On Aug 18, 1:21*pm, wrote:
On Aug 18, 12:29*pm, wrote:





On Aug 18, 12:15 pm, wrote:

On Aug 18, 11:46 am, wrote:

I want to decide whether or not to install self bailing on my Tolman
to go offshore. *From what I can see, self bailing is installed on
boats with sealed decks with the scuppers roughly 3" above the deck..
My boat has no deck because I think it is important to have access to
the hull at all times. *My current floatation is from two compartments
with screw on covers at bow and stern. *I can even get into them if
necessary. *This lack of deck means that any scuppers would be far
above the bottom of the boat and would not drain much water. *Instead,
I rely on the inherent dryness of the boat (very high bow and sides)
and the completely sealed dry well in front of the motor and a large
3500 gph pump just in case. *From my reading, I see that scuppers seem
to cause a lot of problems too. *However, one web site stated flatly
that any boat going offshore had to have self bailing. *So, thoughts?

It would be pointless to install scuppers on your boat. *And 3500 gph
is under extremely ideal conditions. *Best figure that your real world
results would be about half that. *That's about 30 gpm. *If you take
multiple hits, no bilge pump is going to keep up. *Make sure you
travel in a group if you're going offshore in a boat not really suited
to be offshore. *It's not that you can't make the trip successfully
given the correct conditions. *It's that many combinations of things
can rapidly overwhelm you. *Simply encountering a small storm and then
having the engine quit can be more than your boat can handle.

I do have a 9.8 hp pull start kicker too.
BTW, I currently do not have a cover for my boat and last week I left
the plug in her and she filled with rainwater to the height of the
stringers (8"). *I used my small pump (750 gal/hr) to pump her out and
it took 5 min. *The same thing with the 3500 gph should therefor take
about 65 sec. *I am installing the 3500 with asmooth hose instead of
the corrugated stuff so it may be even faster.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You don't understand. *You don't get 5 minutes between waves. *You
don't even get 30 seconds. *If you lose engine power is a squall and
can't keep the bow into the waves then you're in big trouble. *If you
start taking waves over the side or transom then in very short order
you'e going to be swamped. *Each wave is going to lower your boat so
that the next wave dumps in even more water. *We talking just a
handful of waves before you are swamped. *Your kicker will not be
strong enough in storm. *The wind and waves will overwhelm a 9.8 hp
motor. *Maybe it clears up fast and you still have enough battery
power to pump it out. *The battery will die fast once salt water gets
to it.

Bottom line you need to have someone around that can pick you up if
the worst happens.

This is a homebuilt? *Do you know that your floatation will keep the
boat afloat when swamped? *How did you calculate the flotation? *Have
you tested it? *Or do you just "think" it's enough? *Take it out into
a couple feet of water some place with a sandy bottom and where you
can get a rope to a tow vehicle on shore then sink it. *See what
happens. *If it sinks to the bottom just drag it towards the shore
until you can pump it out.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Right now, he has flotation compartments that utilize the hull skin as
part of the compartment.. I have made a couple of suggestions as to
how he can make them better. For now, I want to not jump down his
throat as he has been taking a beating from one of our most famous
trolls so he may (rightfully so) be getting a little defensive.. I
am sure he is here trying to do the right thing, so I will keep
watching...