Posted by Mike Lucas on April 28, 2001 at 16:01:20:
In Reply to: Sadler 29 bilge pump posted by Dick Holness on April 24, 2001 at 22:28:18:
This is an interesting question by Dick and Paul, which ponders why the strum box for the manual bilge pump is sited in the engine compartment. In fact, this arrangement was fitted as standard to the Sadler 26, the 29 and the 34.
I have always explained this position along the lines that one is unlikely to get water within the cabin of the boat and even if this did happen, the bilge area is partitioned into sections, without limber holes. This means that even if the bilge pump was sited further forward, it would certainly not be in the lowest part of the bilge and retained water further forward in the boat would not get to the bilge pump strum box. I suggest that any malfunction of the engine cooling water system (perhaps the most likely), or problems with the cockpit drain arrangement (you really should check my comments in “Stop Press”), would all end up in the engine compartment anyway.
Vyv Cox has suggested a second bilge pump to be portable and mounted in the companionway area and this is a good idea. Suction hose should be fairly flexible and long enough to extend forward of the main bulkhead. The exhaust hose only needs to be long enough to go into the self draining cockpit. By arranging a temporary mount around the companionway area, it will be easy to pump in this position.
An alternative would be to site the pump beneath the navigator seat, with the handle operated athwartships. In this position, a permanent exhaust hose can be fed aft and out through the transom. The suction hose can be stowed somewhere convenient and fixed on with a quick action jubilee clip, with a thumb screw perhaps, rather than screw driver slot. This would enable it to be fitted quickly in a crisis. Once again, go for flexible hose and long enough to extend forward of the main bulkhead.
Whilst on the question of pumps, it is worth thinking about an automatic bilge pump. This helps your peace of mind when leaving the boat, in that if it develops a leak, it will be pumping whilst you are not on board. If a leak develops whilst sailing, then the bilge pump will function automatically, without having to manually operate. We have fitted a number of these and always fitted the strum box in the engine compartment.
It is worth noting that with the Starlights there is no problem, because of the deep bilge and the opportunity to fit manual and automatic bilge pump strum box in the lowest part of this bilge area. Everything drains to the bottom! It will be interesting to hear if owners have any further ideas – I am sure we can all learn from owner experience.
Mike