Bilge...

[john_morris_uk]

Went out to the boat yesterday. Normal routine - carry dinghy down to the pontoon at the club, outboard on - oars in dinghy - lifejacket on -out to trot mooring. Big wind up our backside as I moor alongside and notice that despite the tide, the dinghy is blown alongside the boat and doesn't lie in its usual place.

Unlock - down below, notice there's some bilge water still to clear (we had a split pipe on the engine cooling circuit the other day) Turn bilge pump on and feel smug about having new toy of electric pump (never had one before) Listen to the pump suck the last drops out of the bilge.

Hear funny splashing sound. Go on deck to investigate.

How many other people have topped their dinghy up with bilge water?

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Not sure about that, but someone on here did recently confess that while the boat was ashore in a cradle to emptying the heads into their open lunchbox below....

 

[Pie]

Lucky you didn't go for a pee and it was only bilge being emptied.

 

[Lakesailor]

[ QUOTE ]


How many other people have topped their dinghy up with bilge water?

[/ QUOTE ]
Isn't this how you always do it? Am I missing something?

 

[aluijten]

[ QUOTE ]
How many other people have topped their dinghy up with bilge water?

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you trying to tell us now that you still do not own a bilge pump for your dinghy? Not even a manual one?!? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Serves you right!

Cheers,

Arno

 

[T_S]

Mind you wouldn't do any good drilling a hole through an inflatable to fit a skin fitting! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[alahol2]

I usually use the exhaust outlet, that way the water's warm and you can bath in it.

 

[roger]

With a high sided boat the bilge pump is a good weapon to repel those wanting to come alongside.

 

[fireball]

Your not one of these that - when threatened with someone wanting to raft up alongside - you turn on your bilge pump to empty a gallon of dirty water in their general direction ... don't tell us - you've also got a T-valve so you can change the side it empties on ... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[john_morris_uk]

I usually use the dustpan. I searched everywhere and couldn't find the wretched thing.

In the end I gave up and motored back sitting on one tube with my feet on t'other.

 

[BrianJ]

that was funny.. should be in the " lounge" as joke of the week... LOL
BrianJ

 

[boatmike]

Like a pratt I fitted an automatic bilge pump with the outlet right next to the boarding ladder once....... Funny how it always switched on just as I was climbing aboard.......

 

[Peppermint]

Re: Multihull surprise

I skippered a charter on a cat a while ago. Had some kids onboard and they were being amused by dinghy trips between the hull. When the novelty wore off the dinghy was left under the bridge deck. When we recovered it it was coated in sewage. It appears that the heads outlet wasn't underwater.

You live and learn.

 

[rhinorhino]

While on a mixed course with S******* S****** (five guys, one girl) we tied up alongside a well known island pub (F**** I**) and went ashore, on our return, in the dark, we all decided not to wake our female crew-mate by using the heads and to use the stern rail instead......
The procedure was repeated regularly during the night hours....
Then by dawn's early light we noticed the tender ......
I have only two things to say about the result, first I'd like to say sorry to the owner and second bilge water would have been a blessing.

 

[dralex]

Re: Multihull surprise

REminds me of a lovely time on Flotilla a few years ago. Guests and crew are strongly advised to go offshore and empty their holding tanks. One boat neglected to do this for a couple of days. They were enjoying a blissful end of day swim around the boat. There was a burbling sound and nice raw sewage vented from the holding tank overflow onto on of the blokes head. He lived and learnt a rather smelly lesson.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Re: Multihull surprise

Hmm - that reminds me that our holding tank vent is on the transom just behind the boarding ladder.

Why is it that I cannot bring myself to have much to do with the holding tank? I am fairly confident that it is empty - but I'm not looking as if it isn't empty its some-one elses sewage and that seems to make it worse.

 

[Robin]

Re: Multihull surprise

John

Pump some fresh seawater in but not full right up then take it for a boisterous sail before pumping it out again. Leave someone up top on the poop deck to report departure completed.

Robin

 

[john_morris_uk]

Re: Multihull surprise

Its only the vent that is on the transom.

The pump out is underwater!

Still not a bad idea - I just haven't got round to giving it the salt water flush yet.

 

[boatmike]

Re: Multihull surprise

Is that why it's called a poop deck?????

 

[john_morris_uk]

Re: Multihull surprise

But I have a friend who is always referring to how his boat has a pretty 'backside'. So pretty, he says that he has taken his windvane off...

I suppose that pumping your own bilge into your dinghy is not quite as bad as the results of not wondering why that bit of harbour wall with the pipe sticking out is always vacant.