Bulkhead cocks - open or closed?

[Dave_Snelson]

After my last debacle with ruptured fuel tanks, I noticed a galvanised isolation cock between the mid ships compartment and the aft engine bay compartment, the two being separated by a bulkhead and the cock fitted at the bottom in the bilge. This was obviously in the open position because the fuel from the ruptured tank had made its way through to the engine bay (aaaaargh!!).

Question - should these cocks be closed to isolate the compartments, or open?

Both bilge pumps are aft - so that would indicate they should be open, but I could fit another bilge pump mid ships? Surely that would be safer?

Any ideas chaps?

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[ccscott49]

I'd fit a midships bilge pump, and close the cocks, but leave them fitted, so you can open them in an emergency/bilge pump failure, also to check you do not have another fuel tank leak, I've always believed in many bilge pumps, rather than rely on bilge water getting back to one, I also like to partition/seperate my bilges, to isolate any gunge in that one place.

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