Fuel tank bilge area

1

1989 Grady Novice

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66
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Overnighter
The void under the deck that the fuel tank sits in has a few inches of water in it that probably doesnt belong there. There are 2 pvc pipes at the bottom of that void, one short and one long that go through the back bulkhead into the area of the bilge pump. I tried shoving through the short pipe but it seems ti be sealed on the other end. The bilge is dry. Anyone know how that water is supposed to drain?
 
The long PVC pipe likely is the drain from the forward, cabin bilge. While the "coffin" bilge (gas tank area bilge) must use the short PVC pipe to simply connect the gas tank bilge with the aft bilge. Check from the aft bilge side - maybe someone put a plug in it. Both of the PVC pipes should go straight through - if anything is in there, get it out.
 
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yep, all should drain for and aft. May need to mark a snake at various lengths and see where the block is. Ever have a spider issue? They are good at blocking things over the years.
 
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DennisG01 said:
The long PVC pipe likely is the drain from the forward, cabin bilge. While the "coffin" bilge (gas tank area bilge) must use the short PVC pipe to simply connect the gas tank bilge with the aft bilge. Check from the aft bilge side - maybe someone put a plug in it. Both of the PVC pipes should go straight through - if anything is in there, get it out.
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Thanks so much for those explanations. Makes sense now. I'll look at it again and try to unblock it.
 
On my '83 Kingfish with twin I/Os originally there were the two pipes you describe going through the bulkhead between my Fuel tank area and the engine compartment. In the engine compartment end the two pipes had transom type plugs in them to seal them, preventing the water from draining into the motor box compartment. Don't know what your "bilge pump" area is constructed like but can you see the aft ends of the two pipes? If so are there plugs in them? The plugs in mine were the brass style with a "T" fitting that when turned would expand or contact the diameter of the rubber body of the plug. My guess that is what may well be plugging your pipes. I could never figure out why the plugs were in there unless they were worried about a fuel tank leak passing fuel into the engine compartment but the one from the forward bilge was plugged also. When I repowered the yard removed the pipe from the fuel tank area into the engine box and just fiber glassed a hole in the bulkhead so it could not be sealed with a plug. Hope this helps. Keep that old Grady going!
 
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JeffN said:
On my '83 Kingfish with twin I/Os originally there were the two pipes you describe going through the bulkhead between my Fuel tank area and the engine compartment. In the engine compartment end the two pipes had transom type plugs in them to seal them, preventing the water from draining into the motor box compartment. Don't know what your "bilge pump" area is constructed like but can you see the aft ends of the two pipes? If so are there plugs in them? The plugs in mine were the brass style with a "T" fitting that when turned would expand or contact the diameter of the rubber body of the plug. My guess that is what may well be plugging your pipes. I could never figure out why the plugs were in there unless they were worried about a fuel tank leak passing fuel into the engine compartment but the one from the forward bilge was plugged also. When I repowered the yard removed the pipe from the fuel tank area into the engine box and just fiber glassed a hole in the bulkhead so it could not be sealed with a plug. Hope this helps. Keep that old Grady going!
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for your story Jeff. I agree with you. Its a mystery to me why you would design in pipes that don't seem to drain anywhere. Maybe I'll do the hole with fiberglass thing.
 
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