Flooding due to Bilge pump Reverse Siphon

[Paul O' Kirwan]

I had an exciting couple of hours on Friday when sailing.  The boat was on starboard and sailing at 8+Knots, when went below and stepped into the cabin the water was up to the floorboards   A check of all of the thru hull fittings revealed all was well so turned for home and the nearest travel lift.  Once we were on an even keel the water level started to go down and a crew member on the manual pump provided extra capacity.

Once back on the dock  ( next to the travel lift) I started to investigate and when the 46 is on starboard the outlets for the bilge and shower bilge are underwater.  My boat has an anti-siphon loop in the pipe but no valve so water was coming back in through the shower bilge outlet.

Has anyone else experience this with the Oceanis?   I am going to fit anti-siphon valve and bilge alarm in any case but I think it should have been something the manufacturer shoul have accounted for.  If we had been on starboard for another 30-40 minutes the water would have flooded my battery banks and then we would have had a serious problem.

[Mike Brown]

We have a 2008 43 and fortunately have not seen your issue. Bet that hit the max on your pucker scale though.

Mike

[Paul O' Kirwan]

It was an exciting few hours to say the least.  Fortunate in that i was only 3-4 miles offshore and knew there was a travellift I could (hopefully) get to.   The dealer has sent an inquiry to Beneteau so if we get a reply I will post it here.

[Stephen Hegyesi]

 

I've been searching for a small leak for the past 4 years.  The shower seal between the drain pan and shower floor was one leak.

 

[Mike Brown]

Stephen I had one other source of water in the bilge from the AC unit in the salon. While there is a condensation pump the overflow tube would sometimes dumb water into the bilge. Unfortunately the hose was rather short and dumped it in the bilge compartment next to the mast post. I added a length of hose and routed it to the bilge sump. Another source of water at the AC unit can result if the compressor ices up. It can happen if there's not enough air flow through the duct work. Turning on the heat melts it quickly but the water drips off the compressor missing the catch pan. It finds it was through the floor boards into the same compartment I mentioned above.

Mike

[Stephen Hegyesi]

I gave an report my designed sump drain system in an earlier SeaKnots.  Here it is:

I throw away the condensation pan pumps. When the water gets to the level for the pump to work, it had started to drain into the bilge by way of the pan overflow pipe.  I took an 9”x10”x7” high clear plastic food container with lid and connected the over flow to its side.  Placed a West Marine 12 volt automatic sump in the box.  Connected the old pan discharge hose to the sump pump.  I wired an on/off/intermittent switch.  Did the for both ac pans, no more water in bilge.  The sump pump comes on every 2 minutes and checks for head pressure for 10 seconds.  When I’m away and the ac is not on, I turn off the pumps. 

The leak I've been looking for is gone.  I got back from a 70 nm offshore race with steady 25 to 29 knot wonds gusting to 35, seas 4 to 6', 6 second intervals on the aft quarter and abeam. after beam run and close reach returning.  No water in the bilge and bone dry.

Go to http://seaknots.ning.com/group/beneteau4043/forum/topics/b40-advice for my 

Reply by Stephen Hegyesi on August 16, 2011 at 9:44pm