Bilges on the hunter horizon 272

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Rob Morris

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Please can anyone explain the bilge system on the hunter 272. Water collects in the tray under the engine with no apparent way to dispose of the water other than with a sponge and bucket. Regarding the shallow bilge trays on the cabin floor, are the holes in the side of each tray, drain holes or holes to allow water to accumulate in each bilge. Also, where does the manual bilge pump actually pump water from, is it the deep locker in the cockpit which would appear to be the lowest point on the yacht. Many thanks in advance for any info regarding this issue.
 
My last boat a Horizon 27tk was factory fitted out and under the heads basin cupboard there was a loop of pipe that could be used as a hose to draw from wherever you wanted it exited the boat into the cockpit. The engine bilge had to be mopped out but never got any water in it apart from changing the impeller occasionally, (dripless stern gland) I think the previous owner had fitted an auto bilge pump and switch under the engine this never got used in the 12 years I had her but I did make sure that it worked.
I think the holes under the cabin sole are to allow any water to spread the boat if you had an auto pump there but my boat had rubber bungs in all the holes. There was a conduit from in front of the engine compartment to the water tank locker which housed the sounder and log wires.
Pete
 
Previous boat was a Horizon 272 & present one a Channel 323. Almost the same basic bilge plan in that they have a dry bilge. Little if any water gathers under the engine and as already said a couple for minutes with a sponge sorts any that does. The only time my under engine bilge has had any water was after an impeller change or when draining the engine.

The shallow trays under the cabin floor only collected any water from condensation or if there was a spill from the galley area. Again a sponge would sort that in minutes. As already said, there was a manual bilge pump fitted with a flexible pipe that could be taken to wherever needed but in 10 years of owning the boat I never used it once.

Present boat has a similar set-up although there is a deeper well under the cabin floor. Boat dates from 1998 and in all that time I have never had to use the manual bilge pump. Worst I have ever had is about a litre in the shallow bilge area and then only after draining the cold water system in the winter etc. Basically they are dry bilge boats.
 
I had the 273 for five years but sold it last year, that one was factory fitted. The bilge, ie the sump under the engine such that it is, was cleared by the fitted hand bilge pump (ours was a Henderson) the socket for which was right beside the cabin steps and the exit for the water was the other side of the bridgedeck into the cockpit. I also fitted an automatic electric bilge pump but it was a waste of time and money as there was never very much in there just leftovers from stern gland burping mostly.
The other limber holes into the tray under the saloon floor allowed any water that leaked into the boat via windows or through deck fittings or wires to gather into that tray to be mopped out. If you have leaks and don't mop out that tray the next time you sail hard to windward on port tack you will make your aft bunk cushions wet, not much but enough to be annoying and learn to plug the leaks or mop out the tray when on the level. Its the only way the water that gets between the hull and the inner mouldings can be gotten rid of.

They are only dry bilge boats if you can keep them leak free.

I really loved sailing ours it was a great boat
 
Thanks to everyone who replied, the info is really useful. Next time I am aboard, I will make sure to check the closet next to the heads. Needless to say I haven't had the boat that long and have been busying myself with cosmetic improvements. The few sails I have had were really enjoyable and she handles well although I feel a new main sail may be next on the wish list as it has lost its shape a little - perhaps I will treat myself this Christmas! Happy sailing.
 
Hi Rob

I have recently purchased a 272 and the manual bilge pump drains the engine bay into the cockpit , I have also fitted an auto pump into the same location. The shallow trays had a small amount of water in when purchased but as the boat had stood for 2 years with a window leak this was expected. Think the idea of a length of pipe to use on other locations(deep locker in the cockpit is a good idea)
Les
 
My Sadler 29 has a similar sounding system of separate shallow wells with a manual bilge pump which serves only the space beneath the engine. It occured to me recently that that separateness has the merit that you can locate any leak quite easily e.g. a leaking heads seacock drains only into the well in front of the heads, a leak under the galley sink [from the FW plumbing] will drain into the well under the sink. A major leak would, of course, result in spilling over from one well to the next one.
 
My bilge keel Mirage 2700 has connected shallow trays under the floor boards. Like other posters, I have limber holes connecting these areas and if I need to sponge this area, eg when the toilet slopped after a brisk sail, dribbles keep coming from the inaccessible structure surrounding the trays until I lose interest and put the boards back down...

Its not a serious issue so never sorted, but there seems to be no connection with the bilge area under the engine which can be manually pumped?

Plugging the limber holes had not occurred until now- the keel bolts are nowhere near, so any drawbacks?
 
Hi Nick
Thanks for the reply. Having read the reply by other members, I don't think it's a good idea to plug the limber holes. It seems that any window leaks and fitting leaks find their way to the shallow bilges via these holes so, personally, I should rather have water in the bilges than slopping about elsewhere in the boat.
 
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