Message 4 of 5
Posted by member colin on Wednesday 3 April 2024

Bilges.

Indeed, important places and one most of us become very familiar with by either choice or necessity, usually the latter. From experience, usually forgotten and neglected places where things can lurk, uninvited and avoided at peril. (Lol)

Our first boat, a Norman 20 with inboard ford marinised engine had quite a deep bilge with culminated in a sump area below the engine bearers, upon purchase revealed a conglomerated mess of all sorts (don’t ask but I did consider a full Hazchem suit but reverted to the usual shorts and t shirt!). When the boat planed which it was very capable of doing, everything lurking sub floor forward would find it’s way back to this sump which was rather handy in clearing all back to where it was easily accessible.
Indeed one of those tasks the previous owner/s neglected, I set about one weekend clearing and cleaning this area which was difficult to access, but very fortunate I did as the following outing proved it was time very well spent and indeed saved the day, possibly subject of a future article/s should the Editor Marie judge worthy perhaps? (I possibly have a few stories like it shouldn't happen to a mariner but it did to me (and Angie))

The bilges on our Newbridge Navigator yacht were located below the cockpit floor and accessed by a large hinged access panel – actually the entire floor, so awkward, I don’t remember becoming quite so acquainted with it as the cockpit on that boat was fully self draining, indeed why are all boats not like that???
It did need pumping out occasionally to rid of unwanted ballast though.

Our Hardy 18 Motor sailor has quite shallow bilge, accessed via a large removable marine ply panel inset into the moulded fibreglass floor in the cockpit and two smaller access hatches in the cabin accessed by lifting the tailored carpet piece, so quite easily accessible for inspection of what lurks below.

I became very acquainted with the Hardy bilges as I installed a manually operated bilge pump and lines in addition to a separate electronic (12v) automatically operated pump and lines after we got the boat as the previous original manual one was disconnected.
I first believed the cockpit was a self draining one which makes sense on a sail boat, it was discovered it actually wasn’t and the two drain ports in the floor simply exited into the long sub floor bilge area.
All in all, very hot , awkward and sweaty to achieve and not without a few nautical (if not naughty) terms thrown in. I may even consider how I can make the cockpit more (at least part) self draining some day!

From my experience, most bilge areas are too damp for storage, especially tools which can rust at a hint of dampness.

Bless our Bilges!

Cheers,
Col.

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Message 2 of 5
Posted by member Annina on Wednesday 3 April 2024

Bilge by companionway before

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