All right I have seen many messages about how dry your H-27 bilge is. Mine might be dry except for the fact that I use the Ice Box, which drains into the bilge. On these "Dry Bilge Boats" do you people just not use the Ice Box? Or do you have some fancy Drain Arrangement? I have explored linking the Ice Box drain to the Sink Drain but fear that the Water Line is higher than the bottom of the Ice Box. What's the scoop?
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Easy fix
Small diam. plastic hose and a small pump attached to the ice box drain. Pump into cockpit or overside from starbord locker. Look and see if your ice box came with insulation? Mine didn't.
Small diam. plastic hose and a small pump attached to the ice box drain. Pump into cockpit or overside from starbord locker. Look and see if your ice box came with insulation? Mine didn't.
Option to ice
I don't like water in my bilge. Water = odors. I use a softsided cooler that with a bit of persuation, fits through the opening of the icebox. Using two "blueice" blocks and a few bottles of frozen water, the contents of the cooler stay cool for a long weekend. The insulation of the icebox traps a lot of the "exhaust" from the cooler. The only problem is I usually need to unload the contents of the cooler long enough to pull it back out of the icebox when it's time to leave for our terra firma home. I always leave the lid to the icebox open when we leave the boat so any moisture can escape. -Doug s/v Brenda Gail
I don't like water in my bilge. Water = odors. I use a softsided cooler that with a bit of persuation, fits through the opening of the icebox. Using two "blueice" blocks and a few bottles of frozen water, the contents of the cooler stay cool for a long weekend. The insulation of the icebox traps a lot of the "exhaust" from the cooler. The only problem is I usually need to unload the contents of the cooler long enough to pull it back out of the icebox when it's time to leave for our terra firma home. I always leave the lid to the icebox open when we leave the boat so any moisture can escape. -Doug s/v Brenda Gail
Dry Bilge Standard
I like a dry bilge too. And, I don't use the icebox because it does drain into the bilge. Also, when I leave I remove both the bilge cover and icebox cover for ventilation. This may be a cop out but I simply use a Coleman cooler. Jack has the right idea and solution; I once considered the sink drain too but gave up on it. Most showers also drain into the bilge but the same problem occurs. I don't add a shower because of the drain into the bilge. I like a dry bilge. Joe
I like a dry bilge too. And, I don't use the icebox because it does drain into the bilge. Also, when I leave I remove both the bilge cover and icebox cover for ventilation. This may be a cop out but I simply use a Coleman cooler. Jack has the right idea and solution; I once considered the sink drain too but gave up on it. Most showers also drain into the bilge but the same problem occurs. I don't add a shower because of the drain into the bilge. I like a dry bilge. Joe
Easy and cheap cure for icebox drain
Just put a plastic valve on the end of the drain hose. This also helps keep the cold in the box. When the water backs up, open the valve, drain the water into a jug, and pour it overboard. This is one application where any $2 valve from the hardware store will do.
Just put a plastic valve on the end of the drain hose. This also helps keep the cold in the box. When the water backs up, open the valve, drain the water into a jug, and pour it overboard. This is one application where any $2 valve from the hardware store will do.
Works, easy, and cooling, too
Doug, We installed a Whale hand pump next to the sink and connected the hose to the drain in the bottom of the built-in icebox. Now I have icy cold water to rinse hands on a hot day (but not to drink) and a dry bilge. Before leaving the boat after a trip, I empty the icebox ,wipe it dowm, and prop the lid open, then I pour a few drops of bleach into the hose to keep odors away. A spray of Lysol into teh cabin helps dispel odors and mildew. Since you're not far from us (two or three hours by land) you are welcome to come by & see this. You can see it at the boat show also since we saw this on an Island Packet, I believe it was.
Doug, We installed a Whale hand pump next to the sink and connected the hose to the drain in the bottom of the built-in icebox. Now I have icy cold water to rinse hands on a hot day (but not to drink) and a dry bilge. Before leaving the boat after a trip, I empty the icebox ,wipe it dowm, and prop the lid open, then I pour a few drops of bleach into the hose to keep odors away. A spray of Lysol into teh cabin helps dispel odors and mildew. Since you're not far from us (two or three hours by land) you are welcome to come by & see this. You can see it at the boat show also since we saw this on an Island Packet, I believe it was.
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