Place your bets, how long to take up

Georgio

Georgio

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Well that is the launch booked for my clinker cruiser, the questions is how long for her to take up having been out of the water for so long (since last spring). I'm expecting there will still be dribbles after taking up that can be dealt with longer term but it's the inrush of water at launch I'm thinking about.

Planking is mahogany which I believe can take a bit longer to swell than other woods.

I have supplemented the normal electric bilge pump and hand pump with a temporary second electric pump and the yard have a powerful 240V pump is needed.

I plan to spend the first 24-48 hours on-board to keep an eye on her and man the pumps if necessary - I have loads of tidying up jobs to be getting on with while she get's used to being in the water again.

So what is the collective wisdom?

1. 24 hours

2. 48 hours

3. 72 hours

4 a Week?

5. never.....
 
A virtual dram says a week. The pump from the yard; does it have an automatic function/level sensor? If it does, then you can sleep relatively easily I reckon. Good luck though, but if she was OK when you took her out, she'll be basically good when she goes back.

(Probably)
 
jamie N said:
A virtual dram says a week. The pump from the yard; does it have an automatic function/level sensor? If it does, then you can sleep relatively easily I reckon. Good luck though, but if she was OK when you took her out, she'll be basically good when she goes back.

(Probably)
Click to expand...

not sure about the yard pump but I expect it is not automatic. I'm going in first thing in the morning so I'm happy to be it's human float switch for a few hours at least.
 
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I once owned the yacht 'Kala Sona', an Oakleaf clinker built, Mahogany over Rock Elm and I found that she would take up to be controlled by the automatic bilge pump in three hours. The initial ingress of water was alarming at first especially when I didn't get her in the water until June one year instead of April but three hours seemed to be the take up time. Of course it took another month or so before there was little or no leaks but the automatic bilge pump could handle that. However, as a precaution I would keep her alongside the Sailing Club jetty where it was shallow water and would dry at about half tide for as long as no-one complained!
 
Many years ago Dad launched his clinker boat and had about 48 hours before he could get more than 3 hours sleep (before auto electric pumps were common). Quite a few years later, when the boat was out for a few months in Australia, she refused to take up at all, the boat was left on a traditional slip for a week with the tide just flushing in and out. She was glassed in the end, and is still going strong 20 years later. Planks were larch.

I think a week should be enough, but you should get some indication in the first 6 hours. Keep a log of how much is pumping out and how it decreases with time. I always think that if I don't see any reduction in the first 6 hours i have a problem. At the end of two weeks she should be as tight as she is going to get.
 
Thanks all, I bought the boat while ashore and this is my first experience of wooden boats so there are some unknowns. I'm told that she was previously pretty watertight so I'm hopeful that she will be again once afloat.

Fingers crossed, pumps on standby!
 
No need for automatic pump, just sleep on your bunk face down with your hand just above the floor when the cold water touches your hand you will wake up and start pumping!
repeat as many times needed!:encouragement:
 
quimby said:
No need for automatic pump, just sleep on your bunk face down with your hand just above the floor when the cold water touches your hand you will wake up and start pumping!
repeat as many times needed!:encouragement:
Click to expand...

Wasn't that the prank played on people sleeping, put their hand in a bowl of water and they would pee in their sleep?

Auto Pump needed for when I go to work on the Monday leaving her to the fate of battery power. I'm hopeful that the water ingress will be manageable by then.
 
Georgio said:
Wasn't that the prank played on people sleeping, put their hand in a bowl of water and they would pee in their sleep?

Auto Pump needed for when I go to work on the Monday leaving her to the fate of battery power. I'm hopeful that the water ingress will be manageable by then.
Click to expand...

Through experience, (sigh), your boat's own auto bilge pump will last a quite decent time with a reasonable battery. I'll admit to having a solar charger on my battery as it ran (and ran) my bilge pump. However, I'd keep the auto pump as well without a doubt!
By the way, do they ever have power cuts by you?:D
 
It depends what the bottom is painted with. I've always continued the tradition of using hot pitch, or in recent years, B&Q bitumastic gutter paint as it's easier to apply. It doesn't matter about the take-up, as the planks can't leak anyway.

On putting her back in the water after 25 years ashore in a barn, the only leak was from a nail hole that I had overlooked when rivetting. A quick dip over the side and a splodge of sealant fixed that.
 
jamie N said:
Through experience, (sigh), your boat's own auto bilge pump will last a quite decent time with a reasonable battery. I'll admit to having a solar charger on my battery as it ran (and ran) my bilge pump. However, I'd keep the auto pump as well without a doubt!
By the way, do they ever have power cuts by you?:D
Click to expand...

Just had a solar panel delivered for when I mover her to the summer mooring.
 
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