[C38] Holes in boats

Mon Oct 3 11:36:10 EDT 2011

All of this talk of pumps and water reminds me of a friend of mine who rented a charter in the BVI's in the '80's and his cruise made national attention.  All went well until the second day when they cranked up to motor out of the anchorage.  When the skipper put the engine in reverse, there was an awful noise and then the motor was just free wheeling in forward or reverse.

Someone below yelled that water was on the galley floor.  When they opened up the engine compartment, they saw sunshine and water coming in from where the propeller shaft used to be.  The boat was a brand new boat but evidently the transmission coupling was left loose.

The charter company was contacted and they put everything back together in a few hours but it was really "exciting" for awhile waiting for the charter company and trying to find things to plug that stuffing tube.  

I hate that "sinking feeling" when water is rushing into the boat, don't you?

Tom Troncalli

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Jeffry Matzdorff 
To: Catalina 38 Listserve
Sent: 10/3/2011 2:49:33 AM 
Subject: Re: [C38] Holes in boats

Hope the listserve doesn’t mind me 'hanging around' and occasionally commenting.  Fact is, this listserve is really awesome.  
You guys know your stuff and the emails are filled with lots of really spot on advise for others.

Steve, this is an excellent point below. Brilliant idea to increase the output of the shower sump with a bigger pump.
Other types of hull breaches such as losing a shaft or being holed by various objects are always possible.

I lost a though hull bringing up a boat from Baja several years ago.  It was 0200 and a very rough, dark night. 
Between the lag time of not knowing you have a problem, and the frantic tearing up of floor boards or getting a diaper over it from the outside will take many minutes.

High water alarms are great and like you point out, secondary pumps are always a good idea.

I have a y-valve on my big bilge pump and an 8' hose attached which I can move around and get water out when I am heeled over.

Cheers~

Captain Jeffry Matzdorff
323.855.0191
www.offshoredeliveryskipper.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Steve Smolinske 
To: Catalina 38 Listserve 
Sent: Sunday, October 02, 2011 9:59 PM
Subject: [C38] Holes in boats

During the planning stage of one of my current projects (putting a sump in the shower sump, when we have a full crew we can never get the sump emptied and there is always "liguid" left sloshing and the current design just doesnt get all of it out, especailly bad on starboard tack) .  I got the idea to beef up the shower sump with an much larger than needed bilge pump so that in the event that we ever were taking on water we would have another higher capacity pump than the one that is currently installed.  Since Im cutting in the new sump hole its easy enough to make sure things will fit.   

This thought process raised the question of how the capacity of my current bilge pump stands up against say a failed through hull (hull damage a whole different story)   I searched and searched the net until I found the following link that shows the amount of water at different head levels that comes into a boat through different sized holes.    Eye opening to realize that depending on the circumstance and which through hull failed I could loose my boat.   

I have a Rule 2000 in the bilge, thats 33 gallons a minute,  a failed 1" through hull at 2' head level pumps in 28 gallons per minute, interpolating to a 1 1/2" through hull the amount of water coming in is 70 gpm.  If you have never removed your knot meter in the water, try it some time it is amazing the amount of water that fills the bilge before you get the cap on the opening.   Thought I would pass this link along so you can have the information for you own calculations.     

http://www.tpub.com/content/advancement/14145/css/14145_191.htm

Steve
#312 Peregrine
Seattle

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