Why Aren't Self-Bailing Boats The Norm?

[rlb2252]

Why aren?t all boats self-bailing? Or at least most. To the extent I understand what self-bailing is (and in reality I just discovered the definition a few minutes ago), it would seem that any boat larger than a canoe or kayak or flat bottom fishing boat would benefit from this feature.

Are there negatives to a self-bailing design, some trade-off in aesthetics, speed, utility, comfort, cost that would preclude this feature from being more widespread?

I'm asking these questions with the assumption that the class of boats I'm most interested in, Cuddy Cabin Sea Ray cruisers, do not have this design.

 

[rbh]

Re: Why Aren't Self-Bailing Boats The Norm?

I am not sure what you mean by self bailing but our sundancers main deck drains outside the hull as it is above the engines as well as the water line.
rob

 

[rlb2252]

Re: Why Aren't Self-Bailing Boats The Norm?

I am not sure what you mean by self bailing but our sundancers main deck drains outside the hull as it is above the engines as well as the water line.
rob

Well, if that's the case, I stand corrected. Now that you mention it, I did notice some very small holes on the back of a Sea Ray I was considering. One on each side of the transom. If forced to estimate their diameter, I'd say about an inch, possibly an inch and a half around. These holes hardly seemed large enough to remove any copious amounts of water, but maybe I'm wrong.

 

[collind]

Re: Why Aren't Self-Bailing Boats The Norm?

I''m no expert, but my best guess for why a self-bailing cockpit is not standard on all boats is that it would have something to do with the amount of freeboard the boat has, especially in relation to where the cockpit deck is from the height of the water. If the floor of the cockput is too close to the height of the waterline then then a self-bailing design would not be feasible or safe.

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: Why Aren't Self-Bailing Boats The Norm?

Collind is correct.

You need a decent amount of freeboard so that the sole (floor) of the boat can be above the water line in all normal operating conditions.

Typically, I think the only boats that can be truly defined as self bailing would be offshore fishing boats...Boston Whaler, Grady White etc.

On a Sea Ray like you are talking about the cabin sole below decks is very likely below the water line. Therefore, it is possible to swamp the boat. However, with a boat of substantial size, swamping due to wave activity is far less of a concern than an open fishing boat in the 20' range.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Why Aren't Self-Bailing Boats The Norm?

there is also the self-bailing concept of those boats that float high enough that you can leave the plug out when moored to drain rain water, but you put the plug back in to keep the sole dry. 13' Whaler, if the engine is around 20, and Carolina Skiff J series are examples. The inner hull is sealed anot plugged or pumped. Larger centr consoles self-bail the cockpit but require a bilge pump for the bilge (below the sole) so they are not entirely self-bailing.
Some boats have large scuppers that will evacuate a swamping wave; others have small plug holes that might not handle the big one.

 

[high'n'dry]

Re: Why Aren't Self-Bailing Boats The Norm?

To effectively be self bailing the deck needs to be sealed from the bilge, the deck needs to be above water line, there needs to be some means of water egress other than a pump which is usually accomplished by scuppers or open transoms or both. Most such designs generally have a very limited below deck bilge or even none such that water simply cannot collect there in volume sufficient to endanger the vessel.

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Why Aren't Self-Bailing Boats The Norm?

Didnt i read somewhere once about an outboard that had some kind of attachment on it the acted like a bilge pump?
It was an old flyer that someone had posted on here. I cant remember the manufacture.
It was good reading tho.

 

[rlb2252]

Re: Why Aren't Self-Bailing Boats The Norm?

So I'm taking it that the 84 Sea Ray Cuddy I saw wasn't self-bailing. The owner ran a water hose over the deck to show how the water ran out the back of the transom.

These holes in the transom were what? Just drainage holes?

 

[rbh]

Re: Why Aren't Self-Bailing Boats The Norm?

you can only remove so much water if your hit with the big one.
the thing with my sundancer is that all the covers, batt/eng /storage/ steps have a hose to the outside if there is water on the top deck, self draining, as well as a bilage pump in the cabin and were the engines are (bilage)
rob

 

[werthert]

Re: Why Aren't Self-Bailing Boats The Norm?

Those holes are called scuppers and they drain the water back into the lake/sea. They are there for a reason. They drain water. They could handle a small wave or if you are washing your deck with a hose.

This is on a cruiser, not familiar with what smaller boats do/have.

 

[rbh]

Re: Why Aren't Self-Bailing Boats The Norm?

yup, what he said
rob