Hull compartments holding water and the bilge pumps

[tkaustin]

This is my first year with an R-25 SC.

I've noticed puddles of water consistently in two isolated sections of the hull, which don't drain to the bilge pump area. They are at the stern, one on each side. On the port side, it is the compartment where the stern thruster resides. Starboard, it's the corresponding area, and appears to have the sonar transducer in it.

These spend their summer with several inches of water in them. Now as winter approaches, I have sucked them dry, but I'm wondering why they retain water in the first place. It seems there ought to be an opening so any water that appears there will drain to the bilge for the pump to expel. Is something wrong there?

The next question is about the forward bilge pump. Can it be seen? the only bilge pump I can see is the one in the rear, under the prop shaft. That one I can easily dump anti-freeze into to ensure it's ready for winter. How would one dump anti-freeze into the forward bilge pump?

Thanks, all.

 

[1Harrison]

Read the post titled Weep Holes in Stern Thruster Compartment on page two. There are weep veins from the areas you are referring to the engine compartment. It is common for these to be blocked. As I mentioned there HomeDepot sells a plumbing snake that just fits these weep veins. The veins enter the engine compartment aft of the engine two port and two stbd. In each case one goes outboard and one goes aft. Use the snake a few times in each and then back flush with a water hose. Solved the problem in our R-25SC.

 

[Brian B]

The forward bilge pump is mounted on the bulkhead forward of the engine. Extremely difficult to get to on the 25SC with a Yanmar. You can feel it by squeezing into the cabin step. The forward pump is higher than the rear pump. Unless your boat practically sank it won't have pumped any water so no need to winterize it.

 

[doke01]

I would also check the hoses for the cockpit drains. We had one split after a particularly cold winter but you couldn't see it with the naked eye. Had to run a hose down the drain and look for it. Once we fixed it we no longer had water in those areas.