One, two, or emergency bilge pump?

[Chtucker]

The boat is spec'ed out with one bilge pump.. I am thinking I should have either a mounted second pump or Rules emergency 4000/8000gph pump on board..

What is recommended?

[goatram]

At least one per compartment. You do have water tight compartment?.

[Chtucker]

I need to ask more questions... The monohull was a recent decision.

[Chaps]

Monohull now? Everything will drain aft to the center bilge area. Are you leaving it in the water? If yes I'd put 2 totally separate systems in at the transom, a regular one (1500) with an electronic switch and a 3700 with a conventional float switch mounted slightly higher than the electronic switch and equipped with a loud alarm. If trailering I'd just go with a single 1500.

[Chtucker]

We chickened out on the cat because of money, resale and trailering if we ever do.

From my reading what you described was what I was going to insist upon. They specified a single 2000gph. I was going ask for a 4000gph with a switch mounted higher. The 8000gph draws 30amps and I can't find a switch that would handle that load.

Or probably just 2 2000gph pumps and keep the 8000 as backup with alligator clips.

[Chtucker]

From the initial response from Armstrong today (Saturday) bulkheads with limber holes.

I am taking that you don't have any drainage holes John and have watertight bulkheads with separate pumps?

What is the Coast guard/abyc and what SHOULD be done?

[welder]

One 2K pump on a AUTOMATIC SWITCH, for it to die you have to loose the batteries.
One 2K pump on a MANUAL SWITCH.
One spare on board for just in case.

The 2K pumps are a minimum.
Of course make sure TIN COATED wire is used through out the boat with water proof connections and properly fused.

Are you adding a RAW WATER wash down pump? [Highly suggested] Be sure to make your wash down hose long enough to reach the head, trust me, it helps a bunch.

[Chtucker]

Yes there is a wash down pump, plus pressurized water (shower), but no sink in the head.

I had a few mandates from the Admiral. Heat. So we will have a forced air furnace with defrost ducts and a wallas cooktop with blower. Second was, I am not sleeping where "poop" she was not that ladylike though So separate cabin accessed head.

Pretty well decked out, but no electronics as of yet on delivery other than VHF and compass.

Port/starboard dive doors, dual stations, twin Honda 225s, macerator pumps on the two fish boxes, inverter, shore power, windlass, wipers on all the front windows, flip bench, dinette, 140 gallons fuel, 30 gallon fresh, 30 gallon black, LED lighting.

Pretty much the same as the original specs on the Cat, but $20k less.

[Sabs28]

You don't need to find a 30 amp switch to run the big pumps. Use the float switch to trigger a high current relay. I personaly plan on having 2 pumps on float switches with a manual overide switch for both.

[Chtucker]

You don't need to find a 30 amp switch to run the big pumps. Use the float switch to trigger a high current relay. I personaly plan on having 2 pumps on float switches with a manual overide switch for both.

I figured the relay was ne more point of failure.

I am doing some reading now on flotation. It was not so much of an issue with a cat as it was two separate hulls. I hope to have a very safe boat.

[Chtucker]

This is Kevin's post that I was thinking about

http://aluminumalloyboats.com/viewtopic ... =Flotation

What I take from that is, watertight compartments in the bottom of the hull are not then best. I would never consider foam.

Two pumps, one on a higher float switch, a spare pump or maybe one of those high volume Rule pumps. The batteries are awfull high on the Armstrong. If they are under water, I want to be in the liferaft already.

[spoiled one]

140 gallons fuel

Can they squeeze more fuel capacity in her? I know range is king up here.

[Chtucker]

I was,told it would be tough... 140 should hopefully get me 200 mile range with a reserve. They were really reluctant at that. Standard is 120.

[dawgaholic]

With respect to bilge pump setups, one can read horror stories about failures on the boating forums. Are any familiar with this product and might it provide another option for your dilemma?

Water Witch

[Chtucker]

With respect to bilge pump setups, one can read horror stories about failures on the boating forums. Are any familiar with this product and might it provide another option for your dilemma?

Water Witch

My intent was to use a Waterwitch switch, but use separate ones for each pump.

[dawgaholic]

Gotcha chtucker. Have you considered a fuel bladder for extending your range?

