Do you put anything heavy in your bilges

M

mrkk1103

.
Feb 26, 2012
47
Hi folks,
Me again with another "Newbie" question. My boat, Buffa, has its batteries in the starboard cockpit locker and it's fuel tank in the port cockpit locker. Therefore the keel/bilges are empty. The previous owner put an old anchor chain down there, presumably to add some weight to the bottom of the boat. Do you folks do something similar? If so how much weight would/do you put down there?

Thanks,

Mark
 
S

stevebirch2002

.
Nov 8, 2001
1,818
BeerFrom: mrkk1103
Sent: Friday, March 29, 2013 5:36 PM
To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [AlbinVega] Do you put anything heavy in your bilges
Hi folks,
Me again with another "Newbie" question. My boat, Buffa, has its batteries in the starboard cockpit locker and it's fuel tank in the port cockpit locker. Therefore the keel/bilges are empty. The previous owner put an old anchor chain down there, presumably to add some weight to the bottom of the boat. Do you folks do something similar? If so how much weight would/do you put down there?

Thanks,

Mark
 
A

albinvega3283

.
Oct 30, 2019
234
Whiskey – You English do not know what is good for you!

From: steve@...
Sent: Friday, March 29, 2013 6:22 PM
To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [AlbinVega] Do you put anything heavy in your bilges


Beer

From: mrkk1103
Sent: Friday, March 29, 2013 5:36 PM
To: mailto:AlbinVega%40yahoogroups.com
Subject: [AlbinVega] Do you put anything heavy in your bilges

Hi folks,
Me again with another "Newbie" question. My boat, Buffa, has its batteries in the starboard cockpit locker and it\'s fuel tank in the port cockpit locker. Therefore the keel/bilges are empty. The previous owner put an old anchor chain down there, presumably to add some weight to the bottom of the boat. Do you folks do something similar? If so how much weight would/do you put down there?

Thanks,

Mark
 
V

Vega1447

.
Oct 19, 2019
921
Albin Vega 27 Limerick
I tried putting a heavy waterproof canvas bag with my tools in the bilge
(sitting on the grp shelf).
But despite being on a fresh water lake, the tools soon started to show
specks of rust.

I like the idea of putting anchor chain in bilge..

But:

corrosion of chain
abrasion of bilge "walls"
inaccessibility of anchor chain when urgently needed

discourage me.

What (apart from booze) do people keep in the Vega bilge?

John V1447 Breakaway
 
W

winslowbuoy

.
Jan 31, 2009
122
I keep spare anchor chain in bilge on the grp shelf (well really on wooden shelf on top of grp shelf). If I ever had to use it in a hurry conditions would probably be such that I wouldn't worry about the mess I made getting it out.
Mike
 
T

txsailcouple

.
Sep 9, 2006
45
The bilge space seems to be a really convenient place for my bilge pump and float switch. If you put other stuff in there (like tools) you're likely to damage the devices designed to keep your boat from sinking. If you find ways to take up the additional space you will take up space allotted for leaking water to accumulate. I've kept beer in there too but I've tossed out many corroded cans. Yes, even aluminum cans will corrode in a warm salt water environment. Sometimes being clever will have unforeseen consequences!!

Just my humble opinion!!

John R. Devany
Southern Comfort II
Houston, Texas From: John A. Kinsella John.Kinsella@...
 
M

mrkk1103

.
Feb 26, 2012
47
All helpful comments, thanks.

The anchor chain that the previous owner left there was:

a) An old chain, not the one I actually use.

b) In a heavy plastic bag so there shouldn't be any abrasion of the fibreglass.

Wasn't the bilge full of fuel tank when the boats where first built and did someone tell me that the battery was in there too? On the face of it petrol and electricity don't seem a great combination so maybe I've got that wrong. I think two owners ago had a diesel tank down there which was organised so that the fuel could then be pumped up into the new tank in the cockpit locker when needed. Steve might know - he knows more about my boat than I do :)
 
T

tim_klynn

.
Feb 12, 2008
337
There are not many advantages to sailing in Colroado, but one of them is no salt water corrosion and the the water temperature is 40-50 degrees much of the year, quite a suitable temperature for porters and stouts kept in the bilge.
 
V

vegatern

.
Oct 2, 2005
465
The fuel tank on the Tern is also in the port lazarette. A couple of years ago I installed a temporary bulkhead in the bilge 10 or 12 inches back from the forward face. The idea was to move chain out of the bow locker to where it might do some good. The "bulkhead" is just a bit of plywood held against some glass tabs by the weight of the chain, and the chain is piled up in a column so it doesn't spread out on the bottom of the bilge. The pump and switch are in the clear space aft of the bulkhead. This holds 80ft of chain and should replace the weight of the tank, about 80 lbs. There was an immediate improvement in motion and I think the boat sails better.

