Holed and Taking on Water!

Knots · 20-04-2009, 15:11

a friend of mine had this happen to him on a salmon charter in lake Mich.
he lost a shaft, and taking water faster then he liked.

So he took the water intake for one of his engines and used it as a bilge pump.bought him enough time to make it in and to the local pull out.
I thought good idea. have you ever needed to do that?
PS. there was a shutoff on the thru hull fitting.
he should have had a zinc bolted to his shaft just before the packing glad.so if a shaft does snap it will still stay in .
also I don't have my catamaran yet.still buying lotto tickets.
maybe some day.
maybe some day I will get stimulated

iiii · 20-04-2009, 15:24

Lost a shaft oystering once a long time ago. The Capt. solved the pboblem by going over the stern and pushing a pair of jeans in the hole. Got us back to the marina.

Cheechako · 20-04-2009, 15:28

Had a shaft disconnect from the engine once and slide back free of the tranny. This was right after a bunch of time in the yard and I "upgraded" the rusty bolts with stainless/nyloks! NEVER use nylok nuts on your shaft attachment. IIABDFI (if it aint broke dont fix it!)

nautical62 · 20-04-2009, 15:59

I've heard of that trick, but have also noted, the engine exhaust on both my boats discharges far less than my bilge pumps. Did that make the difference between the bilge pump(s) keeping up and not?

Cheechako · 20-04-2009, 16:06

yea, just need a tee and valve above your operating seacock. I'm with you though, never have understood how it can do that much, but many have done it....

**David M** · 20-04-2009, 16:21

Given it was a salmon charter boat, it probably had some pretty good sized engines meaning that the amount of water discharged would be substantial. That way of dewatering would not work so well if applied to most sailboats which typically have much smaller engines. Its a great idea if your 12VDC system goes down and you don't have much faith in your hand pump system.

Knots · 20-04-2009, 16:22

this was a boat with two 350s in it so while running back ,the water pumps were running ,and pumping probably faster then a sailboat engine.

keelbolts · 27-04-2009, 05:26

I, too, had my shaft come out of the coupler, but not out of the boat. After that bit of excitement, I always safety wire the coupler bolts & I keep a shaft zinc on the inside - just in case.

**James S** · 27-04-2009, 09:07

I also have a tee with a second valve and hose to the bottom of the bilge between my seacock and strainer.
I think its a fairly common set-up for helping out the bilge pumps.

20-04-2009, 15:11	#1
Knots Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2	Holed and Taking on Water! a friend of mine had this happen to him on a salmon charter in lake Mich. he lost a shaft, and taking water faster then he liked. So he took the water intake for one of his engines and used it as a bilge pump.bought him enough time to make it in and to the local pull out. I thought good idea. have you ever needed to do that? PS. there was a shutoff on the thru hull fitting. he should have had a zinc bolted to his shaft just before the packing glad.so if a shaft does snap it will still stay in . also I don't have my catamaran yet.still buying lotto tickets. maybe some day. maybe some day I will get stimulated

20-04-2009, 16:21	#6
David M Moderator Moderator Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: San Francisco Bay Boat: research vessel Posts: 5,182	Given it was a salmon charter boat, it probably had some pretty good sized engines meaning that the amount of water discharged would be substantial. That way of dewatering would not work so well if applied to most sailboats which typically have much smaller engines. Its a great idea if your 12VDC system goes down and you don't have much faith in your hand pump system. __________________ David Life begins where land ends.

27-04-2009, 05:26	#8
keelbolts Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 125	I, too, had my shaft come out of the coupler, but not out of the boat. After that bit of excitement, I always safety wire the coupler bolts & I keep a shaft zinc on the inside - just in case. __________________ For years I was mad. Now I'm just scared.

27-04-2009, 09:07	#9
James S Moderator Moderator Join Date: May 2008 Location: I live in Yemen...the boats in Lebenon Boat: 1978 CT48 Arctic Lady Posts: 1,916 Images: 125	I also have a tee with a second valve and hose to the bottom of the bilge between my seacock and strainer. I think its a fairly common set-up for helping out the bilge pumps. __________________ James S/V Arctic Lady (Few things should be taken more seriously than pleasure)

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20-04-2009, 15:24	#2
iiii Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Boat: C & C Landfall 38 Posts: 125	Lost a shaft oystering once a long time ago. The Capt. solved the pboblem by going over the stern and pushing a pair of jeans in the hole. Got us back to the marina.

20-04-2009, 15:28	#3
Cheechako Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Skagit City, WA Boat: Fellippi 32 Posts: 2,369	Had a shaft disconnect from the engine once and slide back free of the tranny. This was right after a bunch of time in the yard and I "upgraded" the rusty bolts with stainless/nyloks! NEVER use nylok nuts on your shaft attachment. IIABDFI (if it aint broke dont fix it!)

20-04-2009, 15:59	#4
nautical62 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Iowa Boat: Beneteau 32 - Aurora Posts: 860 Images: 11	I've heard of that trick, but have also noted, the engine exhaust on both my boats discharges far less than my bilge pumps. Did that make the difference between the bilge pump(s) keeping up and not?

20-04-2009, 16:06	#5
Cheechako Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Skagit City, WA Boat: Fellippi 32 Posts: 2,369	yea, just need a tee and valve above your operating seacock. I'm with you though, never have understood how it can do that much, but many have done it....

20-04-2009, 16:22	#7
Knots Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2	this was a boat with two 350s in it so while running back ,the water pumps were running ,and pumping probably faster then a sailboat engine.

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