Chrysler Sailors Forum

Hello all. I am new to this board and pretty new to sailing. I purchased a C-22 about 3 years ago and have only sailed it a handful of times. I am looking to take it off the trailer and keep it in the water permanently at a lake near my house. I believe I will use it more if I don't have to trailer it (and put the mast up) every time I want to sail. I am in the process of updating the electrical system and undertaking a few other repairs (thanks for all the information on this site). I hope to have it in the water within the next month or two. My question for those of you more experienced than I: Is there anything I need to do to prepare my boat for an extended time in the water? My understanding is that the C-22 is "self-bailing" and that a bilge pump is not needed (and I do not have one). Is this accurate? Any thoughts or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Hey, welcome aboard ! You're right, a boat that's ready to go after throwing off the lines is way cool to have, no launch, no retreive, just untie and go and tie up and leave..

I think the self bailing refers to any water that gets in the cockpit under sail will flow out the back. For me a bilge pump on a boat kept in the water is a neccessity, preferably one with a float of automatic switch..

Hey, which Lake ? I have a friend who travels up to Lake Maumelle to sail with the club up there, looks like a great place to sail..

Thanks for the response. Looks like I will add a bilge to my to-do list. Lake Maumelle is where I will be keeping it. I'm looking forward to a fun-filled, learning spring/summer.

Follow up question. Where is the best place to install a bilge pump in the C-22? My guess would be under the cockpit.

A fresh coat of bottom paint might be a good idea. Since you are in fresh water you should not need to go crazy with high priced paint. West marine works OK for fresh water around here and is much lower in price. You are right you will sail more with the boat in the water.

cdmcdan wrote:Follow up question. Where is the best place to install a bilge pump in the C-22? My guess would be under the cockpit.

I saved this link to a good article about bilge pumps and how to set them up from a while back. A pump's on my todo list also even though I trailer my boat. I'm getting tired of hauling the wet vac up a ladder to vacuum rainwater getting in from the hardware and port seals (another thing on my todo list)

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/bilge_pumps.htm

Good article, Bruce. Thanks for sharing!

I keep a bilge pump in the small forward setee compartment on the starboard side that I have enough drain tube that I can move the pump around the cabin to suck up water from anywhere. the water is pumped out the tru-hole ment for the galley sink in that compartment.

Doint the exact same thing, Mario. Great minds!!

Mario G wrote: II have enough drain tube that I can move the pump around the cabin to suck up water from anywhere. .

That's what I did with the Cal21 -with a keel trunk thats runs from the mast to way under the cockpit there's no one single place that works..

Since there is no bilge as such, I placed my pump in a bracket at the back end of the port dinette storage but in the main walkway. Basically almost under the keel winch but further aft. Once water gets three inches deep in the boat, it will automatically turn on. The discharge hose is routed through the port cockpit locker and out the stern well above the water line. Most experts recommend that no bilge discharge be installed below the water line. I never, never, leave the through hull open in my boat when it is unattended. The through hull the boat came with was plastic with a gold colored plastic valve which broke off in my hand when I removed it. Imagine throwing something heavy in that compartment and then closing it up without seeing it break off! The boat would be on the bottom in minutes. I replaced that through hull with a real honest to goodness bronze fitting and sea cock which supplies water to my wash down pump and is also the galley sink discharge. I have enough wire and hose on my pump to lift it out of the bracket and place it next to the keel pivot, which is the lowest point on the boat, if I have enough water to need pumping. Generally, I just sop up what is there with a sponge and a small bucket kept aboard. It rarely amounts to a pint. I will usually get about an inch of water inside after heavy rains which comes from the rear pushpit brackets leaking. I plan to reseal those before spring. There are numerous good recommendations for bilge pump installation on the internet.

Great article, Bruce
I've been converted.
My blue bucket and a sham-wow works fine to clean up the little water.
But in a emergency I'm going to want something that can do the job on it's own. Since I'll be occupied with making sure I'm getting my crew and vessel some place safe.

Not to rehash or repeat any old posts, but:

Do we have a consensus on where exactly the lowest point is on a 22?

Welcome to the forum!

When floating my lowest point is just aft of the keel pin area.
Keep in mind though, your boat may float slightly diferently than another persons.

You could have a heavier motor, maybe an anchor sitting on the bow, etc etc.

One of the easiest ways to tell is to take a cup of water and poor it on the floor and see where it goes when the boat is floating with normal cruising gear onboard.

Like several of the others I have a remote mounted pump. The pump can self prime up to 4 feet. I have a hose I can use by simply putting where the water is and using it like a shop vac to suck up the water. Since my boat resides on a trailer I do not have an automatic switch.

Scott

j42goose wrote:where exactly the lowest point is on a 22?

Lowest point on any boat is when the winds quits, the sun is beating down on you, and the ice chest is empty...oh, wait, that's not what you meant, sorry..

EmergencyExit wrote:

j42goose wrote:where exactly the lowest point is on a 22?

Lowest point on any boat is when the winds quits, the sun is beating down on you, and the ice chest is empty...oh, wait, that's not what you meant, sorry..

Good one EE

I just couldn't resist...

Thanks everyone for your responses. I'm anxious to install my bilge pump and add a new coat of bottom paint and get my boat in the water. I'll post some before and after pictures once I finish all of my tasks.

EE, you forgot the other half of the story.. you've run aground, the motor has quit, the batteries are almost completely dead, the mosquitoes are out, and there is no Tow Boat US near enough to help.

There, finished it for you.

D

PartyDog, that would indeed be a very low point...

Apparently that is what the Coast Guard (God bless them) are for.

j42goose wrote:Not to rehash or repeat any old posts, but:

Do we have a consensus on where exactly the lowest point is on a 22?

I still have not put in my 2 long planned pumps. Consensus on location, never seen it.

My plan has always been one under the forward port side seat just outboard of the Keel pin area and the other under the starboard seat other side of the boat.

As Captain Scott says, Keel pin area is low point in my boat. Last year when my window leaked all that most excellent Seattle rain inside my boat here is where it went.



This is the keel pin area with the big black rubber boot removed. I guess I pumped 5 gallons of water out of this little pocket from under the floor with a drill motor pump I have. Shocking large amount of water for so small (appearing) space.

Yea after reading the article above I'm going with 2 pumps. One on automatic switch, one on a manual switch like Captain Scott's with a moveable hose will likely be my best course of action after reading all of this.

Thanks
Alan