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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Zircon electronic leak detector

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/23/2010 : 09:51:44

I'm not sure how useful this would be on our boats, but thought folks might like to know about it: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002Q8GRPG?tag=slickdeals

David
C-250 Mainsheet Editor

Sirius Lepak
1997 C-250 WK TR #271 --Seattle area Port Captain --

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2010 : 10:47:45

"This one ... beeps out an S-O-S distress signal in Morse code when its external metal contact strips become wet." From the Amazon website

I'm not sure how that would go over in a quiet marina at 2 in the morning.

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5371 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2010 : 16:02:16

I use one in my basement for my hot water heater. It started to corrode a few years ago and a bit of water leaked out. The beeper started going off, and my wife asked - what's that noise?

I ran down the cellar to see a few gallons of water on the floor - not 6" of water. Saved a lot of our stuff in the basement.

On the boat? Probably limited usefulness. If she were sinking mid week, I think I'd find her on the bottom by Saturday, or when the marina called!

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2010 : 16:37:40

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">On the boat? Probably limited usefulness. If she were sinking mid week, I think I'd find her on the bottom by Saturday, or when the marina called!<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hah, that's why I installed a 2000 GPM bilge pump on SL. I've told my marina manager that if he ever sees my boat pumping overboard he has my permission to break in to see what's going on. It's a 40 minute drive with no traffic to get to the marina, I'd rather have to fix a hatch than raise a boat.

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3462 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2010 : 04:36:39

I recently bought 2 similar type leak detectors for use in my house - One to be placed in the basement next to the water heater and furnace. The other to be placed in the laundry room. But up to now, I have them sitting in my bedroom still wrapped in plastic...serving no purpose at all. So...thanks for the posting...I have got to put them into action this weekend !

My thought is that while installing these are simple enough for onboard the boat, I am not sure how useful they would be since 90%of the time or more, I am not at the boat to hear it and take action. I guess it is possible someone may hear it down at the marina. My thought is if I were to really address potential water leaks, I would install a auto-bilge pump similar to what David mentioned. But I do not pay for the elctricity at the slip and my solar panel probably would not keep the battery charged if the bilge pump was pumping big time. As David indicated, the hope would be that someone would call me so I could get down and address the leak. The leak detector, I guess could work in the same way. Just that the bilge pump really does give you protection...until the battery runs down. Then again, many have shore based electric and....I guess one could justify paying for the electric just as a safety protection to maintain operation of a bilge pump. There are many motorboats at my marina and most do pay for the electric. At my marina, they would want for my size boat - $20/month for the electric.

Edited by - OLarryR on 02/26/2010 04:38:14

John Russell
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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2010 : 07:20:41

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by OLarryR I would install a auto-bilge pump similar to what David mentioned. But I do not pay for the elctricity at the slip and my solar panel probably would not keep the battery charged if the bilge pump was pumping big time. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I don't know, but I'd guess that if your bilge pump is pumping big time, charging your batteries might be the least of your problems.

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3462 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2010 : 10:09:11

John - So True !! Then I might as well bring my camera along and then i could submit the photo for next issue of the Boat US Safety lessons - Boat sunk at pier !

Last winter, I recall walking down the dock toward my boat and I came across the mgr of the marina. he showed me a boat that was starting to sink at the pier. He noticed the list and was investigating. We took a look and this motorboat had a pipe that cracked in the engine compartment. The seacock was left open !! The blge pump was not quite keeping up with the water flow. The mgr shut the seacock and that resolved the initial concern. then he weas going to call the owner.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2010 : 10:40:23

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I don't know, but I'd guess that if your bilge pump is pumping big time, charging your batteries might be the least of your problems<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I figure as soon as the bilge pump goes on, it's a losing game against battery charge vs inflow rate vs charge rate. As soon as the sun goes down, game over. I don't have a battery charger connected to our (free) electricity at the dock, so it's just my two deep cycle batteries against the onrushing tide. That's why I've told my marina manager to break in if necessary, so they can get dewatering pumps onto the boat to try to keep it afloat.

Hopefully this never happens, and thus far our bilge is always dry, but you never know.

However, I have first hand experience in how it can happen. My San Juan 21 came near to sinking because the cockpit drains were plugged with tree debris & algae. Huge rainstorm (actually fairly uncommon in Seattle area, it usually just mists heavily), cockpit filled up, overflowed into the lazarette, which filled up (which actually helped because it tilted the boat away from the step over at the front of the cockpit), but eventually it overtopped the cockpit and cascaded into the cabin, which is when the marina manager discovered it. He called me, and pumped out the cockpit to reduce the load, but he couldn't get into the lazarette or cabin because they were both locked. We managed to suck a sponge into his pump which necessitated it being broken down to remove, but fortunately I had a smaller little Jacuzzi pump which dewatered the boat in reasonably short order. I had no bilge pumps at all on that boat, not even a manual pump, or a battery for that matter. I had a hand pump, but it would have taken forever to dewater the boat with that, although it would have been possible. Whoever designed the deck drains on the SJ 21 should be shot, they were tiny, completely inadequate to the job.

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