Bought Hull 283 ; could use a little info please

fdonovan50 · **Joined:** 11 Jul 2011 17:12 **Posts:** 2

Hi, just bought this boat...need to get it out of the yard this week...
Can anyone pls take the time to tell me how the bilge pump works; is it involved with the sump/ The manual is very thin on onfo. Thanks much

Tortuga's Lie · **Joined:** 27 Oct 2006 10:32 **Posts:** 827

Congratulations on your new Tartan!
At the current age of our boats, it is unlikely that you have an original bilge pump, But I guess it's poosible. Anyway, I believe those original pumps used a remote sensor that is located behind the aft setee compartment on the port side, just forward of the nav stqation. This sensor uses air to activate the switch when the water level in the bilge rises, the air in a tube compresses enough to activate this switch. I am not sure how reliable this set up was, I tore mine out when I first bought the boat and replaced it with a large Rule and a float switch.
You could also have an old diaphragm style pump that could be manualy switched possibly located in the engine compartment. And then there is always the manual emergency pump at the helm.
I would recommend getting a boating neighbor to take a look to get a second opinion on what your boat has.
Where are you located?

jvoelxen · **Joined:** 21 Oct 2006 15:36 **Posts:** 268

I still have the original bilge pump setup on my boat, and Tortuga's Lie is correct. The bilge pump is a diapragm pump which is located, in my boat, in the engine compartment directly aft of the aft bulkhead of the aft quarter berth. It's not real easy to get to. The pump is controlled by a 3 way switch on the electrical control panel. It's 3 positions are on-off-auto. The pump on my boat was originally hot wired directly to the starting battery, bypassing the battery switch. The pump can take suction from either of two locations: the bilge or the shower/ice box collection box loacted in the bilge about mid-way forward. You can select the source via a 2 way valve located under the aft bilge access floor panel. The auto feature of the bilge is activated as Tortuga's Lie described. There is an 'inverted wine glass' like 'sensor' in the shower/ice box collection box. The top is connected, via a flexible tube, to an absolute pressure sensor that is located in the aft storage locker of the port settee. It's the same type of device that measures water level in a washing machine. If I recall, there is an adjustment screw on it that allows you to calibrate the setpoint. Mine works very well!!!

Jim
Odyssey #191

fdonovan50 · **Joined:** 11 Jul 2011 17:12 **Posts:** 2

Thanks very much to Tortuga's Lie and jvoelxen for taking the time to get back to us; very helpfull! This boat appears pretty much original, has some issues [ eg. 3 square feet of soft deck], but should be ok for the rest of the season. Unfortunately the former owner is not able to go through the boat's systems with us, and we need to figure the basics out quickly proir to launch. Currently the boat is in Marblehead Massachusetts and will be moored behind our house in Hull Mass. Today we'll need to find the engine water intake valve, the discharge valve for the head, plus any other through hulls which could flood us. Why not illustrated in manual? We'll also need to find a Westerbeake/ engine person that can tell me why there is a small tube with fuel in it coming from the top of the engine and going into the engine pan below?! We'll also read all of the blogs on the centerboard as our doesn't want to move upward.
After 15 years between boats, we'll be back out there!

WayneH · **Posted:** 16 Jul 2011 12:46

Through Hulls.

On Hull 287 (my boat), The engine through hull is behind the stairs on the port side of the engine. My raw water line has a vent tube that drains into the boat bilge when the engine is running. I need to replace it with a true vented loop valve but haven't gotten that far down on the "To Do" list.

The head and sink through hulls (2) are under the sink cabinet. I had to massage my head TH with a hammer to get it to start moving. It's still stiff but lots better.

The Galley sink TH is under the galley sink on the port side of the cabinet.

The A/C TH is in a NEW sole hatch by the V-berth. The A/C discharge is above the water line and does not have a valve.

The sole hatch by the head hides the depth finder transducer and the knotlog transducer. Mine has a blank plug for the knotlog to keep it from fouling by installing the blank whenever you're not sailing. Be advised that switching from blank to transducer and vice versa is an EXCITING TIME!!! I can't believe how high water gushes in.

The bilge pumps are combined into one TH above the waterline at the cockpit drain on the starboard side. Access through cockpit locker.

The fuel line you describe should not be there. It should be (if I'm thinking right) connected to the fuel return to the tank. Loose hose somewhere in the engine compartment?

I hope this helps with our boats being close to the same age.

Tartan37.com

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Bought Hull 283 ; could use a little info please

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