[Public-List] A new engine adventure...Anyone using the engine water pump as a bilge pump?

Thu Jul 7 09:40:10 PDT 2016

Hello all, 
I have seen folks install a "Y" valve in the raw water engine intake line so the engine can be used to pump the bilge in an emergency. One branch of the "Y" goes into the bilge the other to the raw water strainer, then either goes to the engine for cooling with either bilge water or sea water. Sounds cleaver, but wonder about practicality. 
Michael #133 
----- Original Message -----

From: "Jonathan Bresler via Public-List" <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> 
To: "Gordon Laco" <mainstay at csolve.net>, "Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all" <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> 
Sent: Thursday, July 7, 2016 11:38:40 AM 
Subject: Re: [Public-List] A new engine adventure... 

On the bright side its good to know that you have good flow into the engine 
cooling jacket from the raw water intake. 

On Thu, Jul 7, 2016 at 11:22 AM, Gordon Laco via Public-List < 
public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote: 

> Yep... 
> 
> On 2016-07-07, at 11:12 AM, Wes Gardner <wesgardner1952 at gmail.com> wrote: 
> 
> > Gord, 
> > 
> > Is this a drain plug you use for winterizing? 
> > 
> > Always exciting to have floating floor boards.... 
> > 
> > On Thu, Jul 7, 2016 at 10:16 AM, Gordon Laco via Public-List < 
> public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote: 
> >> Hello gang... 
> >> 
> >> Last night being Wednesday, SURPRISE sortied from the club to do battle 
> as 
> >> usual.  The air was very light and uncharactistically from the east, so 
> that 
> >> put the start at the far end of our end of Severn Sound.  We motored 
> all the 
> >> way out, shut down and began the usual prestart jousting.   I¹ll gloss 
> over 
> >> the great start we had, how MAID MARION, our arch rival, tried doing a 
> tack 
> >> just before and never really got moving again in the very light air... 
> >> 
> >> So there we were gliding along with 0.7 knots showing on the knotmeter 
> and 
> >> laying the windward mark due to a huge lift right at the start.  I was 
> >> chuckling to myself when one of my crewmembers called to me Œhey Gord, 
> the 
> >> floorboards are floating¹. 
> >> 
> >> Sure enough, the bilges were completely flooded.  We quickly pumped the 
> >> water out and marveled at how strong the batteries were despite the fact 
> >> that they may have spent days under water (assuming a slow trickle leak) 
> >> Nothing more was coming in, so I reckoned I¹d worry about the leak 
> later. 
> >> 
> >> We completed the race, the bilges were still clear (we¹d left the 
> >> floorboards up to help the battery tops dry).  We sparked up the engine 
> and 
> >> motored for home. 
> >> 
> >> Partway back to the club, the bilges were full again.  As we reversed to 
> >> stop at our jetty, the engine died.  I never like to let it end an 
> >> engagement on it¹s own terms, so I tried to start it again, and it 
> wouldn¹t 
> >> fire although it spun well on the starter. 
> >> 
> >> Off came the motor compartment cover.  The liner pan beneath the engine 
> was 
> >> full of water and overflowing into the bilge, but no new water seemed 
> to be 
> >> coming in.    I said to Clint ³hit the starter for me please ... Uh I 
> mean 
> >> Œdamn you¹² (we have a running gag going in the boat over how I used to 
> be 
> >> admonished in Officer¹s Basic in the RCN about being too polite when 
> giving 
> >> orders) 
> >> 
> >> The engine cranked, and immedeatly a shower of water sprayed from the 
> engine 
> >> block to the starter housing, and from that all over the compartment.  A 
> >> drain plug had come out.    I put in a new one from my parts kit.  Went 
> and 
> >> had a beer at the club house... 30 minutes later, figureing the engine 
> had 
> >> dried out tried the starter.  The engine ran sweetly as usual and there 
> was 
> >> no leak. 
> >> 
> >> That was a new one... 
> >> 
> >> Gord #426 Surprise 
> >> _______________________________________________ 
> >> These businesses support your Association: 
> >> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html 
> >> Please support them. 
> >> _______________________________________________ 
> >> Public-List mailing list 
> >> Public-List at lists.alberg30.org 
> >> http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org 
> > 
> _______________________________________________ 
> These businesses support your Association: 
> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html 
> Please support them. 
> _______________________________________________ 
> Public-List mailing list 
> Public-List at lists.alberg30.org 
> http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org 
> 

-- 
Jonathan M Bresler 
S/V Constance Alberg 30 #262 
Annapolis/Eastport MD 
_______________________________________________ 
These businesses support your Association: 
http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html 
Please support them. 
_______________________________________________ 
Public-List mailing list 
Public-List at lists.alberg30.org 
http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org 