a couple of questions

[Barry Montague]

hi all
first i left my rib Avon searider on a mooring with bung out Sinking Hull
it flooded and rotted my batt terminal an ruiened the battery
normaly the rib is launched and recovered the same day and i usaly leave the bung in when on dry land bung removed and a couple of gallons of water comes out hence leaving it out whilst on moorings
surgestions on a auto builge pump that i can fit inside a 4" hole so the bung can be left in?
also looking for a small battery (cheap)so it can be fitted inside the consul on top of the fuel tank
any surgestions
Barry

[tim griffin]

dont put the battery on the fuel tank why did you take the bung out while leaving it on a mooring
tim
www.griffmarineservices.co.uk

[swginn]

I had a similar problem with my last Valiant. I fitted the Rule bilge pump you see below. It is not an automatic bilge pump, but a float switch can be got for it and there is an auto version as well, but it is a small bit bigger. It pumps 1100 Gallons per hour. Very small as you can see.

I don't understand why you leave the bung out while on a mooring though. The reason I fitted the bilge was because even with the bung in water still got in as the bung was the wrong size. I ended up sealing the bung in with silkaflex and then fitted the bilge.

[Andy]

some people use a solar pannel to power the autobilge while the boat is mored. No need to mess with charging batteries.

[tue]

Batteries should ALWAYS be housed in a serparate compartment to the fuel tanks. Sparks and fuel vapuors do not mix . I thought the searider consoles had a battery compartment at the front?

[Bilge Rat]

Tue ...... All depends on the age of the Searider, my battery is housed in one of those silly plastic boxes at the transom, its ok and doesn't get in the way much, Phil D however has his mounted inside the front consoul as his boat is a lot newer.

[Garygee]

Hi Barry

How long do you leave Smurf on a mooring for ?.

If its a few days, or even a few weeks in summer forget the pump just leave the bung in and bail out when you get to the RIB.

I left the pumps off Tigger II for over a week (by mistake) this winter and we got very heavy rain many night but their was only 4" of water in the RIB when we got back.

Also if filling the RIB with water has got to the battery and you cant seal it I would recomend replacing it with a sealed gel cell.
Sooner or later (sooner if our record has anything to go by) you will stuff your RIB into a wave, which will fill the RIB wit SALT WATER and this really kills batterys if it can get access.
Most sealed lead acid will survive a long dunk with no problems.
You need to make sure it will supply the cold cranking amps but I think this is a range called REDTOP, REDSTART or somthing like it that are sealed and designed for starting.

Regards Gary

[jwalker]

Barry, you can limit the amount of water which your boat will hold by drilling (and then sealing the edges of) a hole in the transom. Load the boat with the maximum load that it is likely to carry at the stern. Probably about two people standing there. Mark the waterline on the outside of the transom and drill a hole just above the mark. The diameter of the hole can be quite small, say, 12-15mm. As the boat fills with rain water, it will eventually be able to run out through the hole. This is the maximum it will flood to. If you now make sure everthing which matters is above this level, you should be ok to open the bailer when you return and just drive off to empty the hull.
The hole is small enough that a following wave catching you up is only going to put a wee squirt into the boat.

[swginn]

Another solution is to make a waterproof cover that fits the boat like a tent. You can use the engine & the console as 2 supports for either end and the rain will simply run off over the tubes. It takes a small bit longer to tie up at the mooring at night and put on the cover but you save time when you don't have to empty the water out of the boat. I have no pictures of the boat with the cover on in the water but here is one with it on on the trailer. The only difference is that when in the water the straps tie underneath the external lifelines & grab handles instead of underneath the hull.

Boat was bone dry after a week of rain between wkends. Protects the tubes as well as the upholstery.

[Barry Montague]

hi all
just to clarify the searider has a sinking hull large hole at the bottom of the transum and 2 holes that are blocked at the front the bung was left out because of water getting between the hull and deck and if the bung was left in the water would remain i think that i need a new elephants trunk for starters the rib is not normaly left on moorings but i would prefer to leave the bung in (less drag when starting) this is why i am enquiring about a pump incase i do leave it whilst on holiday in cornwall
as for the battery yes on top of the fuel tank is not recomended but on my rib the tank is the full lenth of the consul (should i try and make a compartment because the wireing is above it )any surgestions on where to put a battery ( no rude comments please)
barry