Bilge Pumps

[Shaun]

From: windybusiness (Original Message) Sent: 21/09/2003 2:40 PM
It is appropriate as a new member that I start talking bilge....Seriously I have a Mk 1 Top Hat with a Whale Gusher 8 manual pump. The diaphragm has broken. Whale do not seem to make these any more - does anyone know where I can get a spare, or if diaphragm from one of the current Whale pumps (or other manufacturers) would fit?

ps does anyone have plans of the top hat available on the net?



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From: windybusiness Sent: 23/09/2003 1:21 PM
Thanks Paul<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

I hadn't considered a spare electric on clips, that's a great safety idea. Do you intend to plumb it into the existing exhaust pipe (which would take a while given it is not easy to access around the beta diesel) or do you have a temporary exhaust pipe pre-attached to the emergency pump. Incidentally, my electric one is a rule 500, I am feeling a little underpowered in comparison to you.. However, there only ever seems to be water in there after motoring and then not much.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Since sending this email, Whale have emailed me to say there is a spares kit still available, so I'll pester Whitworths to do the right thing.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Re the plans, I am interested in finding out as much as I can. My boat (I think) was built circa 1969 (that's the year the flares on board expired at least). It has the step down to the mast which I thought was a Characteristic of a Mark 1, however if you go through the picture gallery on the top hat site, there appear to be two images showing an identical design to mine, the first labelled a mk11 and the second a mk 1. I was going on some dates that appeared in an article "My Boat" in Cruising Helmsman in about April 1999 which said Mk1 69 - 72. My ii 72 - 76 and Mk III 1976 onwards. I was hoping mine was Baker built, because boaties around Pittwater all seem to nod approvingly at mention of his name..<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

My boat was purchased in 1999 and was called Aladdin. Given that my sailing was already a total Pantomime, we changed the name to Windy Business after our son William who was then six months old! We have installed a Profurl twin track, a Nasa Wind Speed indicator, soft mounted the beta 13.5 Hp diesel, stripped the hull back to the gelcoat, and started over with the anti-fouling.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

One other question, re the toerail. I have had mixed advice about this. <o:p></o:p>

1. Varnish it<o:p></o:p>

2. Do not varnish, you'll be doing for ever more<o:p></o:p>

3. tung oil it<o:p></o:p>

4. do nothing it needs no maintenance<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

The 4th option fits my temperament best, but I don't believe that life was meant to be that easy.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>


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From: John Sent: 29/09/2003 9:42 PM
Windy

There are a couple of wrongly captioned photos in the photos area. The Mk1's are identifiable by the stepped cabin top and by the 'keyhole' cabin entrance. Mk2's onwards have neither.

My timber gunnel strip / toerail (whatever!) came up well with a high pressure sprayer and then left well alone.... varnish does look nice but heaps more work.

cheers
John
'topknot' mk2

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From: Paul Sent: 31/10/2003 10:19 AM
Hi Windy

Sorry to take so long to reply - my work takes me away quite often and I don't get a chance to check messages very often.

The electric bilge pump I have on board that is plumbed into the system (not the one with the alligator clips) discharges through a Y piece and goes through the same hose and skin fitting set high on the transom as the manual Jabsco Amazon Bilge Pump, which is set up at the forward end of the cockpit in the locker. I have seen many Top Hats with the manual pump set up at the aft end of the cockpit but this is not a good idea. If you are ever taking water at sea and find that for some reason your electric bilge pump is not working, and you are relegated to hand pumping while steering, you will understand why.

In regard to your toe rail, yes, there are many options. Many people like the look of varnished teak toe rails but it is a lot of work to maintain, and some people let the varnish go grey and do nothing. Unfortunately if you do nothing, eventually the oil goes out of the timber and it will split and be expensive to replace. My suggestions are: sand the toe rail and use tung oil (touch up once or twice a year) 2) sand the toe rail back to its original colour then scrub it regularly with salt water to keep up appearance and to keep moisture to it; 3) sand / scrub the toe rail and use a product called Deks Olje No 1. This goes on wet on wet until the timber can't absorb any more. It can then be touched up regularly with no sanding. My personal preference is tung oil for any outside teak.

Regards
Paul
reppaul@flexinet.com.au