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chris jerome
Jun 17, 2012 - 7:45PM
Bilges
There seems to be three of them.
Trouble is that I can't get the cabin sole up in the saloon.
It appears to be tongue and groove. Would there normally be an inspection hatch ?
On Michette there is a red bilge light and switch behind the wheel.
I can't tell which bilge that works on.
I will need to fit some auto bilge pump, how many and where springs to mind.
It's shame we missed the rally really
Chris
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Michette
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Steve Abbott
Jun 17, 2012 - 9:03PM
Re: Bilges
Dear Chris
There is only one bilge - under the engine; the bilge keels are your water tanks (probably you knew that - don't want to appear condescending).
Running down the centre of the saloon, under the cabin sole, is a narrow and shallow channel which merely acts to drain water from the chain locker into the bilge. I know that at least one owner has put some sort of grating in place of the forepeak floor, for use with a shower, as it would drain through the same channel to the bilge. However, we tried something similar once, and not only is soapy scummy water unwelcome in the bilge, it's even worse in that shallow channel, which tends to harbour a lot of dirt!
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Arethusa
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chris jerome
Jun 17, 2012 - 10:25PM
Re: Bilges
Brilliant, thanks.
So I'm now wondering about two things.
How do you clean out the channel ?
How do you empty the water tanks if you needed to ?
Chris
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Michette
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John Lansdell
Jun 18, 2012 - 8:57AM
Re: Bilges
All 'dogs I have seen have a central "plank", which is not attached in any way and goes the full length of the saloon, giving access to the gully.
The bilge keels have drain points at their outer after end.
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Twotails
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John Lansdell
Jun 18, 2012 - 9:06AM
Re: Bilges
Sorry, forgot to add. We fitted a shower in the forepeak but it does not drain aft. We blocked it off and use the suction side of the Lavac loo pump to drain it overboard via a changeover cock.
When I changed the engine I reprofiled the bilge below the engine from the original flat floor (which you could never drain fully). The forward end is now 2 to 3 inches higher allowing all the water to drain to a small square sump at the after end.
With the enging out I also added a holding tank under the engine.
The output side of the Lavac pump has a changeover cock, allowing discharge overboard or to the holding tank via a pipe down the gully through the saloon.
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Twotails
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John
Sep 5, 2012 - 8:50AM
Re: Bilges
The central plank mentioned by the owner of Twotails is perhaps similar to that on Michciko II, where one end of this plank is hidden and "trapped" below the saloon table. Therefore , on Michciko II, it is first necessary to remove the saloon table before being able to remove this central plank.
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Michciko II
David
Sep 9, 2012 - 8:29PM
Re: Bilges
Quote: John
The central plank mentioned by the owner of Twotails is perhaps similar to that on Michciko II, where one end of this plank is hidden and "trapped" below the saloon table. Therefore , on Michciko II, it is first necessary to remove the saloon table before being able to remove this central plank.
OP#s tongue and groove doesn't sound standard (unless she is an early one and they later changed the standard!)......on mine (1970) the saloon floorboards are divided into 3. The port and starboard ones are screwed down (not a great hassle to remove and only 1/2 inch of space underneath) with the central panel being removable. I found it to be a PITA! (especially with the table deployed) so I cut it in half!, albeit that also to make easier to take home in the car to repaint. But makes lifting it easier - not to say that much reason to as little in there, but a clean of the bilges every now and again does no harm.
On the bilge pump location - the engine compartment is the lowest point (the saloon (and aftcabin) drains into it). Plus it's where the power is.
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Wayluya
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