draining into bilge

[phantom24]

hi,
I have been watching in the wings for awhile.
This my first post.
I am a week away from launch day,and have been working night and day trying to get her ready.
Heres my question.
I`m building a stainless steel "cooler box" which
will be located under part of my cockpit seats.
I was planning to drain the melt water into the bilge,but when i mentioned this to a couple of
my sailing buddies,they said don`t do it !
They couldn`t say why, but had heard this somewhere.Can anyone shed some light on this?

[Ross M]

Someone much smarter will be along shortly - but in the mean time, I believe odors are the key problem...

Ross

[pcford]

Food for critters, I'd reckon. Both large and small.

A NY 32 I had the pleasure of sailing on had a tank in the bilge into which the cooler drained. It was then pumped over the side.

[coelacanth]

If your boat is wooden, you would be introducing fresh water into your bilgeand increasing your chances of rot. Also, as stated above, the chances arequite good that the melt could be contaminated by food or drink, attracting vermin or fungi.

[JimConlin]

I recollect several reasons:
whater spills in the ice box ends up in the bilge. A quart of milk would be unpleasant.
Maybe you don't want a stream of fresh water beneath the box. Could start rot.
Possibly the drain tube could provide a route for cold air to convect out of the box. Ice wouldn't last as long.

I'd start with a gallon plastic jug. One or two dumps a day will do it.

[Jay Greer]

Draining into a pumpable sump tank or directly out board, bueno! Draining of fresh water and questionable debries into el bilgeo deffinatly no bueno!! Stinking el sludgeo and dry rot!!! Y Oh!

[Scott Rosen]

If your setup had an ice compartment that was separate from the food storage area, then you could drain the clean ice-melt into the bilge without much worry, as long as you pumped the bilge regularly.

Fresh water ends up in everyone's bilge no matter what--rain, condensation, etc. Some people even keep their boats in fresh water (imagine that!). If the boat is properly ventilated and you pump the bilge regularly, I see no problems.

Food debris is a serious problem for the reasons mentioned by others.

[Tom Lathrop]

Originally posted by Scott Rosen:
Food debris is a serious problem for the reasons mentioned by others.Unanimous
:D

[Leon Steyns]

You'd want to keep the bilge as dry and clean as you possibly can! Don't take my word for it, just peek yer nose in the "Misc. Non-Boat Related" area... :D

Greets, Leon Steyns.

[ssor]

The Pardeys drain their melt water into a bucket and cool their wine bottles in that. If you will be sailing in salt water then all fresh water is useful for people washing. Don't just use it to soak the bilge.

[phantom24]

hi

Thanks for your timely responses.
Your points are well taken and i have decided
to use a container to catch the water.I
think that will be a sure way of avoiding
problems and having to worry about what i can
put in "cooler".

I have 1 other question that i would welcome
some imput and/or answers.
Ihave purchased a new (bulkhead mount} compass.
I`m wondering how far away from my compass can my sterio speakers be mounted to avoid interference?
Dennis

[Gary E]

how far away from my compass can my sterio speakers be mounted to avoid interference? If the speakers have big magnets, mount them in Alberta...that might be far enuf..

[ssor]

Don't know about speakers but a friend had a bird cage on the other side on the bulkhead near the compass and that was enough to creat an error. When I was trying to decide where to place the compass I made a mock-up bulk head and moved all manner of stuff around it to see what it did. Even ss screws will affect a compass if a magnet will pick them up.

[wyndham]

If a magnet will pick them up they are not stainless.
Keep the speakers away from the compass.

[ssor]

300 series stainless is non-magnetic! 200 and 400 series stainless is magnetic!

[ 06-06-2005, 08:47 AM: Message edited by: ssor ]

[Andrew S/Y Rocquette]

you may also want a little "siphon kink" (hope this makes sense!) in the drain hose to prevent cold air bleeding away down the drain hole - cold air will sit at the bottom of the cooler just where the drain is...a mini U-bend provides a small airlock.