that I moved aboard Seascape last Sunday. This is, uh, different and challenging, but don't get me wrong, it's a big step towards my shoving off by or before mid October of 2011. Still, a little annoying that 1) my electric head failed to operate as directed when it was containing a full load take a guess what; 2) a port side cockpit drain full of crud decided to stop draining during a heavy rainstorm on my first morning aboard; 3) the outflow hose on the bilge pump came undone at its seacock and gave me around a gallon of cleanup to do; and 4) some idiot didn't twist the shore power line thoroughly into its socket and so left the vessel running blissfully along on DC until there wasn't any bliss left. Oh well, says I, she's giving up her secrets to me now while we're safe and sound and in a year we'll have a peaceful marriage as we travel the Pacific together.
Just curious, but why would my bilge outflow be routed to a through-hull in the head? Also mysterious is why everything seemed perfect before I lived here?
Stay tuned, mates.
Mark
Welcome to living aboard! You will come to love it. The thru hull in the head is outflow for the shower sump located under the access panel in the salon. It shouldn't be the outflow for your main, deep bilge. That should pump back to the stern.
Ron
S/V Matchmaker
Living aboard in Saint Marks Florida
I like my bilge discharge to be where I can hear it if its running mine is on the stern.
I would re-route that to the stern if I were you.
Ed
Hmm. That's what I'd have thought too. There's lots about the boat I haven't figured out, trust me. If I wanted to discharge to the stern would that mean a new through hull above the water line on the stern/transom? I am testing the bilge pump but pouring water into the cavity to make sure the switch is good. Either way when the bilge pump is activated it's very audible when tied up. Not sure what to do about this while under way. Is that what you are referring to?
You want to know about it if the pump is running more often than usual. I usually hear the discharge from ours even when under power.
Here's a cheery thought- how would you like to be in the middle of the pacific and discover that your bilge pump just pumped all your remaining fresh water overboard? You wouldn't be the first it's happened to. A lot of people keep their pumps turned off on a long passage just for that reason. They check the bilge and turn on the pump if needed. If the bilge is kept clean and your water or fuel ends up in there, you can come up with a plan to get by. Once the pump pumps it overboard- it's gone.
Makes perfect sense and thanks for the tip.
MF