Bilge drainage

[ARMBRUST]

My 1988 Gulfstream has two bilge compartments. One is the fuel tank area, and the other is below that.
I know that the fuel tank area should be plugged and closed off. My question is regarding the other bilge area. Is there any reason to keep this open or should it be plugged? Thanks for your response.

 

[seasick]

My 1988 Gulfstream has two bilge compartments. One is the fuel tank area, and the other is below that.
I know that the fuel tank area should be plugged and closed off. My question is regarding the other bilge area. Is there any reason to keep this open or should it be plugged? Thanks for your response.

I don't know what you mean by 'plugged and closed off'. The bilges should be connected so that should one bilge pump not work, the second would. Often in reality, water in the forward sections of the boat doesn't flow aft due to the angle of the hull or other 'design' issues but if the hull was designed with drainage from the bow to stern, I would advise keeping those channels clear.
I also don't necessarily agree tha the tank are should be closed off. My tank are is open to the bilge area, drains and pumps and as a matter of fact, my owners manual advises that the tank area and tank exterior be occasionally rinsed. That water has to go somewhere to drain off.

 

[wspitler]

Most smaller vessels (those without water tight compartments) are designed with limber holes or channels to allow water to flow through ribs and stringers so water will equalize fore and aft and laterally. Agree with seasick.

 

[ARMBRUST]

"Plugged or closed off" meaning that a drain plug is placed in the drain to close off that bilge area. Thanks for your response.
Paul

 

[VeroWing]

I was always under the impression (maybe incorrectly) that the bow and stern bilges should remain unplugged as a backup to one another, and fuel cell bilge area should be plugged and isolated so if fuel leaks it will stay contained and away from areas of potential sparks, such as engines, etc. There should be two outlets into stern bilge area, one from bow area bilge, and the other from fuel cell bilge area.

 

[ElyseM]

all bilge areas should be open to each other with limber holes. this is especially true with the fuel compartment so that it can drain out. GW actually recommends frequent fresh water flushing of the exterior of the fuel tanks to guard against corrosion. a "plugged" compartment would fill up rapidly and promote corrosion. if any of your compartments do not have a free flow, they may have debris clogging them. good luck, ron

 

[VeroWing]

all bilge areas should be open to each other with limber holes. this is especially true with the fuel compartment so that it can drain out. GW actually recommends frequent fresh water flushing of the exterior of the fuel tanks to guard against corrosion. a "plugged" compartment would fill up rapidly and promote corrosion. if any of your compartments do not have a free flow, they may have debris clogging them. good luck, ron

I can understand and agree on frequently unplugging, checking, and flushing fuel cell compartment, but I personally will never run my boat with fuel cell area plug removed. Doing so would instantly introduce raw gasoline and gasoline fumes into my running engine compartment if tank, fitting, seal, hose starts leaking while on the water. Stern bilge compartments are full of trim motors, alternators, electric bilge pumps, starters, hot wires, and many other electrical devices, and flooding this area with fuel from an unplugged leaking fuel cell compartment would not be a choice I would make. Maybe on an outboard powered hull removing plugs would be ok, but I personally would keep fuel cell compartment isolated.

 

[VeroWing]

I've been wondering if I was correct in having fuel cell bilge compartment plug in place and yesterday sent an email to Grady White asking how it should be. Below is their response:


custserv





Hello Charles,

When we were building inboard/outboard boat models the U.S.C.G. required us to plug the fuel tank compartment drain to prevent any spilt fuel from draining into the engine area. I would think this requirement still stands but you may wish to contact your area Coast Guard Office for confirmation.

There should be a second pipe the runs from the forward bilge area through the tank compartment under the tank to the aft bilge so that any bilge water in the hull will be directed to the bilge pump. This opening of this pipe would not be plugged.

I hope that this information will be helpful.

Regards,

Eddie Rowe
Customer Relations
Grady-White Boats