Thread subject: Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos :: 21 ft Banana Hull Self bailing or not?

Posted by 1974revenge on 03/16/10 - 6:53 AM
#1

Hello, I am wondering if this banana hull is truly self bailing or not?
I see the sump area at the stern and have read some people leave the plug out so that the hull can self drain, but this lets water sit in the boat at all times (in the sump).
My boat will be sitting at my dock in the water full time, so I want to get some thoughts from other revenge/outrage owners on this.
If the boat is self bailing, then if I plugged the drain hole, the boat would fill up with rain, and the bilge pump would have to be working to bail it out.

Posted by gigem on 03/16/10 - 8:54 AM
#2

You described how mine works... Will not completely bail itself.

Posted by tom blinstrub on 03/16/10 - 8:59 AM
#3

So what if there is water in the sump ? If you went away for a month and it rained ten inches the rainwater would leave and the sump would still be at the same level as when you left it. 1973 ourage.

Posted by HarleyFXDL on 03/16/10 - 10:24 AM
#4

Yes tom, the water would stay at a constant level in the sump. When you step into the boat, the sump would fill up a little more but never to the point of it sinking. When you step out of the boat, the level would drop a bit. Some people like myself, keep the sump plugged and while under way, pull the plug. The system does not work like a self-bailing deck with scuppers.

Posted by tom blinstrub on 03/16/10 - 11:21 AM
#5

Your right kevin and I keep mine in most of the time but some whaler models are not as self bailing. My early 16' would have 3 or 4 inches above the sump. My 1967 13' sits with about 2" at the back but that's with a small engine and no battery. I have had great luck with one of those small automatic pumps with no switch. I starts to come on about every 3 minutes and if there is no water to pump it shuts right down. I wire it right to the battery direct and there is no float switch to get stuck. I have run my 21' and 16' like that for years. The only thing to watch out for is when you put the boat on the trailer and forget to disconnect it. It will burn out after a while if is not sitting in water. tom from ma.

Posted by 1974revenge on 03/16/10 - 5:52 PM
#6

I guess my concern is that my boat will be sitting at my dock in the salt water all the time in Florida..not ever on a trailer or lift.
I am worried that the sump will get slime and other marine growth as everything that sits in the salt water does.
Should I paint the sump with the same antifouling paint the bottom is painted with or ??
If I leave the plug in, I have to worry about the bilge pump dying out, etc. and the boat filling with water.

Posted by 1974revenge on 03/16/10 - 6:05 PM
#7

What are your thoughts on adapting this device on the outside of the drain hole...
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/tem...amp;Go.x=0

Posted by tom blinstrub on 03/17/10 - 3:32 AM
#8

The item in the picture looks like it needs to be above the water level to drain a deck that is above water level like on the transom of a thin hulled boat.

Posted by tom blinstrub on 03/17/10 - 4:30 AM
#9

I have been told that in florida you have downpours that can dump several inches of rain in minutes. That would take a long time to drain out the drainhole and might even rise above the battery. I would now recomend a large pump with a float switch.

Posted by tom blinstrub on 03/17/10 - 5:13 AM
#10

On second thought I would leave the plug out and mount the float switch just above the water in the bilge so that in a major downpour would turn on your large pump (2000 gal) until the floor was empty and then it would turn off and the rest would drain out the drain. I would not paint the bilge. Just keep scrubing.

Posted by Mark Sr on 03/17/10 - 6:43 AM
#11

Mine is in the water all summer except if I have to bring it home for a repair. I just scrub it occasionally. I have no pump. The back end fills up a little if more than a couple people board. Once underway, I plug it when the sump area drains out (typically as soon as it gets on a plane).

Posted by womms on 03/17/10 - 9:58 AM
#12

'74, I think that ideal setup for you is going to be leaving the plug in and adding an automatic bilge pump. Other than initial setup, there is no real downside to this. You don't need to worry about marine growth in the bilge area and therefore, no worry about painting the area.

In the worst case scenario, you lose your battery and pump function. It doesn't matter; that boat will not sink. Before I installed an automatic switch for my bilge pump, my boat sat in the water for two days during a tropical storm (can't remember which one) and I was so worried that it was going to sink. I get to the dock and there was about half an inch of water on the floor. Batteries were fine; no problems what so ever.

If you run your boat 3 times a week like you say, you will have no problems with this setup.