Bilge setup for 13’6 dory

hutt said:
I bought this one as I needed a quicker delivery

20W Watt 12V Monocrystalline Solar Panel Battery Charger Camping Boat Off Grid | eBay
Click to expand...

The description shows a Controller .... a simple PWM controller is fine ... and they are cheap enough ... if you were here in Latvia - I'd give you one of my spares ....

The panel you bought is of usual higher voltage that controller then reduces to required level to charge batterys ...

take your pick ...

PWM Solar controller for sale | eBay

I have a Dual and singles ...

Single : PWM 10A/20/30A Solar Charge Controller 12V/24V Auto Dual USB Solar Panel Charger | eBay

Dual battery : 12V/24V Solar Charge Controller Batteries Panel Dual Battery Regulator PWM UK | eBay

Someone will come on and say you need MPPT ... not PWM .... that's THEIR choice ... and yours ... PWM serves me well on my other panels ...
 
I have just taken delivery of a ‘new’ Orkney Dory which we are keeping on a drying-out pontoon. It has a bung in the drain hole at the stern. I was told to keep the bung in and fit an auto bilge pump to clear rainwater. I would have thought leaving the bung out would allow accumulated water to drain out at low tide? Any advice on this welcomed please.
 
I don't know your boat, but ISTM that a drain hole that will allow rainwater to drain must be pretty close to the waterline. What happens to the waterline when the boat gets enough water in it to start draining?

It may be fine, but it's something I'd want to check. There may also be a risk of the drain becoming blocked by leaves.
 
JAW911 said:
I have just taken delivery of a ‘new’ Orkney Dory which we are keeping on a drying-out pontoon. It has a bung in the drain hole at the stern. I was told to keep the bung in and fit an auto bilge pump to clear rainwater. I would have thought leaving the bung out would allow accumulated water to drain out at low tide? Any advice on this welcomed please.
Click to expand...

What will happen when tide is IN ? usually 'bungs' on Dorys / Dinghys are for draining water when lifted out of water .. very few are meant to be open while afloat unless fitted with non-return ...

A small solar panel ... a small battery ... and an auto bilge pump with some pipes ...
 
rogerthebodger said:
You could fit a NRV in the drain plug so at low tide water will drain out but at high tide water will not come in to the boat
Click to expand...

Depends on the NRV as well ... many are positive pressure type - so water will not drain unless substantially high in the bilge to create the necessary 'push' ... if its 'flap' type - it only needs a few leaves or twig to stop it closing ..
 
Refueler said:
Depends on the NRV as well ... many are positive pressure type - so water will not drain unless substantially high in the bilge to create the necessary 'push' ... if its 'flap' type - it only needs a few leaves or twig to stop it closing ..
Click to expand...

True but a somple flap NRV will do the job just like then inlet NRV of a Lavac Hendersen pump.
 
Thank you for the replies. I am having a bilge pump fitted this week! The drain hole is designed to only be opened when the boat is on ‘dry’ land. I believe you can open the drain hole when the boat is on the plane to draw put any water. Thanks again - hopefully the pump will last the winter as I’ve heard they burn out!
 
I am looking at a dear little 20ft keel boat in Swan River. The boat is down by the bow by about 30cms. I think it won't be long before it sinks. With this kind of very popular Spacesailer 20 there is quite a low bridge deck between the cockpit floor and bottom of entrance hatch. The seagulls love to live on unattended boats and sticks seagull excreta and rubbish block up the cockpit drains. Rain fills the cockpit and eventually flows into cabin.
All as a result of owners failing to visit their boats through winter and keep drains clean. The moral of this story is that boats need to be checked on occasionally especially in winter.
The other moral is do not buy a boat unless you are sure you are going to use it. ol'will
 
JAW911 said:
Thank you for the replies. I am having a bilge pump fitted this week! The drain hole is designed to only be opened when the boat is on ‘dry’ land. I believe you can open the drain hole when the boat is on the plane to draw put any water. Thanks again - hopefully the pump will last the winter as I’ve heard they burn out!
Click to expand...

If you expect freezing - then the pump is at risk.

I have lost 2 pumps due to freezing of bilges .... I forgot to lift out or add Anti-Freeze to the bilges.
 
For any yachties not familiar with these dorys, they are little boats with cathedral hulls and usually about 5” draught and 12” freeboard. Both Orkney and DellQuay dorys are double skinned and foam filled. I called mine a 30kt shoe box lid.
There is often a little bridge deck or inner transom to form a splashwell for the outboard, and both this bridge deck and the hull will have drain bungs, both below the waterline and should be left in at all times afloat.
There is no bilge on these boats, only a tiny sump, too small to fit a pump, in front of each drain to collect any sand or debris. I had a pump offset from centre in front of the bridge deck with a separate float switch under a homemade protective cover cover to stop anything fouling it. The splashwell was so small I just bailed and sponged it dry if it got wet
 

Attachments

  • IMG_7529.png
    IMG_7529.png
    210.7 KB · Views: 0
Last edited:
JAW911 said:
Thank you for the replies. I am having a bilge pump fitted this week! The drain hole is designed to only be opened when the boat is on ‘dry’ land. I believe you can open the drain hole when the boat is on the plane to draw put any water. Thanks again - hopefully the pump will last the winter as I’ve heard they burn out!
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t try opening the drain on the plane, getting down that close to the motor in a bouncing boat at speed.
When you start using the boat and realise just how precarious you are on the plane if you aren’t seated and clinging on tight you will soon ditch any idea of hanging around at the back pulling bungs out.

If you don’t fit the switch so low that the motor runs completely dry, they don’t burn out easily, and most bilge pumps will leave the last 1/4” in the bottom of a dory at rest. They are there for safety, not to keep an open boat dry enough to wear your best shoes.
1 person aboard stood at the back is enough to dip the stern down and pool any water for the pump to get the boat dry enough to sponge the rest out.

I kept mine afloat all season in Greece, unattended for weeks at a time through some spectacular thunderstorms, and had no problems with the pump coupled with a small 10w solar panel and engine start battery.
 
Last edited:
It depends how fancy you want things to be, but an alternative is to get a cordless portable pump that runs with a drill battery and just keep it along with a charger at home and pump it out when you get down. Something simple like this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FCS4BQF5?th=1

Its a pretty handy thing to have for boats and jobs around the house, and it saves bothering with installing solar panels etc on the boat. It will probably only take you a couple of minutes and its pretty effortless. Solar panels are fine too, but just as an alternative ultra simple approach.
 
If you don’t fit the switch so low that the motor runs completely dry, they don’t burn out easily, and most bilge pumps will leave the last 1/4” in the bottom of a dory at rest.
Click to expand...

Usually the pumps don't burn out - if the water freezes in the bilge - that small amount can split the case / break the float ..... THEN you may have pump try to run ...

I have a couple of pumps back of the garage showing exactly that ... you'd be surprised how bad they look as well after such !
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top