Here is a link to ATL Range Extension Bladders and some of the ways users have employed them. Many of the tournament fishing guys use them.

tht

[Chtucker]

Yes, 95% of the time we will be in Sound/Coastal Washington. We do plan on 1-2 month trip to Alaska in a few years. A fuel bladder would be the ticket.

[Chtucker]

Should I insist on two through hulls or is a y acceptable?

[spoiled one]

Yes, 95% of the time we will be in Sound/Coastal Washington. We do plan on 1-2 month trip to Alaska in a few years. A fuel bladder would be the ticket.

It seems odd to me that a boat that size can only accommodate one 120 gallon tank. Must be a weight/balance thing. I just hate carrying fuel on deck.

[Chtucker]

I think it more of reluctance thing, I ran into when we discussing the Cat as well. I am not too worried with 140 gallons (they bumped it up from the 120 on my request). Having moisture in my tanks is a far bigger concern for me.

[spoiled one]

I think it more of reluctance thing, I ran into when we discussing the Cat as well. I am not too worried with 140 gallons (they bumped it up from the 120 on my request). Having moisture in my tanks is a far bigger concern for me.

Keep working on them. I have three 135ish gallon tanks. I don't fill all three very often, but it is nice to have them if I need them. Remember, they work for you.

[goatram]

I think it more of reluctance thing, I ran into when we discussing the Cat as well. I am not too worried with 140 gallons (they bumped it up from the 120 on my request). Having moisture in my tanks is a far bigger concern for me.

Ask that they install a water trap and a second fuel suction device in the tank. All it would take is a metal strap welded in the bottom at an angle aft of your main pick up. LaPush and Neah would be the two marinas that I have had heard and experienced water in the gas. I will be pulling the boat soon and checking my Fuel Tank Sump. A two or three inch tall strap installed at the bottom of the tank two inches fwd of the aft wall set at an angle aft. I wanted to install a bung at the back lower corner to be able to drain the fuel tank but that is a BIG NO NO per USCG Regs.

29'build26.jpg (73.08 KiB) Viewed 13471 times

I have two water tight compartments in the front with the back two currently having a hole or two at the top at stern. I need to fix that this Winter. I have 4 bilge pumps; 2 2000 GPH and 2 1100 GPH Rule Pumps on Switches and Floats. Each has its own thru hull to dump overboard. No Y's.

[Chtucker]

Got it on the pumps... two pumps (at least) two separate systems.

Fuel storage, I am having a conference call tomorrow as it is the prebuild meeting.. I will ask again.

I am really curious to know what the other builders are doing for "flotation"

The Eaglecrafts that I have seen are foamed, Duckworths are foamed. I don't want ANY foam, and Armstrong does use any.

Goat's boat has the watertight compartments. Kevin's post discussed them as well as his belief that he hasn't seen a boat have a hole ripped in it... Probably more have been lost to through hulls failing.

I want the "safest" for my family, so we of course have been picking up stuff along the way. I won't purchase a life raft or EPIRB till right before launch to have the most of their certification periods. I have a MOB alert system for the kids. I just picked up two mini-me kids size immersion suits. We ALL wear PFDs when around the water all the time. I can't ask them to and not us. We put in port and starboard dive doors. There will a pipe ladder on the transom and another boarding ladder for emergencies. I am really concerned about the families safety....

The lack of watertight compartments vs foam vs ?? is something I want to think about.

Howard

[Chaps]

pretty tough to get enough flotation in that size of boat to keep it afloat to say nothing about having any room left over for fuel

[dawgaholic]

Ok, more questions about this foam vs. no foam deal. Can you not meet the requirements for floatation using watertight compartments like Stabicraft does? I'm aware that under 20' specific floatation requirements may necessitate foam but my question is why, if sealed air-tight compartments can provide the reserve buoyancy required, or is that even possible?

Enough posts here damning foam lead me to ask, for like Jetty & others, Ima KISS kinda guy. From first hand witnessing of a friend's glass boat which encountered a pointy rock exposing the foam cored hull and void filling foam, stuff is nasty and his was well waterlogged. I know of the closed cell foam now utilized and sold as impermeable to water absorption but how can it be more buoyant than a sealed air compartment? Size matters and it may well be that in the smaller boats that makes foam the answer but perhaps I'm just not getting this....