This type of outlet below the waterline was in both the old Lymans I owned.
There was good suction once you began moving over maybe 6-10 mph. The boats
leaked a lot when first put in the water and it was a race to get the engine
started and moving, removing the stopper in the suction drain as soon as
possible when up to a little speed. The drain would stay ahead of the
inflow and eventually, 1-2 hrs, there was no inflow. Then we'd put the plug
back in the suction drain and forget it.

I think this is just what you have, except a little fancier. The key in my
opinion is plugging it up when not actually moving through the water
regardless of u-tubes. Does a good fast job, faster than an electrical
pump. No good of course to keep water out of the boat when moored, etc.

There was never any doubt it was working in my case, water level inside the
boat went down rapidly. Maybe you should get rid of the u-tube, get a plug,
and use the system to drain water that makes its way to the stern of the
boat when you first head out. In fact, I would be uncomfortable putting the
plug anywhere except at the hole in the transom.

C. J. Klingman
Austin, TX

"Gary Warner" wrote in message
...

Here's a better description of our "siphon" system:

* There is a thru-hull fitting

* It is located at the back of the boat about 1 foot
port of center. Is below the waterline.

* The thru-hull fitting looks bit like water intake
for the engine cooling water. But it is smaller and
it's opening faces backward instead of forward.

* The part of the thru-hull fitting is just a round
"tube" that a hoes goes over.

* There is a hose clamped to the thru-hull. The hose
is about 12" long.

* Clamped to the other end of the hose is a brass pipe
with a bend in it.

* The other end of the brass pipe sets in a little
"well" at the bottom of the bilge.

The entire thing looks like an upside down "U".

As the boat moves forward at speed the lake
water running past the outside part of the thru-hull
creates a vaccume in the hose-tube-combination.

The water in the bilge is then (theoretically) sucked
up the brass-tube, then into the hose, then out
the thru-hull fitting.




Since two of you said you can't visualize the siphone
thing, let me explain.

1: There is a thru-hull fitting on the very bottom
of the boat underwater. The side that is outside
the boat and underwater looks a bit like a water
intake but turned so that it's opening is facing
toward the back of the boat instead of the
bow. Plus it's smaller



"Gary Warner" wrote in message
...

A few questions/topics from our weekend
boating. (See my other post for a narrative of that.)


HEAT ALARM:
We've got a temp gauge but I'm thinking I might want an
alarm too. Do these typically work with the existing
sensor & gauge? Any recommendations on good ones?

STOWING ANCHOR ROPE:
A few experiments showed me that trying to tie the anchor
rope into some bundle makes it hard to undo without a mess.
I'm thinking to just use a mesh bag, feed the rope into it, and
leave and end hanging out so it can't work it's way into a
knot. Does that work or no?

ANCHORING:
I've got a 18 lb Danforth for our 22' and 4000# boat.
We've got about 120' of rope (rode?) with some
heavy chain. Mostly we'll be in lakes, Hudson River,
and Boston Harbor. Probably not anchor much.
I'm thinking that in 30' water we'd still have 4:1
scope and that might be ok for us. I guess more rope really
can't hurt except for $$$ and stowage space.

Oh, and I have another 13 lb here. If I was planning
on an overnight maybe I could get more rope and
use the two in conjunction?


BILGE SIPHON:
Our boat has (original) a siphon system to remove bilge water. It's a
thru-hull in the aft with an opening that points aft. Attached to that
is a hose and then a brass tube with a bend in it. This makes an arc
that gets to about 14: above the bottom of the boat. As the boat
moves forward it's supposed to create a suction that pulls water
from the bilge.

A trickle of water enters our bilge between the bottom-most plank
and the keel. I'm not planning on tackling this fix until the winter
so for now there is always some water in the bilge.

We also have two 1100 GPH pumps mounted forward that
work - but only when stopped and the water has run forward.

Q: By look or feel I couldn't tell if the siphon is working. And
ideas on how to tell?

Q: Would I be better off mounting an electrical pump aft?

Q: Could I safely use the existing thru-hull for an electrical
pump as long as I had a length of hose looping above the
waterline...and maybe a check-valve??

Q: Or better to just not worry about it, let the front pumps
do their job, and fix the leak over the winter?

This has got to be a pretty old boat in quite origional state. What he has
is an old swan neck self bailer, and I haven't seen one of those in a while.
When you get on it, the water level inside the boat is higher than that
directly at the transom. The force of the water flowing back shoots the
water through the tube and starts a siphon. Problem is when the boat starts
to sink, and the water gets above the neck, it starts filling into the boat.

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 13:18:55 -0400, "Gary Warner"
wrote:


"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in
message


I'm having a problem visualizing the fitting - do you mean it's
underwater?

Yes.

Why would they have an exit point underwater? That makes no sense.

Now that you said that, I'd secure/cap that fitting off and put a new
one higher than the water line.

And where do the front pumps empty

There is an above the water line thru-hull on each side
of the bow. Each pump emptys through it's own
fitting.

I'd hook up a T fitting and use that exit fitting.

It would be about 18 feet from the back of the boat
to the front thru-hull. Plus it would be through
a "T" and up a bit to the hole. And I suppose a
check-valve would be needed to keep the water
from pumping back out the other (wrong/pump)
side of the "T". ~ But maybe.

That would work fine actually.

Although that underwater fitting makes me nervous.

Q: Or better to just not worry about it, let the front pumps
do their job, and fix the leak over the winter?

Or you could just not worry about it, let the front pumps do their
thing and fix the leak over the winter.

Aren't you glad you asked? :)

Funny guy.

My long suffering wife of thirty years says that a lot - usually
followed by ~~ expletive deleted ~~.

Later,

Tom

"HLAviation" wrote
This has got to be a pretty old boat in quite origional state.

1958 Chris Craft
As Original as we can get it without being unsafe or spending a fortune.


Problem is when the boat starts to sink, and the water
gets above the neck, it starts filling into the boat.


It would take 12+ inches of water inside the boat to
make this happen. As you note, it'd pretty much be
sinking anyway. Whatever got me to that point
would be a much greater problem than this tube.

At that point I'd just stuff a rag in the tube and push
it in there really tight with a screw-driver to stop the flow.

Then I'd start worrying about my real problem again.


; )