Bilge ventilation

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Manny

Manny

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Oct 5, 2006
983
Hunter 82? 37 Cutter Wherever the wind takes me
I didn't want to hijack Jared20459's cabin sole sealing post, but Ross brought up something i've been thinking about doing for a while. He mentioned that it wouldn't hurt to ventilate the bilge. My plan is to drill a few strategically placed small holes (1/2" or 3/4") into the sole and dressing them with soffit vent caps used for venting a roof. Has anyone made any modifications to their bilge to increase airflow? Does my idea sound feasible or are there potential drawbacks?

Manny
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
The holes are too small. A pattern of several small (1/4) holes to form a sieve like pattern in each end would help. If you were very skilled with a jigsaw you could form a tambor at each end. A solar driven fan would help.
 
Manny

Manny

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Oct 5, 2006
983
Hunter 82? 37 Cutter Wherever the wind takes me
Ross, what's a tambor? I googled it and got hits for an actor, a submarine, and somewhere in Costa Rica! LOL
Anyway I thought about 6 to eight of the holes in the cabin and 2 in the head. I also thought about some sort of fan but I have been having trouble coming up with an effective installation location.
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Also the decorative hole in the sound box of a guitar. You could make it easy and use a wooden heat vent for home heating.
 
higgs

higgs

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Aug 24, 2005
3,736
Nassau 34 Olcott, NY
I thought most boats had ventilated bilges with one vent facing forward and the other aft.
 
sailingdog

sailingdog

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Oct 22, 2008
3,502
- Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay
higgs said:
I thought most boats had ventilated bilges with one vent facing forward and the other aft.
Click to expand
IIRC, those are usually to feed the engine compartment air... not to ventilate the bilge.
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
23,356
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Manny, Why would you want to do that? Isn't there enough room around the sides where the air goes? And even if not, keeping the bilge clean would avoid the need to any drill holes. Seems like less "work" doing that.
 
A

alexco38

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Sep 25, 2008
1,096
CS 30 Toronto
Lift the floor board

No matter where you drill, there always be an unsightly hole. Bilge water might slush up when heeling too. BTW there usually a center hole for pulling up the floor board anyway.

Just lift up the floor board when leaving for a few days. Why complicates matter?
 
Manny

Manny

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Oct 5, 2006
983
Hunter 82? 37 Cutter Wherever the wind takes me
Stu Jackson said:
Manny, Why would you want to do that? Isn't there enough room around the sides where the air goes? And even if not, keeping the bilge clean would avoid the need to any drill holes. Seems like less "work" doing that.
Click to expand
You ever see the bilge on the 1980 27? The only major design complaint I have for this boat is the bilge :cussing: It is extremely shallow and the majority of it is inaccessible. While I have been chasing leaks since I the day I got the boat and have been able to cure probably 70% of them, I can't keep the bilge completely dry, primarily in the colder weather. I'm also sure that part of the water I find is condensation with the boat staying in the water all winter. Air movement is highly unlikely through the area since there are only small holes around tubing and wiring to let the water in. I have to be very careful to make sure there isn't much water down there when sailing, otherwise it will work its way into the settees when healing. A little ventilation will have the benefit of facilitating evaporation.

Manny
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Tomorrow I will offer a shopping list of options for this problem. But tonight bed beckons.
 
B

Benny

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Sep 27, 2008
1,149
Hunter 320 Tampa, FL
The best way to manage the bilge on an h27 cherubini is to instal a Rule electronically controlled pump. The pump cycles every 2 minutes and if it finds water resistance in the impeller it will continue pumping and if it does not it will shut off. The amperage use is minimal and it will drain the bilge lower than any mechanical switch would allow. In an h27 Cherubini bilge every inch of water counts. They sell for about $55 and will last about 3-4 years. Cherubini boats by age have funky smells under the floor boards so to ventilate the bilge would be to promote the increase of musty smells into the cabin. If all the rain leaks have been corrected and the pressure plumbing aint leaking look to the packing gland as the probable culprit.
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
A mechanical pump like this one will clear almost all of the standing water. It will suck up water from a 1/4 inch deep puddle. A small computer fan blowing air through the bilge would dry it and when it is dry there can be no mildew and therefore no stink
 

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redhead78

redhead78

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Dec 30, 2009
680
jeanneau 38 gin fizz sloop Summer- Keyport Yacht Club, Raritan Bay, NJ, Winter Viking Marina Verplanck, NY
I installed a 4" hose dia fan in my bilge/eng compartment, with my repower, purchased a 100 amp alternator, and the beta engine supplier said it was essential as this alt produces a lot of heat . I have 2 lg 4" hoses hanging into the compartment that exhaust into the cockpit area. I figure it should help keep the area cooler and maybe smell better. The blower was $60, it says good for 1000 hrs. I think the hoses were just static vents....Red
 
higgs

higgs

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Aug 24, 2005
3,736
Nassau 34 Olcott, NY
In any boat I have owned the engine compartment opens to the bilge or vice versa. This is not the case with some boats?
 
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