So, we got the boat in the water this weekend and all went well. But... that pesky bilge water is still getting in from someplace. That has been covered in many threads and I'll be looking for the obvious entry points. No cracks in hull or keel trunk that I can see.
In the port locker under the dinette (where the keel bolt is located) we had about a gallon (not sure if US or Imperial) of nice 'clean' lake water. i suspect that I had not put nearly enough marine grease on the bolt, or sufficiently sealed the thru-hull fittings already in place.
However, in the aft port dinette locker and starboard side lockers (which appear to be connected based on port/starboard tacks), there was a gallon or more of dirty water, somewhat rust coloured. Now the boat was dry before we set out, and we sailed on the same lake and took on what one must assume to be the same Iowa lake water. So how did we get 'clear' water in the for'ard port locker but 'dirty' water in the other two ?? I am perplexed and any good advice much appreciated.
I was also looking at permanently installing a couple of small bilge pumps, one port side and the other on the starboard side. I've seen a couple of small pumps but most either don't state the water level at which they start up, or state around 2". Does anyone know of a small pump that would activate at say 1/2" water level ? I'd plan to T the drain side to a common thru-hull above the water line, just under the rub rail.
In the port locker under the dinette (where the keel bolt is located) we had about a gallon (not sure if US or Imperial) of nice 'clean' lake water. i suspect that I had not put nearly enough marine grease on the bolt, or sufficiently sealed the thru-hull fittings already in place.
However, in the aft port dinette locker and starboard side lockers (which appear to be connected based on port/starboard tacks), there was a gallon or more of dirty water, somewhat rust coloured. Now the boat was dry before we set out, and we sailed on the same lake and took on what one must assume to be the same Iowa lake water. So how did we get 'clear' water in the for'ard port locker but 'dirty' water in the other two ?? I am perplexed and any good advice much appreciated.
I was also looking at permanently installing a couple of small bilge pumps, one port side and the other on the starboard side. I've seen a couple of small pumps but most either don't state the water level at which they start up, or state around 2". Does anyone know of a small pump that would activate at say 1/2" water level ? I'd plan to T the drain side to a common thru-hull above the water line, just under the rub rail.