Bilge Explained ???

[Coheeba]

So I have some questions about the bilge in the 242's. I say all this with caution as I don't absolutely know this to be true, but here goes.
There are essentially 4 compartment in the boat, the bilge which drains out the stern plug, the engine compartment which has the bilge pump and a drain plug which goes into the bilge, the cockpit which drains out the large scupper to sea and the ski locker which drains to the bilge via a plug. There is no bilge pump in the "bilge" and the only way to get water out of the bilge is to pull the stern plug, preferably on shore. Is this correct or am I off base?

 

[itsdgm]

On mine, there is an opening that connects the area that the bilge pump sits in to the bilge area that the drain plug is at. I can't remember for sure, but it might be at the rear of where the engines mount and in front of the bilge pump. So it's kind out out of the normal line of site when looking into the engine compartment. You might have to feel around in there. But be careful, it might not be finished fiberglass.

 

[scokill]

If it's like the older boats that is essentially correct. There is a ski locker plug and if that plug is out the water will go in to the gas tank compartment and there is a plug from that compartment to the engine compartment.

The compartments will hold water with the plugs in but are not completely watertight. Water can and does get from one compartment to the other with the plugs in. The concept of the compartments is that it can buy you some time if you are taking on large amounts of water and keep the engines dry. At least that's what I think it is. I keep all plugs out though and get the water to the pump (if any.)

 

[Coheeba]

Doesn't the water with the plugs out flow into the bilge (no bilge pump) and not the engine compartment (with bilge pump)??

 

[Scottintexas]

speaking from a 07 point of view, I'm not sure on the new boats,

If you would open you cleanout hatch manholes and look underneath or remove the cleanout tray hatch to get a very visible view you would connect the dots easier.

maybe changing the terminology,
Bilge area - what you can't see
engine compartment - where the bilge pump is.

The bilge pump is only an inch or two higher than the lowest area of the boat under the clean out hatch(that you can't see). There is a small opening at the rear of the engine bay that leads to the bilge area (that you can't see). That area only holds an inch or two of water until if flows forward to the bilge pump.

We've had a couple of past discussions about this with pictures to help people understand (if you wanted to try to search for it) as the big debate was why isn't the bilge at the lowest point.

Some people who have added second bilge remove the cleanout hatch and put it near the transom drain, others being that it's only an inch (because it flows forward through the opening) just add it to the engine compartment.

 

[fireflymedic]

The main drain area and the bilge pump are not compartmentalized. If I look in the engine compartment all the way at the bottom and Stern is visible to about an inch or 2 of plug. I found this out as i was trying to get something out of behind the main plug i could see when I took the plug out but the piece of plastic I saw was to big to get out main drain plug whole.