| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| D174812H |
Posted - 09 Feb 2014 : 00:18:55
Ok. I know I'm going to show my ignorance now. Plus open myself up to ridicule. But, should my Norman have a bilge pump? We have owned our boat since March last year. It's our first boat. We find we suffer terribly from condensation and the carpet in the cabin feels damp to the touch each time we go to her, which is about every two weeks. We discovered some bags of sodden sand in the lockers in the bow which will be removed shortly and there was quite a bit of water in the lockers too, which has been removed. We have yet to lift the floor in the cabin (a bit scared as to what we may find). But don't understand why the cabin floor should be damp. We've read on here about pumping out the bilges, but we don't, as far as we can see have a bilge pump. HELP and advice would be appreciated please.
Mark Atkinson.
Relax..... Buy a boat! |
| 14 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Deano |
Posted - 28 May 2016 : 10:28:37
When it comes to sealing the windows back in get a tube of Abormast BR.
It's the best thing in the world for leak free joints..... DO NOT !!!!! Use bathroom silicone!!!!
It's nice and messy when assembling, but it gets into every small crack and corner.... clean up is easy with paper towel and white spirit.
Dean - Boating on the Great Ouse.
Freeman 32 "Liberty"
See the photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/54758027@N00/ |
| cliveshep |
Posted - 28 May 2016 : 01:07:38
Very good, err - Jo-jo? Anyway, well done. The double skin is only cabin roof and sides and finishes just under the side decks where it is glassed in. This can lead to confusion as the water can gtravel sideways until it can get out so can re-appear in the cockpit for example.
Then some boats have a cabin bunk moulding and floor glassed in whereas older models have plywood bunks and floor boards, likewise the cockpits.
If you have windows in a frame set into a rubber "H" section that loose double skin can be a real pita when it comes to refitting the rubber but if you have the later type of 2-part aluminium frame that bolts through the double skin clamping it together it is much easier.
For some reason some older models (18.5's and 20's, unsure about 23's) actually have an additional skin above the ceiling moulding
which makes it really hard to re-wire nav lights and mast. I only found out when drilling the roof for a mast socket with the intention of going right through for an inside light and encountering this phenomenon. I was going to cable both together so only fishing one opereation involving removing the hatch coaming frame and springing the skins apart and to pass wires through from the cockpit console via the toilet door frame - all good fun - not!
Right is starboard, port is left, RED port wine?
You're doing well!
Finally living the dream!
|
| fitvit |
Posted - 27 May 2016 : 21:49:12
Hi Mark. I bought my first boat a few weeks ago and to cut a long/boring story short, I ended up completely stripping it out while hunting for 'the leak'. I eventually pulled up the wooden flooring and found a scary amount of stinky water in the Keel between the bunks. So large was the puddle I assumed there must be a large hole in the hull and had her lifted out of the water. Twas a bit peed off to find a perfectly respectable hull!
Prime suspect no 2 was the taped up section of the large window on the right side - so after giving it about 30 seconds of thought I took the whole window and frame out (never one to over think a problem me) What I found amazed me! The boats are double skinned, but the skins aren't sealed together around the openings, so the smallest leak in the window frame will sneakily send the water down between the skins to collect in the bottom of the boat. Yesterday, I decided to seal the skins together before refitting the window. I sealed it up but then struggled to find something to hold the two skins together while the sealant was drying so I found a box of staples and used those! (see photo) I checked it this morning and its worked a treat. I've now cleaned up the window frame (which was full of lumps of old sealant) and am going to put it back in when I get time next week and hope it will lead to a nice dry boat! 
jojo 
|
| Polak64 |
Posted - 27 May 2016 : 21:42:13
Well, I have noticed little bulkhead between the bunks on the bow. Even with some water in it - seems the best place for bilge pump then. Why I want to instal one ? If I go fast on revers - there is always some water getting inside the boat. Under the tank there is a drain plug. I do believe that if I use it - the water flows into the bilge. |
| cliveshep |
Posted - 27 May 2016 : 15:25:05
If you ballast the bow down it should be lower than the stern and just in front of the little bulkhead between the bunks might well be a good place for a bilge pump.. Norman's at canal speeds, which in my opinion they were never designed for anyway, always look "down in the nose" anyway and that in my experience of the few 18 and 20's I've had is where the bilge water tends to collect.
