Do you Have a Bilge Pump in the Front of You Boat?

[Dave666]

I am in the process of renovating and re fitting my 19ft fiberglass half cabin, and I am just wondering if you guys have a bilge pump in the front of the boat under the berths?

I will put two big bilge pumps at the rear of the boat which should remove large volumes of water if needed. However, as you can see in the picture, the front of my boat creates a very large bilge under the berths and front of the boat. If I hit something in the water that breaches the hull at the front this "under berth" area would fill with water and has nowhere for water to escape. It would also be very difficult to get a bucket/bailer in there to try and remove water by hand.

I am thinking of installing a big bilge pump, say 2000gph, in the bow floor area and also put two bungs in the berths so the water could escape. Although I am not real keen to cut a hole in the hull for the bilge pump to remove water.


Does this make sense? Do other boaties have a big bilge pump under the berths at the front?

Cheers
Dave

[tjotter]

If you do install it, would it be better if you place the hull hole so it looks like an
anchor well drain ?.

[docaster]

I am in the process of renovating and re fitting my 19ft fiberglass half cabin, and I am just wondering if you guys have a bilge pump in the front of the boat under the berths?

I will put two big bilge pumps at the rear of the boat which should remove large volumes of water if needed. However, as you can see in the picture, the front of my boat creates a very large bilge under the berths and front of the boat. If I hit something in the water that breaches the hull at the front this "under berth" area would fill with water and has nowhere for water to escape. It would also be very difficult to get a bucket/bailer in there to try and remove water by hand.

I am thinking of installing a big bilge pump, say 2000gph, in the bow floor area and also put two bungs in the berths so the water could escape. Although I am not real keen to cut a hole in the hull for the bilge pump to remove water.


Does this make sense? Do other boaties have a big bilge pump under the berths at the front?

Cheers
Dave

Dave, I gather nothing in there drains to the rear bilge?
Maybe just go with a portable set up that you could chuck in there if god forbid you did get a leak? Length of cable and pipe hooked to a bilge pump for piece of mind.
John

[bugman]

Shouldn't they have drain holes in the aft section of those forward bunks that drain back into the rear of the floor which would be covered by your aft bilge pumps?

[bonneville]

Shouldn't they have drain holes in the aft section of those forward bunks that drain back into the rear of the floor which would be covered by your aft bilge pumps?
bugman, a topic close to me at the minute. see soft floor thread
a problem cannot only occur if you unfortunately hole the hull ! but in my case, a bent winch hook eye lit. I don't think in all honesty, above the floor line, that you would do such damage, you also have access to get in there and bail should an issue occur, or as mentioned a portable bilge, but under the floor is where you would have an issue and its in accessable. my situation revealed that on my cruise craft, allowance wasn't made for water to escape, the whole up front area was basically a dry area for buoyancy with no drainage should water ever get under the floor or under my storage seats which also have a floor. the water did eventually escape, after rotting the bulk head at the cabin entrance and rotting the bottom of the stringers. your situation is very accessable for what your proposing, a simple portable bilge would do the trick. Or otherwise it could be a major exercise to try and channel any water via the hull and back to the rear bilge. As I found out, the products they used in the early to mid 90's weren't really up to the task of having water consistently flowing through.......
bonneville

[docaster]

Shouldn't they have drain holes in the aft section of those forward bunks that drain back into the rear of the floor which would be covered by your aft bilge pumps?

Most boats would have unless they have water tight areas for buoyancy but as we all know fiberglass is permeable unless vinyl ester resin and sucks in water imo.
My boat has a forward bilge under the floor in the cabin (access by inspection plate) in the center i might add but it is a seaswirl and they don't have a center stringer up the guts.
Dave you could cut one in i reckon but you would have to put one either side of the center stringer if it's a aussie boat but really it should all drain under floor to bilge so i'm not recommending it.
What boat is it, post up better pics.
cheers
John

[docaster]

If you don't use under seat storage, put some loose foam, like used in life jackets in there or a heap of cheap life jackets. Won't hold water than, if you get a leak than chuck the portable bilge pump in the floor and suck the water out.
John

[Dave666]

Bugman - there are no drain holes at all for the forward bunks. However, the cabin floor in between the bunks does have a drain hole that drains back through the centre of the boat (under the fuel tank) and into the rear bilge. I think I will need to install a bung into each of the berths to drain into the cabin floor so it can then flow to the back. Still, one centre cabin bung wouldn't move much water in a hurry if needed.

Docaster - the boat is a mid 70's Pride Montego (same boat as the Carribean Barron. Well built good family boat, see attached pics. I could definitely install a permanent bilge pump in the front anchor well (anchor well and berths is all one open space), just wondering if that's normal practice, or am I going overboard (so to speak). Also not too keen cutting a hole in the hull for skin fitting.

[docaster]

The chances of putting a hole in above the floor height up front would be pretty low. The anchor well is outside with a drain by the look of it or do you have to drag the rope in through the hatch and into the front storage area?
cheers
John