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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!wjh12!biomed!lagasse
From: lagasse@biomed.UUCP (Robert C. Lagasse)
Newsgroups: net.rec.boat
Subject: "s e l f   b a i l i n g "
Message-ID: <87@biomed.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 10-Jul-85 15:27:30 EDT
Article-I.D.: biomed.87
Posted: Wed Jul 10 15:27:30 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 16-Jul-85 07:16:01 EDT
Organization: Mass. Gen. Hosp. - Dept. Biomed. Engineering
Lines: 29


          I don't want to start an arguement, but, what do you think is the
TRUE meaning of a self- bailing cockpit or bilge??  Does it mean:

A).  If I pull out the drain plugs on my 18 foot sailboat or powerboat or
whatever, the cockpit will fill with water to a certain level, and , once
the water level equalizes , and the freeboard is hopefully not compromised
too much (it should not be if the boat is of decent construction; the boat
should only sit in the water a couple of inches lower), all water flow
should stop.  Now, if I add one gallon of water to the inside of the boat,
one gallon of water should flow out of the drain plugs into the sea.  And,
if I pull out the plugs at the end of a weekend, and leave the boat at a
mooring for a week, and during the week, it rains, the same number of
rainwater gallons that enter the boat should also come out the drain plugs.
Hence, the term self-bailing.

             ---------- O R ----------

B).  If the boat fills with water for whatever reason ( 10 wet waterskiers
climb aboard, or, 369 bluefish puke-up water into my bilge) , I just start
the engine, or raise the sails, get going at a good clip, and pull the drain
plugs.  Whatever water is in the bilge will be sucked into the ocean by the
magic of suction.

       Well, which is it??

(I hope this does not end up in net.flame)

Bobby L @ MGH