Front bilge pump on 2520's

[CaptBeach]

My 2520 is holding water in the front. I understand this is fairly common. Some mention placing a bilge pump up front in the floor/sump between the port and stbd berths. Anyone care to chime in, have pics? I imagine adding a hatch there might make it a whole lot easier to access and check on occasionally.

 

[afitzray]

When you say "in the front" and "between the port and stbd berths" you mean in the cuddy cabin? I have water that collects a little further back under the standing part of the pilot house which seems to be about the midway point of the keel. I have a pump there but I haven't heard of water collecting in the cuddy area.

And while I have the extra bilge pump there, it seems like the water only collects a couple inches high before it makes its way back to the rear bilge. That front bilge pretty much never runs since it's wired to only function when the key is on and once the boat is moving the water tends to shift to the rear (rear bilge is hardwired so it always has a power supply for when docked in the slip).

If you have water under the cuddy area, is it also under the main cabin? If it's only in that forward area I would guess there's a blockage somewhere in your drain along the keel that's keeping the water from making its way to the rear. Even if it's only at that midpoint I would expect it to drain back before really building up substantially. Check your limber holes that drain the bilge in a line along the keel. I used the rod from a dryer cleaning kit to free up some junk that had accumulated over the years and found that made a big difference in the water that collected in various spots.

 

[Andy]

My 2520 is holding water in the front. I understand this is fairly common. Some mention placing a bilge pump up front in the floor/sump between the port and stbd berths. Anyone care to chime in, have pics? I imagine adding a hatch there might make it a whole lot easier to access and check on occasionally.

Tell us when you are getting the water in the forward compartment. Are you docked in the water with the boat nearly level? bow-down? Or, is it mostly on a trailer; if so, are you parked on level ground? bow-down? bow up? I've had water standing in the forward compartment/bilges only twice. (2520XLD). And that was during hurricanes with the boat on a trailer, parked nearly level, or slightly bow-down. Most of the time the boat is on a lift, slightly bow-up. The only water that can get into my bilges is via the anchor rode/chain locker. I've nearly eliminated that issue by using a custom-cover for the Lewmar windlass that prevents nearly all the rainwater from entering the anchor-rode locker through the hole under the windlass, and by sealing the bow-hatch with rubber weather stripping on all 4 sides, and making a white rubber 'flap' that covers the finger-hole opening on the hatch...

 

[CaptBeach]

Right now its in the water at my dock. The front berth area has a small sump and drain and I can shine a light and see water. At the pilot house door also a small sump and drain hole also water in there. It does look like it sits a little bow down when tied up.

 

[baker]

The fix for this is to drill a hole through the hull so the anchor locker drains directly overboard. I have this on my to do list. I have also cut a hole in the cabin floor to access the forward bilge area through a slam hatch which I have posted on here. As info, while the boat is in wet slip the forward bilge is the lowest point along the keel. Which brings up the question If the boat fills with water, the bow will go down first? My boat only has an aft bilge pump. I have not tested this yet but will.

 

[CaptBeach]

The fix for this is to drill a hole through the hull so the anchor locker drains directly overboard. I have this on my to do list. I have also cut a hole in the cabin floor to access the forward bilge area through a slam hatch which I have posted on here. As info, while the boat is in wet slip the forward bilge is the lowest point along the keel. Which brings up the question If the boat fills with water, the bow will go down first? My boat only has an aft bilge pump. I have not tested this yet but will.

Is the thread about the forward bilge install here in Projects? Under your name?

 

[afitzray]

I agree the fix for water getting in from the anchor locker is plugging it and draining out the side. It’s on my list for a project someday.

In the meantime, please also check your limber hole drains in the bilge since it sounds like your boat is floating bow down as water collects. You definitely want your boat to drain properly regardless of whether you do the anchor locker fix. Your rear bilge is where you should have a hardwired bilge pump but it’s not gonna help much if the water in the rest of the boat can never get to it.

 

[baker]

Is the thread about the forward bilge install here in Projects? Under your name?

Yes
The thread title is

2520 XL Forward Bilge​

 

[Andy]

Yes
The thread title is

2520 XL Forward Bilge​

Yes, Capt Beach, go to Baker's post on this. Most everyone agrees that all anchor rode/chain lockers should drain overboard, and that the water comes in via the anchor rode/chain locker hatch and/or windlass hole. It's also 'on my list', to raise the anchor rode locker, and drill a drain hole. In the mean time, I just stopped most of the water from getting in, in the first place.

 

[parrotfish]

I had a broken thru hull fitting that allowed water into the starboard V-berth storage. That water drained into the forward bilge, it then was pumped into the storage compartment to the broken thru hull. Therefore my pump was just circulating the water.
Replaced the broken thru hull fitting, problem solved.