Automatic bilge pumps

[David Hudson]

I am considering fitting an auto bilge pump for use while "AE" is moored at her new sailing venue. My main concern is electrical consumption v capacity to remove rainwater.

Comments would be appreciated.

[Rory C]

  I haven't tried it but I think I've read/heard that if the BRe is left unballasted with the self bailers open the water will not rise above floor level so the rain will not raise the level in the sump.
I'm trying hard to avoid having any unessential electrical equipment on board so I hope I'm right. Come to think of it Gobhlan was ballasted throughout our stay at Mylor and the self bailers leak gradually filling the well but no further if there's no one on board. Try it before you buy!
Rory C

[David Hudson]

Thank you Roy: makes sense.

[Graham W]

Rory's right - if you keep the boat (BRe or BR20) unballasted on your mooring, the self bailers in the sump will be high enough to drain any rainwater from the cockpit sole by gravity, leaving just a bit in the bottom of the sump.  Just make sure that the boat isn't down by the bow, otherwise water will congregate at the wrong end.  And you may need to antifoul the bottom of the sump to stop it going green and slimy.

Try opening the sump bailers next time you're leaving the boat to see what happens.  Once the sump has stopped filling up, it should always stay at that level with or without rain coming in. To be absolutely certain, you could pour a couple of buckets of water into the boat when you're not aboard, see it fill up the sump and then watch it disappear down the plughole.

I'm not sure what difference ballast would make.  A full sump and a bit of water sloshing about on the cockpit sole perhaps?  Again, try opening the sump bailers when you leave and see what happens.  At worst, you may get wet feet next time you get back in.

[Peter Taylor]

I'm not sure of the sump layout on a BRe/BR20 but on the BC20 there are 2 sumps either side of the outboard well.  With the bailers open the water will simply stay at the same level as in the well with the stern an insignificant amount lower in the water. The same is true whether the boat is ballasted or unballasted since the cockpit is designed to be self draining even when ballasted.  The only reason I keep the self-bailers in the sumps closed on Seatern is so they don't get mud in them when the tide is out.

 I still haven't really understood the logic of why the sumps don't just connect with the outboard well, or why the cockpit doesn't just drain into the well rather than have the sumps.  Matt did explain to me once?!!!

Peter

[David Hudson]

Good point on clogging the bailers Peter.

It would be great if the forward bulkhead in the engine well
could be modified. This might allow  the "sail off" of water after
a capsize.

[Graham W]

I still haven't really understood the logic of why the sumps don't just connect with the outboard well, or why the cockpit doesn't just drain into the well rather than have the sumps.  Matt did explain to me once?!!!

Isn't it because the cockpit sole is more or less at sea level, whereas the bottom of the sump is quite a bit lower?  To drain the sole, water needs to collect somewhere lower, which it probably wouldn't do if it had to drain into the outboard well.  The sump water can then overcome gravity by being pumped out or drained through the self bailer once you have got up enough speed. 

To get rid of lots of water in the cockpit (eg after capsize), when the inside water level will be higher than the outside, open the inspection hatch between the cockpit and the outboard well or, as Matthew suggested, open the inspection hatch into an empty ballast tank (the emptiness being why you capsized in the first place).

[Jonathan Stuart]

I think Graham has summed it up perfectly.