Engine Submerged

[bronze_10]

I have some very good friends with boats....BUT....I would NEVER borrow their boat, nor would I EVER lend them mine! It just makes for scenarios that cant end well, and can end friendships!

I have never had anyone to ask me to use my boat.... but if a good friend did.... i would say no! Lol however i wpuld prob take the boat out myself for them... but i would do all the boat stuff!

 

[swatski]

Sounds like the cause of flooding was damage to the shafts entry through the hull. If my suspicion is true, you'll find out when the boat gets on the hard. It's possible a tow line or dock line got sucked in and wound so tight that the fiberglass breaks around the shaft.

Maybe I misread something to make that assumption false but that my guess.

I agree.

Water intrusion into bilge should be minimal in a boat w/self bailing deck.

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[swatski]

I thought the bilge pump was supposed to be connected to the battery power all the time?

Unfortunately, that is not the case.

If you want a real backup bilge - install it direct to the battery (fused). With a float switch.

Attwood or Rule, doesn't matter, they are all the same. They all get terrible reviews, but it is primarily due to installation and maintenance issues. People hook those up in reverse and fry the pump, then return it and complain. Which is actually not difficult to do with 3 wires, extra switches/sensors/alarms/LEDs, etc. I personally prefer to keep it simple.

All switches can get stuck in either "off" or "on" position, but float switches are probably most reliable provided frequently tested and kept reasonably clean. The cycling/back pressure ones (like the OEM pump) that sense a load will drain your battery pretty quickly leaving the boat unprotected. Same with those "liquid sensing" (usually conductance) that can get dirty and stay "on". Those may also NOT come on when sensing oil or gas - which to me seems problematic.

The only thing that will not fail - and something I would get if I wet slipped - is the Ultra (brand) float switch. A bit pricey but well worth it - if wet slipping IMO.

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[Coheeba]

@Coheeba may be right that another non-flammable product would be better, but my main point was to put a water displacer on it...

WD-40 = Water Displacing 40...40 tries to get the formula right. It is a great water displacer I just don't use it on the boat. But in this instance it cant hurt.

 

[newbote]

I agree.

Water intrusion into bilge should be minimal in a boat w/self bailing deck.

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If someone was borrowing the boat he could have very well not left slack in the line when he tied up. The OP mentioned that it looked like the boat was taking waves over the back of the boat which is possible if it was tied up to tight. The boat wouldn't have been able to move with the waves so they could have been coming up onto the 2nd layer of the swim platform and going into the bilge at the cleanout port drain. Couple that with the water that would still get in the bilge from a big storm it could very well have flooded the engine compartment.

 

[swatski]

The boat wouldn't have been able to move with the waves so they could have been coming up onto the 2nd layer of the swim platform and going into the bilge at the cleanout port drain.

There shouldn't be much water entering at all with the hatch closed. Besides, wet storage inside that compartment has its own drain that opens up under the swim platform. That said, we do know the tray/bottom of that compartment does leak into the bilge.

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[ENC boater]

Dad always said " two things you don't lend , your boat and wife"