Found the mysterious water ingress!

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PetiteFleur

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A couple of years ago whilst checking the engine after launch, I suddenly noticed water pouring from the rear of the heat exchanger - quickly solved with new end cap bolts etc.
So that I was aware of such a catastrophic event in the future I fitted an Engine Bilge water alarm - a simple battery operated alarm which when the two wires of the sensor cable contacted water the alarm and flashing light goes off.
Well, a couple of weeks ago we went off with 5 crew & dog to a local hostelry, had to motor-sail as had problems with the genoa furling gear(another story), it was a bit lumpy and the alarm went off after about an hour and we had several litres of water sloshing about under the engine. Electric Bilge pump pumped it dry ok. Since then been trying the source of the definitely seawater.
Anyway a friend and I went out again up river last week, one steering and the other trying to spot any leak. Then under full throttle, water slowly appeared in the bilge around the bilge pump and the penny dropped - under full throttle the stern squatted and water slurped down the bilge pump outlet... Have now fitted a large loop in the pump hose run at the stern.
 
you are, as they say, 'jokin me'. An outlet low to the w/l with no protection, open to the bilge? Really? I mean, congrats on finding and rectifying but the outcome could have been much worse.
 
It's one of those things that you may not know you don't know.

Well done for sharing it - you might just have save someone else's pride and joy. As the old saying goes, it's a wise man who learns from his own mistakes, and a wiser one who learns from the mistakes of others. On that basis, I haven't always been wise, but have made plenty of mistakes and have learned from some of them, but there's a whole host of things that I've picked up here and elsewhere that have saved me from making mistakes that others have described. There, but for the grace of God and sailing fora...
 
I had a similar experience. My manual bilge pump in the cockpit locker is located well above the waterline and is fitted with a non-return valve, so not just relying on the suction/discharge valves to prevent backflow. The electric bilge pump was Teed into the hose just before it exited the transom a few inches above the waterline.
Result? When flat out under engine, the stern sqatted and water flooded the bilge via the electric pump until the cabin sole was awash. A bit unnerving at the time. Stopped the engine and pumped the water out to find nothing coming in. Mystifying at first.
I fitted a check valve in a vertical section of the electric pump discharge hose, but have yet to fit a bilge alarm.
 
A boat sank after a similar ingress, the exhaust hose had come off, stern squat down, the water stayed in the stern until they stopped and it all rushed forward, capsized the boat, with the skipper still in the forecabin trying to get his lifejacket. Not such a problem with you lot as you have more bulkheads subdividing the space.
Worth remembering you only stay afloat courtesy of jubilee clips of varying quality.
 
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I worked on the “restoration” of an ex fishing boat in oz for a few months one morning on the way in I got a call from the other guy I worked with to get down quick as the boat was sinking, got there and the bilge pump was going off every couple of mins, I was pulling up floors looking for the leak for about half an hour before my cooworker realised the water was syphonibg back through the pump, we had moved some stuff on deck the day before and that was enough to tip the balance, the marina was raging as being an old wooden ex fishing boat the bilge water was far from clean
 
Had a similar event many years ago, delivering our Berwick from Hamble to Conwy. All went very well until just passing Skerries light, having started the engine around Bardsey. Went below to find sole hatch floating. Complete panic as my mate started pumping while I looked for leak. Turned out the stern squatted enough under engine for the gas box drain on the transom to submerge and the bottom of the box was partly rotted away. Temporary fix was a wine bottle cork, then new box and electric bilge pump and float switch.
 
I'm glad I'm not the only one to have had this problem. Just to confirm - I do have a Vetus swan neck on the engine exhaust and a loop in the toilet outlet pipe.
 
Some years ago we were helping friends bring their new - to them - Hilyard 22 back from West Mersea to Woolverstone. On setting off the fuel pipe from the tank broke off and spilled all the petrol into the bilge, and also disabling the engine, so we had to sail all the way. Getting out into the Blackwater we had to beat. I was down in the bilge trying to mop up the gallon or so of petrol when I realised that on port tack the bilge was filling with water. The boat had 2 pumps, one electric - clearly unusable in these circumstances - and one manual which leaked badly. Things were looking a bit dire!! We discovered that the outlet for the electric pump was only a couple of inches above the static water line and with no swan neck or NRV it was rapidly filling the boat. We tacked and the youngest member of the crew was hung over the side with a cork and managed to plug the outlet!!
Needless to say we missed the tide and ended up coming up the Orwell well after dark with no lights. The owner had managed to repair the broken fuel pipe so we at least able to motor the last bit.
 
Leighb said:
Some years ago we were helping friends bring their new - to them - Hilyard 22 back from West Mersea to Woolverstone. On setting off the fuel pipe from the tank broke off and spilled all the petrol into the bilge, and also disabling the engine, so we had to sail all the way. Getting out into the Blackwater we had to beat. I was down in the bilge trying to mop up the gallon or so of petrol when I realised that on port tack the bilge was filling with water. The boat had 2 pumps, one electric - clearly unusable in these circumstances - and one manual which leaked badly. Things were looking a bit dire!! We discovered that the outlet for the electric pump was only a couple of inches above the static water line and with no swan neck or NRV it was rapidly filling the boat. We tacked and the youngest member of the crew was hung over the side with a cork and managed to plug the outlet!!
Needless to say we missed the tide and ended up coming up the Orwell well after dark with no lights. The owner had managed to repair the broken fuel pipe so we at least able to motor the last bit.
Click to expand...

Mole grips on the pipe inside the hull
 
fisherman said:
Re bilge alarm, mine were a tenner each, reed switch and led light/siren from RS online.
Click to expand...

Mine is a normal bilge float switch wired across the test button of a smoke alarm ......also it keeps its smoke alarm facility.
 
fisherman said:
A boat sank after a similar ingress, the exhaust hose had come off, stern squat down, the water stayed in the stern until they stopped and it all rushed forward, capsized the boat, with the skipper still in the forecabin trying to get his lifejacket. Not such a problem with you lot as you have more bulkheads subdividing the space.
Worth remembering you only stay afloat courtesy of jubilee clips of varying quality.
Click to expand...

There for the grace of god (and jubilee clips) go I.

Timely reminder to check, err, everything. Thank you.
 
I've seen a boat sunk by an electric bilge pump.
If the outlet can get below water level, it matters not one jot if you have a high swan neck in the pipe, if it's a centrifugal pump with no non-return valves.
The water will go out and back, out and back until the battery is flat, then it will come in.
You need a siphon break, or the outlet way above the waterline for all conditions of heel.
 
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