HUnter 23 bilge pump question

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Apr 15, 2010
1
Hunter 23 Whiskeytown, CA
I recently purchased a 1990 Hunter 23 wing keel. It has been berthed in a lake in California all winter with a canvas tarp secured over the cockpit. But when I went to check on it I found that it has an inch or two of
rainwater inside on the cabin floor. Being a new owner and a new sailor, I don't know what is the easiest way to remove this water. Does this boat have any sort of manual bilge pump? I have looked every where for the answer and am now appealing finally to the Hunter Owbners Group. Thank you in advance if you can give me any help.
 
Jun 28, 2009
312
hunter 23 Lake Hefner
I recently purchased a 1990 Hunter 23 wing keel. It has been berthed in a lake in California all winter with a canvas tarp secured over the cockpit. But when I went to check on it I found that it has an inch or two of
rainwater inside on the cabin floor. Being a new owner and a new sailor, I don't know what is the easiest way to remove this water. Does this boat have any sort of manual bilge pump? I have looked every where for the answer and am now appealing finally to the Hunter Owbners Group. Thank you in advance if you can give me any help.
Hey Dr.No
As a member of the Hunter Owbners Group ;), I would like to congratulate you on your boat as well as finding this wonderful forum. First the 23 has no bilge pump manual or otherwise because it has no true bilge. All it has are 4 areas that collect a little water. The middle two have weep holes to collect water from the areas under the cabin seats. 2 inchs of water above the cabin sole would probably need a manual bilge pump. I'd probably be cheap about it and get a plastic gallon container and cut the bottom out of it and use it as a scoop with a bucket to dump it overboard. However, it is a good idea to have at least a manual bilge pump onboard you know just in case.
After you get the water out you need to find out how it got there. You say that there was a tarp over the companionway. That is the most common way for rainwater intrusion. The other ways for rainwater to get in there is from chainplates and the anchor locker. The other "popular" ways for water to get in is from the cockpit drain. Many have a rubber hose that pass through the transom. Mine actually passes through the hull below the water line. Check yours to see if it doesn't have any leaks. Another source of intrusion is from the keel bolts.
Good luck with your new boat and keep us informed of what you find.
 

oode

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Apr 20, 2010
1
Hunter H23 Oriental, NC
Bilge Pump???

I recently purchased a 1990 Hunter 23 wing keel. It has been berthed in a lake in California all winter with a canvas tarp secured over the cockpit. But when I went to check on it I found that it has an inch or two of
rainwater inside on the cabin floor. Being a new owner and a new sailor, I don't know what is the easiest way to remove this water. Does this boat have any sort of manual bilge pump? I have looked every where for the answer and am now appealing finally to the Hunter Owbners Group. Thank you in advance if you can give me any help.
I know there isn't a "place" for a pump, but I was told there is a way to cut through the floor under the step down, where there is a cavity that will accommodate a pump, has anyone else heard that???? I've searched around but can't find any reference to it. My boats previous owner was so convinced, he had purchased the access port, pump and appropriate tubing to do the job and thought there was a reference, but I have come up empty so far...

Any ideas????
 
Jun 28, 2009
312
hunter 23 Lake Hefner
I know there isn't a "place" for a pump, but I was told there is a way to cut through the floor under the step down, where there is a cavity that will accommodate a pump, has anyone else heard that???? I've searched around but can't find any reference to it. My boats previous owner was so convinced, he had purchased the access port, pump and appropriate tubing to do the job and thought there was a reference, but I have come up empty so far...

Any ideas????
Ooode, I have searched the entire forum and haven't found Anyone who built a site specific bilge area with the exception of perhaps Mark Major. I'd PM him to see if he keeps his bilge pump other than in the lazarette. I'd guess (I've never asked him) that he keeps his bilge pump portable. As far as modifying your cabin sole, I'd doubt that there is a significant "gain" to installing a specific area to accommodate a bilge pump. If your boat has a tendancy to aquire water, better time is spent figuring how the water is getting in and fix it than to find a work around (manufacture a bilge pump area). The 2 reasons your boat will sink in non-catastrophic failures are: 1. your lazarette is opened on a port knockdown allowing water to downflow into it. 2. Your cabin is open on a knockdown allowing a downflow into it.
HTH Brad S/V Windwalker
 

MrUnix

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Mar 24, 2010
626
Hunter 23 Gainesville, FL
I know there isn't a "place" for a pump, but I was told there is a way to cut through the floor under the step down, where there is a cavity that will accommodate a pump, has anyone else heard that???? I've searched around but can't find any reference to it. My boats previous owner was so convinced, he had purchased the access port, pump and appropriate tubing to do the job and thought there was a reference, but I have come up empty so far...

Any ideas????
I've seen that on the H22, in the cabin sole just under the galley. I have no idea if it would work on the H23 though, and have never seen anyone who has done so.

I would like to know just what is under the sole however, and find it odd that the little mini bilges under the floorboards don't appear to have weep holes to allow collected water to make its way to a central bilge area. I know that on my H27, every area where water could collect had them, so a pump under the center floorboard could handle any water that made its way into the boat.

As it appears, about the only place to put a pump seems to be just behind the aft bulkhead, although I'm not sure how effective it would be placed there given that there is no way for the trapped water in the cabin to make it's way to it.

Cheers,
Brad
 
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