How to minimise the water inrush when you pull the log for cleaning?

[NPMR]

Just had to do this job for the 3rd time this year and seriously grumpy about how much water comes in but more upset by how far it sprays around! I have to put up the shower screen over the nearby seating and woodwork to try and contain the jet of water, in as small an area as possible.

How do others manage this?

 

[pvb]

A sponge in the other hand works OK.

 

[maby]

Does it have a flap valve fitted? If so, is it working? I would not try simply pulling the log and leaving the hole open while I clean it, but the rate of water ingress is sufficiently low that it would not sink the boat - certainly no "jet of water"!

 

[johnalison]

We had a log like this once. I also found a sponge the easiest way and the least stressful. You can slide the sponge across as you withdraw the log and reverse this when you put in the blanking plug or log. Being soft, it won't damage the paddle wheel if you are clumsy.

 

[duncan99210]

If you paint the paddle wheel and surrounds with trilux or similar, then you won't need to pull th log to clean it. Otherwise, a sponge is a good idea. You talk of a jet of water how deep is your paddle wheel mounted? The water comes in if you take mine out but hardly a jet, barely clears the top of the fitting.

 

[[2574]]

If you paint the paddle wheel and surrounds with trilux or similar, then you won't need to pull th log to clean it. Otherwise, a sponge is a good idea. You talk of a jet of water how deep is your paddle wheel mounted? The water comes in if you take mine out but hardly a jet, barely clears the top of the fitting.

Lucky you! Ours is like the Versailles fountain! It frightens the life out of me each time we feel the need to do it. We do have a flap valve and, if it works and doesn't decide to be stuck , it does diminish the fountain significantly.

 

[maby]

If you paint the paddle wheel and surrounds with trilux or similar, then you won't need to pull th log to clean it. Otherwise, a sponge is a good idea. You talk of a jet of water how deep is your paddle wheel mounted? The water comes in if you take mine out but hardly a jet, barely clears the top of the fitting.

I would assume that yours has a working flap valve - most modern installations do. They will slow the ingress to a manageable trickle if they are working properly.

 

[knuterikt]

 

[[33964]]

I find a strange, perhaps weird, interest in the expression on people's faces when they do this job for the first time.

 

[pmagowan]

I just stick my hand over. A bit of a jet comes up but not too bad. My last boat had a flap valve which certainly reduced the inflow. Not too problematic either way

 

[neil_s]

I have found that trying to be clever with this doesn't work. Clear as much stuff away from the area as you can expecting a bit of a clean-up job afterwards. Get the log impeller loose and ready to come out, holding it with your left hand, have the plug ready in your right hand and go for it!

 

[[70521]]

How do others manage this?

Do you not have a blanking plate or bung that you pop into the hole as soon as you pull the log?

 

[johnalison]

Do you not have a blanking plate or bung that you pop into the hole as soon as you pull the log?

It can be a bit stressful trying to get the blank precisely into its hole while water is rushing in, even though we know that the boat isn't going to sink. Sliding it across and displacing a sponge or hand is much easier. Our Sadler had the transducers in a box which would contain all the water entering. This could be scooped and sponged out without it getting into the bilge.

 

[[163233]]

My recent experience with this is that you don't need your speed through the water that much.

 

[FulmarJeddo]

When I fitted a new Raymarine log a couple of years ago the fitting instructions advised painting the transducer with water based antifoul. After a search I found Eco antifoul. It comes in a very small pot for about £15. It seemed expensive, but I have now used the same pot for the last 3 years and have virtually no fouling of the log. There was 1 small barnacle when the boat came out last November. I launched at Easter and the log was working fine last weekend without any cleaning.

 

[knuterikt]

My recent experience with this is that you don't need your speed through the water that much.

So you sail in waters where current is none existent or predictable.

 

[cpedw]

I'm still using the technique I described here, post #10 some time ago.

It needs initial setting up while dried out and takes a few minutes to install but it keeps my heart rate down.

Derek

 

[Porthandbuoy]

That's a joke surely. The boat must be in slings, bottom barely in the water for that much ' seapage'. Take my paddlewheel out and the jet is over a foot high (strangely enough, the precise immersion depth) :rolleyes-new:

 

[AIDY]

A sponge and a blast of wd40 prevents fouling.

 

[knuterikt]

That's a joke surely. The boat must be in slings, bottom barely in the water for that much ' seapage'. Take my paddlewheel out and the jet is over a foot high (strangely enough, the precise immersion depth) :rolleyes-new:

No joke, no slings, It's me in the video on my boat, it's a Benetua First 38
It's placed in front of the keel at the center line, There is a working flap in the tube,