Heading to my third season of sailing with my new found 222 O'Day.. I was wondering how many owners sail without an electric bilge pump. After bringing home my new found 1986 boat, and discovering not only does she not have a bilge pump, there is also no sea cock or thru hull to drain the bilge. I decided to sail her the first season keeping a bucket and a portable manual pump aboard. Coming back to my roots of sailing after 50 years of power boating, I never gave it a thought that a boat would be built without either. Reading this forum I find that my beauty is not the only boat this way. The amazing thing that I've discovered is that the boat is so dry, and being able to button up when it rains I have never had an ounce of water get into the bilge. I have had the toe rail many times underwater, been caught in pouring down rains where the water gushes down the main sail and drains out the self bailing cockpit. I have talked to other owners and one told me he installed one electric and a permanent manual one built into the cockpit but never needs to use either. Because the bilge never gets wet it stays very clean. Heaven forbid ( if I should capsize ) these pumps will most likely not be any good anyway. Chances are the battery will short out. And if she takes on a lot of water she will probably sink as there is no flotation that I know of built in. 800 lbs of lead and a fiberglass hull won't float that I can see. Which is why I always wear a PFD and require every who goes with me do also. Am I the only one who sails without a permanent installed bilge pump?
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leaks and bilges
Chuck, No bilge pump. My boat leaks is several places, but not a significant amount. Sponge or rag gets it. I keep finding the dings that leak and reseal, but then my boat was a restoration project, and could have used another year to fix everything, so I put it in the water to sail. Now fix when I have time. Ed K
Chuck, No bilge pump. My boat leaks is several places, but not a significant amount. Sponge or rag gets it. I keep finding the dings that leak and reseal, but then my boat was a restoration project, and could have used another year to fix everything, so I put it in the water to sail. Now fix when I have time. Ed K
Non-Bilge Pump Sailer
I was a little curious about this myself. When I bought the boat, there was a manual pump mounted below the table in the salon. I was told by the previous owner that he never took any water on and never added electric pumps. I splashed the 25 this summer and the first day out, we sailed her from the marina to the mooring (about a 3 hour outing). After tying up, I double checked the bilges and it was full. Apparently, the through hull sink drain came loose (dumb me for not checking this line ) Anyway, we took on about 10 gallons. Fixed the hose and spent about 15 minutes pumping the bilge out. Never saw anymore water the rest of the season (end of October). I was pleased with the hand pump, but one of the upgrades planned for the spring is a couple of Rule 800s with a couple of float switches. About $100 is cheap insurance, even though this one dry boat!
I was a little curious about this myself. When I bought the boat, there was a manual pump mounted below the table in the salon. I was told by the previous owner that he never took any water on and never added electric pumps. I splashed the 25 this summer and the first day out, we sailed her from the marina to the mooring (about a 3 hour outing). After tying up, I double checked the bilges and it was full. Apparently, the through hull sink drain came loose (dumb me for not checking this line ) Anyway, we took on about 10 gallons. Fixed the hose and spent about 15 minutes pumping the bilge out. Never saw anymore water the rest of the season (end of October). I was pleased with the hand pump, but one of the upgrades planned for the spring is a couple of Rule 800s with a couple of float switches. About $100 is cheap insurance, even though this one dry boat!
bilge pumps
I think that you could get away with a portable hand bilge pump on your boat Chuck. In the event that you should ever get water in the bilge, you could remove the two boards near the step in the cabin to pump water into your cockpit. The self bailing hose would get rid of it from there. It probably wouldn't hurt to install and electric pump with a float switch too, just in case she happens to take on water while sitting at the slip or mooring when no one is around. As you know, I have my manual bilge pump mounted inside near my settee to where I can work it while sitting in the cockpit. I've never used it, so I don't even know if it still works. It's possible that the rubber diaphragm is old and rotted out. This is something that I'll definitely have to check out next year, but these portable hand pumps always work no matter how old they get. They're pretty dependable, I think. As far as water getting into your cabin and sinking your boat in rough seas goes; The best solution to that problem is to batten all the hatches down. In other words, secure your pen boards. If it ever gets to that point, you're going to want to run for cover to a protected cove somewhere close by. I've learned through the years to try and have an alternate plan just in case my first plan fails. What if my self bailing hose started leaking how could I get at it? Well, I always carry duct tape aboard, and I have a deck plate on the inside of my transom now, to get at it. But maybe if the captain doesn't have a deck plate, how about carrying a few corks on board, and simply reach over the stern without falling overboard of course, and plug the hull fitting? One year I lost my mast out near Newport RI and my radio antenna which was mounted at the top was gone with it. After that episode, I went out and bought a small axillary antenna for my radio just in case that should ever happen again. I really didn't need the radio when it happened, but you never know when you're really going to need it. Think spring,Chuck! Ahoy! Joe
I think that you could get away with a portable hand bilge pump on your boat Chuck. In the event that you should ever get water in the bilge, you could remove the two boards near the step in the cabin to pump water into your cockpit. The self bailing hose would get rid of it from there. It probably wouldn't hurt to install and electric pump with a float switch too, just in case she happens to take on water while sitting at the slip or mooring when no one is around. As you know, I have my manual bilge pump mounted inside near my settee to where I can work it while sitting in the cockpit. I've never used it, so I don't even know if it still works. It's possible that the rubber diaphragm is old and rotted out. This is something that I'll definitely have to check out next year, but these portable hand pumps always work no matter how old they get. They're pretty dependable, I think. As far as water getting into your cabin and sinking your boat in rough seas goes; The best solution to that problem is to batten all the hatches down. In other words, secure your pen boards. If it ever gets to that point, you're going to want to run for cover to a protected cove somewhere close by. I've learned through the years to try and have an alternate plan just in case my first plan fails. What if my self bailing hose started leaking how could I get at it? Well, I always carry duct tape aboard, and I have a deck plate on the inside of my transom now, to get at it. But maybe if the captain doesn't have a deck plate, how about carrying a few corks on board, and simply reach over the stern without falling overboard of course, and plug the hull fitting? One year I lost my mast out near Newport RI and my radio antenna which was mounted at the top was gone with it. After that episode, I went out and bought a small axillary antenna for my radio just in case that should ever happen again. I really didn't need the radio when it happened, but you never know when you're really going to need it. Think spring,Chuck! Ahoy! Joe
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