Pacific 221 compartment bulkheads

[westy]

I just purchased a 1981 Pacific 221 (small walk-around cuddy/inboard-outboard). Bulkheads below the deck in the cockpit create 3 compartments. The forward compartment contains the fuel tank. This compartment drains through a PVC pipe thru the bulkhead to the center compartment, which is empty. On my boat, there is a PVC pipe that appears to drain the center compartment to the engine compartment, but it is blocked, trapping the bilge water and preventing it from getting to the bilge pump in the engine compartment.

The boat was repowered 6 or 7 years ago (Volvo out, Mercruiser in) and I suspect that some bulkhead work was done and that they inadvertently blocked the drain hole in the process, unless there is a reason for it to be blocked. Before I run a drill down the bore of the PVC pipe, does anyone know of any reason why this compartment would intentionally not be allowed to drain?

Also, it seems strange that the center compartment would be empty without any removable or hinged deckplates for access to make the space useful. Any ideas about why they did this?

 

[BobP]

Welcome to the site, another old time Grady.

I'm partial to classic Gradys myself!


In general, not sure of your model, but for I/Os, the gas tank compartment may be plugged with removable plugs to prevent a fuel leak from entering the engine bay, and go boom!

But, periodically they are supposed to be opened and allow water to drain to the stern, water from all compartments incl the anchor locked that takes in rain as well. The entire keel will eventually drain to the rear bilge if the bow is high enough.

My gas tank compartment has a full length pass thru tube that's sealed at both ends to each bulkhead, so that a gas leak (vapor or liquid) cannot go forward into the cabin, readily, directly. There is also a seperate tube stub from the rear of the gas tank compartment into the bilge to allow it to drain back there, a lot safer area for a fuel leak to go if it has to go somewhere on an outboard boat.

All the other compartments, I have 5 bulkheads across the keel, only have stub tubes.

Look for removable plugs at the tube openings, and try electrical fish wire first to locate the blockage, then measure off where it is.
If parts of the boat were rebuilt it is possible some errant wet glass cloth, scott towels, grinding dust, rags, whatever, got in there and plugged it up.

 

[richie rich]

Westy, as Bob said, the main drain goes all the way from the anchor locker to the rear bilge and should have NO plug in it.....you should be able to run a snake through this tube unless it severly plugged or collapsed due to human error. In between the bulkhead, you have mini tubes or limber holes as they call them. These are normally open between intermediate bulkheads (not the forward cabin bulkhead) allowing each to drain as they head south, except the very last one that enters the rear bilge right next to the main drain. This one is plugged to prevent excess water and gas fumes from going back and forth and is drained manually on a routine basis by simply unscrewing the PVC plug.....there is absolutely no reason why the middle, or any compartment to continuously collect water except for the rear bilge where the pump is located.

 

[westy]

Thanks for the input. Now I have to find a "speedbore" of the right size to fit the PVC tube and long enough to reach the bulkhead that has been glassed over. I may have to use a long "bell drill" and try to find the center of the tube and then open the hole from the engine compartment side large enough to glass in a short section of PVC pipe to mate with the existing. Gotta keep that bulkhead dry.

Westy