I have a Northshore 27 and it has been inundated twice in the last few years - might be again after all this rain
The cockpit drains seem to work
The bilge with solar panel gave up
Where could the water be coming in apart from the cockpit?
Checked hatches and windows
A puzzle
I would say the mast is the most likely problem. If your in an estuary and the boat faces the current and rain hits the back of the mast a surprising amount of water goes down the sail track.
If your using a solar panel and bilge pump to handle the rain I would suggest a Waterwitch switch.
www.whitworths.com.au/swch-waterwitch-mini
These don't turn on all the time and flatten the battery. They seem expensive but they are the best insurance you can buy!
If you only get water ingress with continual heavy rain then its because the water is banking up .eg rear cockpit locker or even the main cockpit hatch.
Don't underestimate the volume of water through deck fittings which need resealing.
It took me twelve months to discover a stanchion base was not properly sealed and with heavy rain water must have literally flowed in and worked its way down below The only way was by laying towels in various places ,going back to the boat after rain and checking.
Select to expand quoteRamona said..
I would say the mast is the most likely problem. If your in an estuary and the boat faces the current and rain hits the back of the mast a surprising amount of water goes down the sail track.
If your using a solar panel and bilge pump to handle the rain I would suggest a Waterwitch switch.
www.whitworths.com.au/swch-waterwitch-mini
These don't turn on all the time and flatten the battery. They seem expensive but they are the best insurance you can buy!
I know it is an essential component in the chain but..holy crap...that price for a simple switch! It looks like a 25c component from China.
Select to expand quoteDanNotStan said..
I know it is an essential component in the chain but..holy crap...that price for a simple switch! It looks like a 25c component from China.
Well worth it though!!
I have a different model which includes a separate sensor, a couple of inches above the pump sensor, which I have hooked up to an ear piercing alarm so if I am taking on more water than the bilge pump can handle it goes off!!
Only happened once when blew a hole in an engine feed pipe, after the raw water pump, & the pump was pumping heaps of raw water into the bilge - scared the crap out of the Mrs but I knew what it was & didn't take long to find the problem.
Select to expand quoteDanNotStan said..Ramona said..
I would say the mast is the most likely problem. If your in an estuary and the boat faces the current and rain hits the back of the mast a surprising amount of water goes down the sail track.
If your using a solar panel and bilge pump to handle the rain I would suggest a Waterwitch switch.
www.whitworths.com.au/swch-waterwitch-mini
These don't turn on all the time and flatten the battery. They seem expensive but they are the best insurance you can buy!
I know it is an essential component in the chain but..holy crap...that price for a simple switch! It looks like a 25c component from China.
Made in the USA and used to have a lifetime guarantee. Not sure what it is now. I have had them in two yachts and my commercial fishing vessel and consider them exceptional value.
Select to expand quoteRamona said..
I would say the mast is the most likely problem. If your in an estuary and the boat faces the current and rain hits the back of the mast a surprising amount of water goes down the sail track.
If your using a solar panel and bilge pump to handle the rain I would suggest a Waterwitch switch.
www.whitworths.com.au/swch-waterwitch-mini
These don't turn on all the time and flatten the battery. They seem expensive but they are the best insurance you can buy!
Good Advice Ramona...
Yes, I fitted a much cheaper auto float switch to my bilge pump, linked to my solar panels and it lasted less than 12 months.
Previous to installing the auto float, the bilge pump worked for years, on a manual activated switch. So it goes to show that these cheaper auto floats don't like the continuous shutting on/ shutting off.
After this happened I bought another similar float, but have not got around to installing and won't be now.
I will certainly now be buying a Waterwitch switch for piece of mind and if they last longer, money well spent.
Cheers.
If you have one of the cheaper float switches these can be mounted a couple of feet above the water and connect them with a light weigh tube glued to a table tennis ball. This keeps them away from the water, their natural enemy! This will not help with the flattening of the battery every time a boat goes past! The delay feature on the Waterwitch is a great feature.
I have an integrated bilge pump and float switch ($120 model from Rule?), but it too was cycling. The solution was to get my vacuum pump and lower the water in the bilge 6" below the pump. It help that the yacht doesn't admit much water ingress, and I usually visit it once a month or so. But sucking the water to far below the bilge pump and float switch level.
