Pumping the bilge

[John Blossom]

I have just purchased a 1974 O'Day, and the bilge seems to have collected quite a bit of water over the winter, possibly due to snowdrifts in the cockpi, as a guess. In any event, I opened up the bilge cap near the entry into the cabin and pumped it out as best I could. But the bilge does not go straight down very far at that point, only a few inches. If I bother to snake in a hose is it possible to get down deeper, or is all of the space beneath that level taken up with ballast, etc.?Many thanks,John Blossom

 

[Bill Yale]

Bilge pumping

I have a 1974 O'day. I found that when I popped the bilge cap near the hatchway it would be dry, but when I popped the bilge cap by the compression post, that would contain water even though the other was dry. I used the pump there and managed to dry out the bilge. I've had my boat for a month and before that it sat in a garage for 15 years. There is a picture of it on the Unofficial O'day Owners website. Let me know if this helps

 

[Tim Daley]

Similar problem

I have a similar problem with the 1974 Oday 22 I just purchased. I used a hand pump as best I could but I can still see water and have a feeling there might be more. I just don't know how to better access it to be sure and I am thinking about using my shop vac to try to clean it up.