Undecided as to closing off the bilge

[Refueler]

The Primor 24 has a shallow bilge well that runs from transom to the fwd Vee-berth in cabin.

Any water or fuel / oil that gets under engine - can flow along that well. When throttling down - that water can slosh fwd and out from under the boards.

I am considering 'plugging' the well - not permanently - but sufficiently to stop 'fluid' going fwd of engine bay.

Water - is a nuisance - but if I get a petrol leak - then that is something I really am not keen on getting fwd in cabin.

Anyone else have similar on their mobo ?

 

[Alicatt]

Lowest point on my Casper is just forward of the engine, but the bilge runs the full length to the bow, there are no openings under the cabin sole to get into the bilge, it is all sealed off, there is a bulkhead at the start of the V berth that had some cracks in it that let some of the spilled diesel flow into the ballast in the bow, heck of a job getting the ballast and diesel out, it was fine gravel and was soaked through with diesel, took a few months to get it all out, the gravel and free diesel, once out I sealed off the bulkhead and replaced the 150kg of gravel back in the bow locker.
If I could, I would seal off the cabin section of the boat but there is still a little diesel coming out of nooks and crannies that the absorbent cloths pick up after a month or so sitting in the bilge, meanwhile the lowest point remains dry.

Looking at the design of the boat, the way the engine bearers run from the transom to the start of the cabin under the floor of the lazarette, the engine bearers are much bigger than required for a little13hp engine with saildrive and the way the bilge dips it looks like that would be where a shaft would go if the boat had a mid engine, the central storage bin under the transom seat is marine ply where the two outside ones are fibreglass, and looking at strong sunlight through the transom you can see the transom is reinforced where an outdrive leg would go through, the other two Placom 750s I know of, both had outdrives with 4 cylinder diesel 40hp and 60p engines - I bet they can't get more than 1000km on a tank of diesel like Casper can

 

[pmagowan]

You don’t necessarily need to seal it off. You can make bilge compartments with holes between that allow fluids to drain to the lowest point. The holes will not alllow sloshing all the way to the bow. You then put a sensor and pump in the lowest bilge compartment. Make sure it is ignition protected.

 

[Momac]

An oil catch area under the engine is provided in my boat. Its a feature recommended for UK boats used on the inland waterway's.
The idea being that in normal use (or even in a complete loss of all sump oil) any leaked oil from the engine doesn't reach the bilge pump.

 

[Alicatt]

An oil catch area under the engine is provided in my boat. Its a feature recommended for UK boats used on the inland waterway's.
The idea being that in normal use (or even in a complete loss of all sump oil) any leaked oil from the engine doesn't reach the bilge pump.

Same on mine, I have an oil catch cloth in there, it is dry, but any stain would show up immediately against the stark white of the cloth, I'm happy with my 45year old MD7A, we took some friends out for a cruise today, getting some last milage on the boat before she is (hopefully!) sold.

 

[kashurst]

I would block the bilge so anything from the engine bay cannot travel forward under the floors.

I had a diesel spill in a big boat with linked bilges and it got (expletive deleted) every where.

 

[Alicatt]

I would block the bilge so anything from the engine bay cannot travel forward under the floors.

I had a diesel spill in a big boat with linked bilges and it got (expletive deleted) every where.

I still have nightmares about it, and it was not me that spilled the diseasel either

 

[snowbird30ds]

On my princess 30 there are holes between bilge sections, the hole between engine bay and cabin area has had a wooden plug driven in for years, I do have bilge pumps either side.

 

[Refueler]

On my princess 30 there are holes between bilge sections, the hole between engine bay and cabin area has had a wooden plug driven in for years, I do have bilge pumps either side.

I have an idea that the bilge is piped under the fwd cockpit floor .... its actually a sealed top box section so its not possible to lift floor and look. But in cabin - there appears to be a pipe through there.

A wooden plug would be enough to do the job ... IF that is how its setup.

 

[snowbird30ds]

How about a hollow plug with a valve whacked in so you can check for water when engine bay is dry?

 

[Refueler]

How about a hollow plug with a valve whacked in so you can check for water when engine bay is dry?

One of the jobs planned for next winter is to lift all floors and see about access hatches etc. I don't like sealed off spaces ...

 

[Bouba]

I don’t think you want to impede the flow from front to back....it could suffer from a rain water leak, chain locker leak, waves over the bow...they need to get to the bilge pump. Most boats sit a little low in stern on the water...creating a natural flow...and even more so when underway. The idea to put baffles and holes to stop sloshing is good....but if for some reason you are sitting bow down it will get bilge water to flow forward

 

[Bouba]

A fiberglass engine pan in the liner would capture any leaks and send them back to the bilge pump before it has a chance to go forward

 

[Refueler]

The boat like most particularly motor - sits stern down - especially when steaming.

What is annoying - is the water with crap sloshing fwd when boat slows quickly. The bilge well is shallow and that means even a small amount comes up and spoils the carpet etc.

 

[kashurst]

One of the jobs planned for next winter is to lift all floors and see about access hatches etc. I don't like sealed off spaces ...

I have done exactly that on my current project. The engine bay was and still is sealed from the rest of the boat. But I have discovered lots of little places where water can collect. Now I have built in access panels or inspection hatches as part of the new flooring or as an extra. The boat is now bone dry internally and I can readily keep an eye on things in case of small leaks etc. Plus it all now doesn't smell.

 

[Refueler]

I have done exactly that on my current project. The engine bay was and still is sealed from the rest of the boat. But I have discovered lots of little places where water can collect. Now I have built in access panels or inspection hatches as part of the new flooring or as an extra. The boat is now bone dry internally and I can readily keep an eye on things in case of small leaks etc. Plus it all now doesn't smell.

Exactly .... I swear boat designers sit in their dry offices and forget about stuff like this ...

Bit like car designers who try to beat each other to design the ugliest or most bland design possible... along with impossible access to common parts.

 

[snowbird30ds]

Fit a baffle and attach a flap over a hole in the middle so forward sloshing is stopped but water can still flow backwards.

 

[Refueler]

Fit a baffle and attach a flap over a hole in the middle so forward sloshing is stopped but water can still flow backwards.

Good idea ... need to check about access to suitable location.

 

[Bodach na mara]

No reason not to. All of my previous boats have had bilges that were joined up from stern to bow. It came as a surprise to find that in my current boat (a Westerly Seahawk designed by Ed Dubois) there is a network of structure below the cabin floor that divides the bilges into separate watertight compartments in the area aft of the forward engine bulkhead. Since I had a major oil leak from the engine that was contained in the space below, I can't think why this compartmentalisation is not standard. The space under the engine stays dry and clean as there is a transverse structure stopping any leakage from the stern shaft seal and any spillage from the engine can't run anywhere and is easily cleaned up.

 

[Refueler]

No reason not to. All of my previous boats have had bilges that were joined up from stern to bow. It came as a surprise to find that in my current boat (a Westerly Seahawk designed by Ed Dubois) there is a network of structure below the cabin floor that divides the bilges into separate watertight compartments in the area aft of the forward engine bulkhead. Since I had a major oil leak from the engine that was contained in the space below, I can't think why this compartmentalisation is not standard. The space under the engine stays dry and clean as there is a transverse structure stopping any leakage from the stern shaft seal and any spillage from the engine can't run anywhere and is easily cleaned up.

I agree ... I cannot understand a design that allows anything from engine to flow under cabin sole ! This boat has a large petrol engine ... imagine the possibilities ...

The bilge being shallow - planing hull - means that the smallest amount of 'fluid' can go full length of bilge as boat pitches / moves in seaway.