While re-launching this year I accidentally left the depth transducer out. It is a hole about 1.5 or 1.75 inches in diameter. The bilge pump started almost immediately but since I was on deck I assumed that water had been trapped and was now draining into the bilge. After about 30 seconds when the pump didn't shutoff I looked below to see a geyser. I jumped down and grabbed one of the wooden plugs which had conveniently floated into easy reach. Water was at the bottom of the floorboards! I hoped up and asked the travel lift operator to lift the boat up. Once the boat was clear of the water I unplugged the hole. With the bilge pump running, and water free to run out, it still took about 5 minutes to drain.
Josh Muckley S/V Sea Hawk 1989 C&C 37+ Solomons, MD On Apr 14, 2016 6:11 PM, "Patrick Davin via CnC-List" <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > Interesting. That's basically what I was wondering. I was looking for a > calculator, but I found > this: http://www.whsyc.org/Flooding/Flooding.html > > A 1.5" hole 2 feet below waterline results in 62.5 gpm (per minute!) = > 3750 gph. Even 4000 gph capacity wouldn't keep up with that, after > accounting for efficiency losses. > > So why do some people go for high bilge pump capacities? (like 2000-4000 > gph total) > > Sure it gives you a bit more time, but if I'm not at the boat it's > probably not going to make a difference (there's often no one on our dock > for 12+ hours between say 8pm and 8am), and if I am, it will only make a > small difference. (ex, the difference between 800+800gph vs 800+2000gph... > assuming 75% efficiency that's 1200gph vs 2100gph). > > So with that 1.5" hole I'd take on net water of ~42.5 gpm vs 25.8 gpm. So > whether 42 gallons per minute are coming in, or 25 gallons per minute, I > still need to plug it really friggin quickly. > > I do have the StaPlug btw, and Stay Afloat putty. > Just having a hard time imagining scenarios where an 800+2000 would make a > critical difference vs an 800+800, and wondering if this is just one of > those things where boaters are a bit paranoid and choosing the "bigger is > better" approach when that's not necessarily true. From what I can tell, > *broken* bilge pumps are the biggest issue (clogged, burnt out, bad wiring, > etc). > > > On Thu, Apr 14, 2016 at 1:22 PM, <cnc-list-requ...@cnc-list.com> wrote: > >> From: Josh Muckley <muckl...@gmail.com> >> To: "C&C List" <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> >> Cc: >> Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2016 16:21:23 -0400 >> Subject: Re: Stus-List Bilge pump capacity? >> >> You'll have a shockingly hard time keeping up with a 1.5 inch hole no >> matter what size bilge pump you have. Plugging the hole is always better. >> Its gonna sink if the seacock disintegrates while you're not there. >> >> Josh Muckley >> S/V Sea Hawk >> 1989 C&C 37+ >> Solomons, MD >> > > > > _______________________________________________ > > This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you > like what we do, please help us pay for our costs by donating. All > Contributions are greatly appreciated! > >
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