For what it's worth, if your boat has a sound transom (and these days few do) it was designed for 100hp and the Ray Hunt designed constant dead-rise deep-vee hull will drive brilliantly at sea or anywhere else where there is no speed limit or wash issues.
Finally living the dream!
|
| trevork |
Posted - 27 May 2016 : 14:40:44
Sorry Voytech, I accidently deleted you from the members list. I can't reinstate it so please register again. Sorry! |
| df |
Posted - 27 May 2016 : 11:27:35
Can you fit one below the outboard well? Athough that is rarely the lowest point of a norman 20 as they tend to ride nose down at river speeds.
Other option is a strum box below the floor piped to a diaphram pump elsewhere where room permits, a centrifugal pump will not lift water from below but a diaphram pump will, this option isn't as cheap though.
There should be no water at all in the bilge of an outboard powered boat but there always will be some, and it will leach out from the stringers for ages too when you empty it as they tend to soak some up.
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
Visit leomagill.co.uk |
| n/a |
Posted - 27 May 2016 : 10:44:52
Hi. I intend to instal bilge pump in Norman 20. When I drill the holes in the cockpit - there is only few cm space down - not enough for bilge pump. Any advice where is the corect place to instal bilge pump ? Regards - Vojtech
|
| trevork |
Posted - 04 Mar 2015 : 15:36:24
Leave the sand bags in. They make to bow much more stable. |
| Florian |
Posted - 04 Mar 2015 : 00:02:15
Thanks for this - the lowest point would be where there's most weight -in the cockpit?
Also - would I be advised to remove the sand bag ballasts altogether to see how she handles? I'm having an Add-A-rudder fitted to improve the handling. Many thanks for your advice, Florian.
florian |
| trevork |
Posted - 03 Mar 2015 : 23:39:44
The bilge pump should ALWAYS be at the lowest point in the hull,
|
| Florian |
Posted - 03 Mar 2015 : 23:27:21
Yes I have two bags of sand in the bow lockers - I will replace with shingle so as not to absorb water but keep the weight - thanks for the tip. I also had water when I lifted the cabin floor - I intend to see if poking through the drain holes with a piece of wire will help - I expect a lot of water to appear and will bail and sponge to dry it. I will also look at the window seals as you suggest and check for leaks. When I bought the boat last month, I noticed the water in the bow and asked the seller to install a bilge pump which he did - My question is - Taking it as read that there will always be a certain amount of water in the bilges either condensate or as a result of leaks, Would your advice be to relocate the bilge pump to the cockpit cabin where there is more weight and therefore the lowest point of the hull? Appreciate you comments very much, Florian
florian |
| ben111 |
Posted - 09 Feb 2014 : 09:39:34
mark lift the floor in the cockpit you may be surprised at the amount of water in there pump it out or bale it out by hand leave for week or two then do it again .condensation alway ends up in the bilge we had the same problem with damp floors but once you get the bilge empty it will help.
i once asked a old boater if my water in the bilge was coming in from the top ie windows or the bottom.his reply if its coming in the bottom you'd be sitting on the bottom sunk
Ben111 |
| IanM |
Posted - 09 Feb 2014 : 08:05:04
The short answer: You shouldn't really need a bilge pump because the boat should be watertight!
There is always going to be some damp and condensation but if you are getting much more than that then you need to find and fix the leaks. The good news is that leaks tend to be rainwater getting in from the top rather than river water getting in through the hull so start with window seals, hatch seal and cockpit canopy. A bit of chalk on the walls might show where the water is flowing.
For the damp and condensation the solution is ventilation, and lots of it. We also used to use those moisture absorbing crystals but I've no proof that they made any difference.
And the sand in the bow is there to add a bit of nose weight to help the boat steer. Replacing it with bags of pea shingle will keep the weight and cut down on the water absorbency. |
