Hunter 49 / 50 Fischer Panda owners…

[artboas]

Ok, so this isn’t a post about the genset itself. Mine works fine …thankfully
It’s about the bilge area, and the genset comes into play here.
On my 49, my main bilge is “sawdust dry”. I hate stinky bilge water.
While doing maintenance, I noticed that there was a small bilge area under the genset, just aft of the main bilge.
This area can get a bunch of sand and crud in it over time. I try to keep the obvious stuff cleaned up.
I noticed that there is a bilge area under the generator, which seemed to be full of dirty bilge water.
Sprayed a hose in there, and it didn’t drain.
Got into the main bilge, and saw that there was, in fact, a (approx) 1” drain hole leading to the genset bilge, but nothing was draining out.
After a bunch of prodding with a “pointed stick”, (for all you Monty Python fans out there), I finally started to get a trickle of water.
After working at this for awhile, I was able to unplug a rather solid hole of bilge crud cement. It now drains perfectly, and the genset bilge is sparkling clean.
This is something to investifate, and spend a few minutes remedying. I know someone who flooded the genset bilge, and it was a $20k problem

 

[tkwhalen]

soooo you saying I should get a pointed stick ... as I do want all areas to drain to the main bilge ... however of the 6 boats I've owned with bilges (ignoring my Sunfish, Hobie & Nacra) I've never had a dry bilge ... I've tried on occasion but the bilge water loves me to much and always comes back... So now I keep it fresh by cleaning it out and turning it over regularly. To continue in the Monty Python tradition I basically tell the bilge water to "now go away or I shall taunt you a second time"

Thanks for the heads up artboas I will check out my bilge below the generator.

 

[artboas]

soooo you saying I should get a pointed stick ... as I do want all areas to drain to the main bilge ... however of the 6 boats I've owned with bilges (ignoring my Sunfish, Hobie & Nacra) I've never had a dry bilge ... I've tried on occasion but the bilge water loves me to much and always comes back... So now I keep it fresh by cleaning it out and turning it over regularly. To continue in the Monty Python tradition I basically tell the bilge water to "now go away or I shall taunt you a second time"

Thanks for the heads up artboas I will check out my bilge below the generator.

One of the main sources of water in the 49 /50 bilge are the airco drains. Hunter just drained these to bilge, which didn’t work for me,
It’s an easy fix., You can either install condensator units, or run the pans to a pump system. My favorite is the Whale IC.
Getting the bilge dry gives you an odour-free boat, and when staying aboard this really makes a difference.

 

[tkwhalen]

Artboas
While I'm thinking about it have you modified your hot water tank drain in any way?

 

[artboas]

Artboas
While I'm thinking about it have you modified your hot water tank drain in any way?

Yes, I did
I only use the drain, once yearly, to winterize.
I connected a short length of hose, and it runs to bilge. It just saves flooding the under seat locker (which eventually drains through the edges of the bottom board)
A larger project was that I re-located the fresh water pump into the main bilge area, just under the floor.
Why???
Firstly, the pump was really difficult to get at for wintering under the galley trash bin. I also upgraded the original pump, which had better flow rate, and had electronic speed control. For winterizing, I unplug the pump intake, and connect it to a source of plumbing antifreeze. This easily winterizes my whole system with zero freezing risk. I don’t like the concept of blowing the lines out, as water can re-settle in low spots. I’ve cracked valves this way.
It was challenging to re-locate the pump, as the whale piping has to be dead on length-wise once you start going around corners. Not a trivial job. I did this at the same time I replaced my engine exhaust hose, as I am gluten for punishment.