bilge compartments not connected

[Sail365]

hello,

on my cal there are several compartments in the bilge made up of the hulls crossmembers. some have holes but one does not functionally making two compartments... this gets frustrating when the boat gets a little wet as I have to move water from one compartment to the compartment with the bilge pump with a cup. any reason I can't drill a 3/8" hole through the cross member (as the other cross members have) to connect the whole thing? I assume it's just fiberglass?

Thanks!

[coopec43]

I've asked the same question too. Once I have the ballast installed (and glassed over) I will drill 2 inch holes in the "ribs" under he floor to allow water to flow to the bilge pump.

But I'll be very careful when it comes to the engine room as I certainly wouldn't want that to flood because of water coming from the rest of the boat.

[StuM]

Just a FYI - they are called "limber holes"


Make sure that you correctly identify the composition of the crossmebers and that any holes are thoroughly sealed.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by StuM

Just a FYI - they are called "limber holes"


Make sure that you correctly identify the composition of the crossmebers and that any holes are thoroughly sealed.

Yes I'll be f/g the hole to seal it.

What are the "ribs" that go down inside the fiberglass keel called? I'm sure I read they are called "floors" but I found that to be rather confusing.

Actually I just confirmed that.

[Fore and Aft]

Sail365 just make sure your limber holes are not to large. I surveyed a 60 footer last week and the floor had cracked right where the limber hole was. To be fair a previous owner had decided to run a hose through the limber hole and had enlarged it to about 1 1/2 inch diameter.
StuM has it right about making sure they are sealed. You could glue a peice of PVC pipe in the hole to completely seal it.

Cheers

[BilgeRat]

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

Sail365 just make sure your limber holes are not to large. I surveyed a 60 footer last week and the floor had cracked right where the limber hole was. To be fair a previous owner had decided to run a hose through the limber hole and had enlarged it to about 1 1/2 inch diameter.
StuM has it right about making sure they are sealed. You could glue a peice of PVC pipe in the hole to completely seal it.

Cheers

Better yet epoxy in a piece of FG tubing. Some stringers in the bilges are hollow, some are wood cored, some are foam cored. What ever it is, you don’t want water getting inside the stringer. Once it’s contaminated, it’s hell to get it clean enough to seal again.
Enjoy!

[toddster8]

Sometimes those bilges are separated on purpose. Transverse bulkheads that rise from the keel to the waterline (e.g. below the V-berth or in front of the rudder post) are intended to act as crash bulkheads. So if you run into something and make a hole in the boat, only that one locker fills up with water. Not the whole boat. If you make a limber hole in a crash bulkhead, it might be a good idea to put a valve in it, so you can close it again.

[Cadence]

I can see no reason for not putting in a limber hole. Even if it is a solid fiberglass web, seal the edges of the hole. If the glass was not thoroughly wet out you may have some wicking if you don't. That may be over kill, better safe than sorry.

[johnn33]

Hi


It can be worth leaving a thin rope, with bungee at the furthest end, to run through each line of limber holes so that a couple of pulls keeps them clear of debris.


John

[Cpt Mark]

I hate hate hate a wet bilge. There is a product called Arid Bilge. Way too expensive but it keeps the bilges dry and you can set this system up to pick up in different areas. There is a nifty DIY version that you can make for not much money. That is the route I'm going.

[moctrams]

Boats get wet. They dry out. Don't know anyone that would pay such a highway robbery price.

[Dougtiff]

3/8" Dia. is way to small, it will plug up easily,you want to go 1" minimum, and it's not a bad idea to run a chain or knotted line thru all the L.H., with a bungee cord attached to one end , that way you can pull on the opposite end to clear any obstruction, and the bilge water should collect in the lowest part of the bilge, usually under the engine.

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by BilgeRat

Better yet epoxy in a piece of FG tubing. Some stringers in the bilges are hollow, some are wood cored, some are foam cored. What ever it is, you don’t want water getting inside the stringer. Once it’s contaminated, it’s hell to get it clean enough to seal again.
Enjoy!

This is the best advise, and no compromise in the strength of the stringer..
I used 1/2" PVC couplers epoxied into the hole.
SV Cloud Duster

[inspectr]

You need to be careful
My Dufour 35 has many ribs glassed onto the hull, but inside the ribs are hot and cold water tubes, many wires running from the starboard main breaker to galley pumps, water pressure pumps etc etc of the port side
I have a similar problem under the rear quarter berth where one of the ribs traps water. I had a leak in the transom shower connection that slowly filled the space between the ribs until it soaked the plywood bed base, = rotting timber and new bed mattress.
Also the bilge suction line runs through one of the ribs
Added complication is that the builders cable tied wiring to the water tubes, making it near impossible to use the old wires (not tinned copper BTW but that's another story????!!!!) as messengers to pull through replacement lines
A borescope might be your friend here, cut the first hole very carefully and make certain that the rib is clear of anything that you really do not want to drill through!
Been there, done that, all knowledge is based on experience

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by inspectr

You need to be careful
My Dufour 35 has many ribs glassed onto the hull, but inside the ribs are hot and cold water tubes, many wires running from the starboard main breaker to galley pumps, water pressure pumps etc etc of the port side
I have a similar problem under the rear quarter berth where one of the ribs traps water. I had a leak in the transom shower connection that slowly filled the space between the ribs until it soaked the plywood bed base, = rotting timber and new bed mattress.
Also the bilge suction line runs through one of the ribs
Added complication is that the builders cable tied wiring to the water tubes, making it near impossible to use the old wires (not tinned copper BTW but that's another story????!!!!) as messengers to pull through replacement lines
A borescope might be your friend here, cut the first hole very carefully and make certain that the rib is clear of anything that you really do not want to drill through!
Been there, done that, all knowledge is based on experience

That's a really good point, I had a Coronado 28, 1974, the builder ran the Mast Wiring and Interior lighting wires thru the deck, laminated into the glass, the way I found out that was to cut a vent hole just behind the mast and I cut thru a bundle of wires, well, only 6 but, I had to splice and reroute.
Surprises!
SV Cloud Duster