How much bilge water is acceptable?

[martindesign]

Thanks to all. I added a small diaphragm style pump mid cabin. It gets almost all the water that the bilge pump.can't.

[ddependo]

OK, since we have opened this "can of worms" on bulkheads, let,s talk about gas fumes passing thru the bulge to cabin area. I have always worried a little about that. Thought of closing off the holes that allow water to pass thru. If I did that I would not have any water under cabin but forward pump would not help if we had a big leak in the stern area. Now mine is an express. I'm not sure what sedans have.
Wayne

[Roger2]

On my 37 aft cabin, The area forward of the Engine compartment is completely separated, "no water exchange". Therefore a bilge pump in engine compartment & one in forward area.
Roger

[barkleydave]

The FWD engine bulkhead is suppose to be water tight. (obviously if what gets high enough it will overflow)

1. Any breach of the bulkhead for electrical etc. should be sealed with caulk or duck putty.

The main reason for this is:

Prevent explosive vapor from migrating into the cabin area which is NOT ignition protected!




safe boating,

dave

[ddependo]

I would like to seal off the bulkhead but have not found a product that will would seal in damp oily black tar environment.
I could get it dry but can't get to all of it because of the location of the head. 42 years of oily water & tar coating.
Any suggestions?
Wayne

[martindesign]

I did alittle d.d. and I agree for isolation and fume reasons they should be separate but some of the older marinettes did in fact come from the factory with free flowing bulkheads from bow to stern as per the manufacturer.

[Dougrose]

My M is deepest at the bow, and that's where the water goes.

A properly installed bilge pump hose rises vertically to a point somewhat higher than the thruhull, and the hose then runs at a down angle to the thruhull. This reduces the amount of flowback when the bilge pump stops pumping. There are some bilge pumps that run briefly every few minutes, and detect that they have water around the impeller by the resistance. They then run until they are out of water. This is good but the downside is that they will keep you from sleeping. You can have two, one with a float switch and one that you can turn off at night.