I like the arrangement and intend to make the bulkhead permanent. There needs to be a limber hole in the bulkhead and something under the chain to keep it off the bottom of the bilge and out of water the pump doesn't pick up. If the boat were intended to go offshore there would need to be a method to keep the chain in place should the boat turn turtle. The aft face of the bulkhead provides a convenient place to mount bilge pumps and switches, a small capacity pump for normal use and above that a higher capacity pump if desired. Of course this chain is not intended to be used unless it's really needed, and there still is anchor gear in the bow locker.

Because the space aft of the bulkhead is clear, there is still plenty of room for beer.

Craig V1519 Tern

-
 
M

mrkk1103

.
Feb 26, 2012
47
So I visited Buffa today. She's been in the water for less than 48 hours and there was getting on for a foot of water in the bilges :-(.

So a) we've more water coming in than I should have and
b) The bilge pump is not coming on automatically.

I guess more investigation needed. I don't think I'll put anything else down there for a while.
 
J

j.hunter9999

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Oct 30, 2019
574
I store a dry bag full of tools and parts in the bilge. It is probably 25-30 pounds, seals up quite nicely and wedges into place. Alternatively, if I were going to put chain down there, I would put it in a dry bag.

Hope that helps.

Jack
Bella - V2620
 
E

edbawden

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Jun 7, 2009
18
Yes the original design had the fuel tank and batteries in the bilge. Mine still has. The fuel is diesel and there are 2 batteries that are a snug fit. My cokpit lockers are free for other things.

To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
From: mark.kendal@...
Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2013 21:57:18 +0000
Subject: [AlbinVega] Re: Do you put anything heavy in your bilges


All helpful comments, thanks.

The anchor chain that the previous owner left there was:

a) An old chain, not the one I actually use.

b) In a heavy plastic bag so there shouldn't be any abrasion of the fibreglass.

Wasn't the bilge full of fuel tank when the boats where first built and did someone tell me that the battery was in there too? On the face of it petrol and electricity don't seem a great combination so maybe I've got that wrong. I think two owners ago had a diesel tank down there which was organised so that the fuel could then be pumped up into the new tank in the cockpit locker when needed. Steve might know - he knows more about my boat than I do :)
 
V

vegatern

.
Oct 2, 2005
465
By the way . . . I still have the original diesel fuel tank that came out of the Tern's bilge. I hate to dispose of it but I don't intend to put it back in. The reason these were replaced with lazerette tanks was that the tank at a higher level was easier for the engine, or so I understand. The bilge tank can provide 8 gals. storage, keeping weight low, which could be transferred with a hand pump to the cockpit tank. This is safer than jerry cans on deck for someone wanting extra cruising range. The tank came out of a series 2 Vega. The tank is free for the cost of shipping from central California.

Craig
 
S

samr90us

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Mar 27, 2015
20
My fuel tank is in the bilge. The previous owner installed a electric fuel pump to assist the mechanical one. This seems to work fine. It also really helps with purging the fuel line since all you need to do is turn it on and let it run for a minute before you crank the engine. I have a question though, how are the batteries secured if they are in the bilge? Mine have been moved and I would like to put them back down there. Thanks.... Sam
 
S

samr90us

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Mar 27, 2015
20
Mark. Check your stuffing box. Mine can leak a couple of gallons a day if I don't grease it every time I run the engine. Good luck..... Sam
 
J

j.hunter9999

.
Oct 30, 2019
574
Hi Craig. I might be interested in the tank...probably would not use for fuel, but might be able to cut the top off, then make a sealable lid. I also have a series II. PM me at j(dot)hunter9999(atsign)yahoo(dot)com. If you have one of those UPS stores or something near you, should be easy enough to ship.

Talk soon.

Jack
Bella - V2620
 
B

btfag0s

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Sep 13, 2002
203
Whisky (don't you folks know how to spell?) is less dense than water, so won't do much good in the bilge .. that said, I've tried a few whiskeys that are like bilge water.

The Scots know what's good for them, and where to get it: Laphroaig

Slightly more on topic, on my MkI Vega the bilge isn't much below the water line so I can't imagine adding a lot of weight near the centre of balance will make much difference .. I used to have a 120AH battery there, but had to move it above the waterline to be allowed in the local canal; I don't notice any difference sailing, but I've found a cool place to keep my beer :)Alisdair
 
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