigger bilge pump. Two sources. One is rudder post weep and anything in a forward bilge (AC condensate for example) that tends to move aft when the boat gets on plane. The limber holes in the lazarette bilge are too high to allow water to flow back from whence it came.

Another source was the bilge pump thru hull. It has a loop about a foot above the outlet. What it needed was a check valve to stop water from overcoming the loop and entering the boat from backing down, etc.

My solution was to turn a 15 Sq. Ft. sump into a 4 Sq. Ft. sump by putting in a 3-1/2" high transverse partition. 2" water depth is enough to trigger the pump. Any catastrophic flooding event will have to jump the wall. A) That's not enough to sink me, and B) I'm not depending on that bilge pump to save me, in any case.

 

[Briankinley2004]

did it completely eliminate the water? I put a Ultra Mini float switch in mine. It only takes 1/2" to trigger it but I still have some water in mine.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

did it completely eliminate the water? I put a Ultra Mini float switch in mine. It only takes 1/2" to trigger it but I still have some water in mine.

I hope so, that's the plan. There's just no good place put the pump. Plus the compartment is just way too big to put up with water sloshing around. I have to concentrate the water or nothing ever really dries.

But to answer your question. I'm sure the sump won't completely dry. But I have eliminated one of the two sources of water, and now it's manageable.

 

[Texastailboard]

I like the idea, it should definitely help with that problem. We have had dealings with the same thing. It seems to me that our convertibles sit just a tad low in the bow or maybe level. My thought is that they should sit now up so things can drain like rainwater ect. That little bit of water in all my bolder stops irritates me. Just never seems clean.

 

[Briankinley2004]

All my compartments tend to retain a bit of water. I have resorted to using the green Harbor Freight $35 12 volt pump to empty them out. They usually stay pretty dry until I run the boat. I don't have the dripless seals so I think that's the main culprit.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

All my compartments tend to retain a bit of water. I have resorted to using the green Harbor Freight $35 12 volt pump to empty them out. They usually stay pretty dry until I run the boat. I don't have the dripless seals so I think that's the main culprit.

Key phrase: Run the boat.

 

[krush]

Why not install a diaphragm pump and suck out the last drop?

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Why not install a diaphragm pump and suck out the last drop?

Why let the water go all over the place in the first place?

 

[krush]

Why let the water go all over the place in the first place?

Good point. Fix the leaks and then there won't be any water to go all over lol. I hate standing water in the bilge. I think I need to drop my rudders to achieve this goal, though.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Actually, were it not for rudder weep and ac condensate I’d breakout my feather duster on those bilges.

 

[jim rosenthal]

On my boat (which is a lot smaller and has less bilge space) everything seems to drain to the bilge sump forward. Years ago I fitted a Jabsco diaphragm pump on a manual switch, to strip the bilge of water. It has worked pretty well. I have replaced the Perko bronze strainer on the end of the hose at least once, and a couple of years ago I had to overhaul the pump itself with new valves. Jabsco no longer make this pump, which is the large diaphragm pump with 1" inlet and outlet, so if you see one for sale, grab it. It is a large old-fashioned looking thing, with exposed belt drive. All the rebuild parts are still out there. The metal spigots fitted to the pump are also not made anymore, so if you see a used one anywhere that has the metal spigots intact, grab that, too.

These pumps have enough suction to strip the bilge just about dry. The strainer foot helps a lot, too. I have had this boat nearly thirty years and this must have been one of the first things I added.

 

[Avenger]

Actually, were it not for rudder weep and ac condensate I’d breakout my feather duster on those bilges.

Braggart.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Braggart.

You’re right. I’m sorry. Just the occasional Lemon Pledge and an old tee shirt.

 

[Briankinley2004]

On the boats Robert and I have the A/c units are located on the starboard side behind the engines. The compressors sweat alot and the condensate runs into these pans. Mine drain into the bilge. Also the seawater lines sweat and drip when it is hot and humid which is often. Not sure how the intake is on the diaprham pump but the ER bilges are sloped so it would have to be a hose type pick up to keep them dry. I use a 12 volt pump with a water hose to dry mine out but it fills back up on the starboard side when running a/c in humid conditions

 

[Entonces]

All good info, especially condensation (sweat) from Ac's. Been getting more water in my bildges lately. Full investigation when I get back to town as to where so much H20 coming from! Wifey has been good at monitoring it while I've been gone.