0300, hove to in.......

[capngeo]

OK next one....
It's 0300. You're single handed, hove to, down below, getting some sleep 500 miles from the nearest land. You're an old man like me with a prostate bigger than your bladder and you get "the urge". You roll out of the bunk and SPLASH SPLASH! YOU'RE ANKLE DEEP OVER THE SOLE..... What next?

[capngeo]

You find the batteries have shorted out from the water... can't start engines, no lighting, no radios, the Chinese have shot the commo sats out of the sky; you are on your own!

[callmecrazy]

First: Grab the bucket and relieve yourself!
Next: use said bucket and start bailing!

[twoblocktom]

I have heard that there is no more efficient pump than a terrified man with a bucket.

[jackdale]

Manual bilge pump.

You might just as well pee into the water in the bilge / on the sole.

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by capngeo

You find the batteries have shorted out from the water... can't start engines, no lighting, no radios, the Chinese have shot the commo sats out of the sky; you are on your own!

If the electric bilge pumps are down, the first thing is to close all the thru hulls and see if you can find/stop the leak. If the electric pumps are running flip them on first. But manual bilge pumping is slow and if you are single handed its more important to try to stop the leak first and pump later. If the leak is slow and low enough and the water level high enough, you may not be able to find it without pumping - but in that case you then have time to pump.

[STG]

Originally Posted by twoblocktom

I have heard that there is no more efficient pump than a terrified man with a bucket.

Now that was funny.

[hpeer]

Crank up Honda generator and get trash pump going?

[capngeo]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

If the electric bilge pumps are down, the first thing is to close all the thru hulls and see if you can find/stop the leak. If the electric pumps are running flip them on first. But manual bilge pumping is slow and if you are single handed its more important to try to stop the leak first and pump later. If the leak is slow and low enough and the water level high enough, you may not be able to find it without pumping - but in that case you then have time to pump.

problem is that in the first few minutes, you don't know if it is a slow or fast leak! Closing all the valves is a great start!

[felixqld66]

Originally Posted by twoblocktom

I have heard that there is no more efficient pump than a terrified man with a bucket.

...oh this is sooooo true can vouch for it .......



at least mine was daylight when I went below and the the leak was easier to track down.....no prostate problem but I may have pissed myself anyway

Note to self have second easily accessible manual bilge pump handle for when you snap off the only one you have from the awesome strength that adrenalin gives you when you are "concerned for your boat"

[Delfin]

1. Pee. In pants if necessary. You must have a clear mind and it is a known fact that your IQ drops 10 points with every 2 psi increase in bladder pressure.
2. Find the source of the leak. It could be something simple, but the size and location of the leak is critical.
3. Take action against the leak.
4. If 3. is not possible, start bailing, pumping, praying.
5. If all else fails, grab the ship's clock and jump off the boat, just like Donald Crowhurst.

[Bash]

Ankle deep in water?

I'm still thinking it's a better idea to pee overboard.

[capngeo]

How many among us KNOW the EXACT location of all through hulls? Water, Waste, Transducers, Impellers/logs, Prop and rudder shafts..... How about things not normally thought of.. grounding plates? keel bolts?

[psteele235]

Before peeing, taste the water to see if it is fresh (manageable for 500 miles provided you have beer) or salt - if the latter pee then proceed as above.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Bash

Ankle deep in water?

I'm still thinking it's a better idea to pee overboard.

Okay, here's the serious answer.

The first thing I'd do is taste the water. That will tell me whether it's salty or fresh, hot or cold.

If it's hot and salty, turn off the engine.
If it's hot and fresh, turn off the water pressure.
If it's cold and fresh, consider saving it, you still may need it for drinking.
If it's cold and salty, shut all seacocks immediately.

Then you can pee.

In my boat, once the water is ankle-deep over the sole, you've already lost the engine, and the batteries are under water. The fact that they're sealed AGMs might help, but if shutting the seacocks doesn't stop the flow of water, it's time to grab the ditch bag, inflate the liferaft, and set off the EPIRB. Even then, the rule is not to board the raft until I can step up into it.