evacuating pump

[Georges Moutoussamy]

I am building a Tiki 26. Before fitting the floor and the bunks, i would like to know, if some water can come inside of the boat specially in heavy seas. So i am going to install a manuel pump in each hull whith a pipe going to the lowest part of the hull.
I would make a hole in the bottom of bulkead 3 and 4, so that water can run to the pipe.
What do you think about this idea. Thank you for your answers.
Georges.

[kim whitmyre]

Better to keep the bulkheads free of holes...That will keep any water localized. As long as your hatches are built to shed water, and closed in rough seas, you should be fine.

[lukas]

i agree with kim, don't put holes in watertight bulkheads. they are watertight for a reason. i have a rather large manual pump on deck, with a hose long enough to reach every compartment. it's just incase any large amount of water somehow gets inside. thankfully i've never had to use it. i have a tanenui and have sailed in some quite rough seas with waves breaking over the boat. so far no water inside

[Georges Moutoussamy]

Kim and Lukas, thank you very much for your anwers. I will make the hatch as on the plan, but if some water cames inside the boat, i can use the pump. I will try the hose.
Have you made anything in order to improve the buoyancy of the boat.

[lukas]

i didn't build my boat, and have done nothing to improve bouyancy. i think it is well designed and does not need any improvement to bouyancy. it has already 6 seperate watertight compartments, so if one gets a hole the other 5 should easily keep it afloat. also, it is made from foam, so even if it breaks into 100 pieces it should still stay afloat (but might be lacking performance to windward :-) )

[kim whitmyre]

Georges,

At the foremost bulkhead, accessed through the forward hatch, there is an inspection port. There is a similar pot in the aftmost bulkhead, accessed through the cabin. What I have done is place empty capped plastic water bottles inside these areas for extra flotation.

[kim whitmyre]

Let me add that Bob Beggs, while getting ready for the single-handed across the Atlantic race, OSTAR, accidentally holed one of the forward compartments while launching off a beach. He did not discover it until after a shakedown cruise, when he found the water in the compartment! So, they can handle a bit of water . . .

[Georges Moutoussamy]

I think that water bottles is a very good idea. I will fix them all together with a special foam use for house bilding, that resists to water.

[Bertrand FERCOT]

Bonjour Georges

As initially I planed to get French flags for my Tiki46 and 30 I filled the stern and stem areas with foam I molded in plastic bags for my Tik30 (see my Tiki30 building blog : http://wharrambuilders.ning.com/profiles/blogs/building-of-the-tiki... )
and for my Tiki46 I bought thick foam panels of 10cm thickness I cut and adjusted before to close the upper hull part (see my Tiki46 building blog : http://wharrambuilders.ning.com/profiles/blogs/building-of-the-tiki...).
(In the next weeks I'll take the time to actualize it but now my priority is to paint all the outside parts before the coming back of the cold days).

As the foam is not glue to the hull, if necessary it's always possible to put off all the foam pieces ( each one has a number recorded on a plan). It's better than with plastic bottles because all the space is occupied by the foam (don't fill your buoyancy areas in filling them with bottle + pouring foam because it will be very difficult to remove them if necessary).
Another great advantage is if one hull hit at high speed some heavy floating object, the big part of the energy will be absorb by the foam and the damages will be less than if the buoyancy area is empty or filled with plastic bottles.

On my Tiki30 I had only a portable hand pump I never used. In the floor are little round waterproof inspection hatches and I used a sponge to put off the few water entering in the boat by the main hatches. On my Tiki46, due to the diesel engines with their shaft, I'll put in each hull an electric bilge pump + a manual pomp. I think if there is a lot of water, a bucket is very efficient.

Bonne construction

Bertrand

[Robert Sheridan]

Definitely do not put holes inthe bulkhead: my hinemoa got holed in the forward compartment whilst on the mooring. I do not know how long she had the hole in her but the only reason I found it was that she was floating an inch or so lower on one side when we came alongside the jetty (it was at night). The hole was about 2-3 inches in diameter and rapid baling with a builders bucket made no impact until we had dried out and sealed it.
I also carry a portable whale pump in case of holing. The only time I have used it was when out collapsible water tank burst just after I had filled it up :-(

[Georges Moutoussamy]

Thank you Robert. In a few words, no holes in tha bulkhead.
Bertrand i can't reply directly.
What kind of foam do you use. I guest, it's a plyurethane one, called with closed cells. Where do you buy it? Is thère some polystyren treated against water, that i can use?

[Frank's MAUNA KEA]

Hello Georges,
if you like to install a pump in each hull - very fine! but install a hose only for the biggest compartment (with my NARAI MK IV this is the middle section). I would also say like othe comments - dont cut the bulkheads! those are complete watertight compartments. in short I may send you some pics on my page where you can see my pumps (mechanical and electrical) installed.

[Georges Moutoussamy]

Bonjour Frank,
I will install a fixed pump, may be as LUkas, whith a hose, long enough to reach any compartement of the boat. Thank you for the photos.

Bons vents