water in the bilge

Justinf89 · Post by **Justinf89** » Sun May 11, 2008 6:07 am

I know it's a problem with the older Bertrams with the water running on the genny in the back, but is it all supposed to flow throughout the bilge? In my 77' fbc, when it rains, there is often several inches of water in the engine compartment and even more aft. Water really likes to collect to the front of the boat. Is it a viable solution to resin over the holes in the back by the gas tank, so that when it rains, the water only collects in the rear of the boat and a large bilge pump then pumps it out? I really don't like the water running throughout the entire boat. I'm pulling up the hatch soon to replace the mufflers with 5" ones, because I'm getting rid of the velocijet fumes.

Post by **dougl33** » Sun May 11, 2008 6:49 am

I would not recommend doing that. The limber holes are there to evenly displace any bilge water that enters the boat. If you block the limber holes you will be forcing all of the water to only one part of the bilge which (if enough water were present) could cause the boat to become unstable. A better solution would be to have all of the cockpit hatch drains conected to a sump (like the one for the shower in the head). Al did his like that a few years ago and he seems please with the results.

buzzk · Post by **buzzk** » Sun May 11, 2008 8:17 am

What did Al do? Put a shower sump pump in the stern? Assuming he has dripless stuffing boxes, then the only water he would get in the blidges would be from his rudder stuffing boxes. Is that correct? I've never heard of doing this, interesting. Buzz

Justinf89 · Post by **Justinf89** » Sun May 11, 2008 2:14 pm

Thats a great idea, I'll build a fiberglass box in the rear with a small bilge pump in it. Thanks for the help guys!

franklyprice · Post by **franklyprice** » Sun May 11, 2008 4:12 pm

The later boats keep the bilge in the engine bay and the stern area separate from the forward bilge area. I believe some of the older ones do not and instead let the water flow all the way for and aft. If I had that setup I would fill the limber holes at the forward bulkhead, just ahead of the engines to keep the water from running all the way up there. Not sure if this is what you're talking about...

lobsta1 · Post by **lobsta1** » Sun May 11, 2008 4:51 pm

Buzz, In the older 33's, every single drop of water that comes in from the deck hatches or any other source, ends up draining forward until it is finally pumped out in front of the head. Justin, I probably should have done what Doug said. Instead I epoxied 1/2" pvc drains in the corner of the deck hatches. Those all feed into 3/4" barbed tees. They all are hose connected & then run into a double 1 1/2" pvc manifold at the transom. That empties out through a bronze thruhull just beneath the swim platform. On the outside I placed one of those trapped ping pong ball cages that act as a check valve. It must work as I've never had any water back up through the manifold. When I replaced my fuel tank I had everything open. With the genny & the genny box out I glassed in a 4" high barrier in the bilge just aft of the aft tank bulkhead. In that barrier I also glassed in 3/4" pvc tubes on each side of the central stringer. Put stoppers in the tubes. Above the barrier in the genny box I put an access slot to the stoppers. Just aft of the barrier I put a float switch to operate a Water Puppy pump. That takes care of any normal water & the 4" high barrier will allow abnormal water to flow forward as usual. Are you confused yet? Al