wilddog

Member

From: Devon

Registered: 22 Dec 2013

Posts: 143

Self bailers

I was down at the boat club today, showing off my Skerry to an admiring salt and he suggested fitting a self-bailer to the bottom, something like this:

These are commonly found in boats like Fireballs and other racing dinghies and I know they require a certain amount of hull speed to function. I was wondering if this was a sensible or mad suggestion for the skerry?

The one time I was swamped (pilot error) the boat did sit very low in the water and a certain amount of bailing was required BEFORE I could get back on board. I ma not certain that it would have been possible to get back underway with the boat semi swamped in order for any self-bailer to work, but the idea is intriguing...particularly for longer, soggier passages, if not for empting the boat after a ditching...

Cheers

Andy

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Built a Skerry!

Selkie

Member

Registered: 9 Sep 2016

Posts: 3

Re: Self bailers

I have used this bailer on my on sea-kayak and it works well. I also have bailers on my surfskis. IMO some form of self-draining is important. You are more stable once underway. Sitting in conditions that flipped you and wallowing in a flooded cockpit whilst pumping out never seemed right to me. To many rely on assisted rescues.

Last edited by Selkie (4 Aug 2017 11:33 am)

wilddog

Member

From: Devon

Registered: 22 Dec 2013

Posts: 143

Re: Self bailers

Interesting...but can I pluck up the courage to cut a hole in the hull off the boat...?

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Built a Skerry!