On Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:00:26 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

http://www.boattest.com/Resources/vi...px?NewsID=3766

Not much to do about the whales, but the diverter valves to the bilge
are sure a good idea.
Never heard of that before and never even thought about it.
Seems I should have, since I was damage control (HT) when I did a USNR
stint.
But even my can in the regular Navy didn't have diverters on the
fireroom steam fire pumps (I knew about every square inch of the
bilges, and all piping runs/valving.) Would make a huge difference in
dewatering.
A strainer and minimal maintenance are a requirement.
Fast access to the diverter valve is another requirement.
Anybody have diverters to suck the bilge on their engine and genset
water intakes?

As a secondary device, I could see it, but your not going to get a lot
of pump out power through an engine water pump - what, maybe 20/25
gallons a minute? If that?

If you are going to go to the extent of retrofitting, why not just get
a big honkin' pump and run it off the gear box or engine front end?

On Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:19:09 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote:


As a secondary device, I could see it, but your not going to get a lot
of pump out power through an engine water pump - what, maybe 20/25
gallons a minute? If that?

Sounds about right. Reason I mentioned it is Boatest claims they've
been recommending such diverters for years. And the article indicates
they made a difference when the boat was holed by the whale.

If you are going to go to the extent of retrofitting, why not just get
a big honkin' pump and run it off the gear box or engine front end?

The diverter is basically a Y valve, length of suction hose, and a
strainer on the end. An added real water pump might be hard to do
on some boats.
Anyway, I'm for bare hulls and outboards. Get a hole just break out
the bubble gum, or stick a big cork in it. Or something like that.
Here's the hairy casualty control stuff
http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq102-4f.htm

Looks like the captain of the Hull stepped off the port bridge wing
into the ocean as she went over and survived to write his report.
Dewey (DD 349) has a lot of detail.
As a former snipe I found some of this stuff pretty amazing.
Glad I wasn't there.

--Vic