Beneteau Oceanis - tips for draining bilge?

[svadagiomaine]

Love my 343. But one frustration is draining the shallow bilge in these boats.. Because it is shallow with the stringers the water does not easily flow to the pump.

I had a situation yesterday where the a hose popped off the water heater and when the water pump was running it was just pumping fresh water into the bilge. It took me a while to figure it out and in the mean time many gallons of water were pumping in while I was pumping it out.
After fixing the problem it has been a pain to get the water out. I run the bilge pump until it gurgles and then I turn it off and wait for more water to flow to the pump. I did this like 30 times at a mooring and underway and it still isn’t all out.

I used a hand pump also but this a pain. In the past I have used a wet vac to suck it all out.
Do you have tips for dealing with this?

 

[kappykaplan]

In the past I have used a wet vac to suck it all out.

I think this is your best solution.

 

[Davidasailor26]

No better solution for that than what you’ve tried unfortunately. We had a small leak one winter from an anchor locker drain. I spent many hours just trying to figure out where the water in the back of the boat was coming from. I figured if I can’t find the water maybe I’ll at least mix some antifreeze into it, so I poured about a gallon of antifreeze into those limber holes, never to be seen again. The next time you go sailing and the boat rocks around and heels most of it should find its way to the pump. The good news is you know where it’s from and it’s fresh clean water, which is much better than smelly sea water from a mysterious source.

 

[SycloneDriver]

My boat doesn't drain well either. Some of the stringers do not have holes that would allow the water to pass. I'm tempted to drill a few small holes but I have so far resisted the urge. A cordless shop vac works well but cannot reach all the water.

 

[svadagiomaine]

Darn. I was hoping for a sailor-y old salt “I never would have thought of that” solution or “those clever French put a secret drain under the thingamabob where you can’t see it” etc.

Thanks all. Shop vac to the rescue once again.

 

[arf145]

Wet vac sounds good to me...and then expect to do it some more after you sail a bit. Water hides up in all those small spaces rather well.