Dinghy self bailers have considerable advantages and disadvantages. And these are different for different boat usage and different boat performance and behaviours. We have fitting tips below.
From Joost Engelen: Today I had a great opportunity to test the Venturi dinghy self bailer that I installed at the end of last season (but did not manage to test yet) with 15 knots of wind gusting to 22+ knots.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Self Bailers are different for Racing and Cruising.
- For Racing dinghies that don’t self drain, then are almost mandatory. BUT that is not true for other use patterns
- Dinghy Self Bailers will remove water from the boat if spray does come aboard. if spray doesn’t come aboard then maybe not such a useful solution.
- Self bailers ALWAYS leak after a few weeks or months this can be annoying for boat used for a cruising role. The reason for this is that cruising and RAID dinghies may be landed on sand, dragged across mud and have muddy water aboard the boat which wears out the gaskets pretty quickly.
- Some boats just do not collect any spray.
- Dinghy Self bailers can help remove water after capsize if the boat can be sailed fast enough.
Sailing experience on two different boats Defines the advantages and Disadvantages of Self Bailers
1/ Viola Sailing Canoe, benefit for the Way Joost Uses the Boat.
The Viola Sailing Canoe is low to the water so cost/benefit analysis works out well – The Viola has an open bow with no foredeck. Joost writes that “Interestingly there is almost no water that comes in over the low bow. It comes from the spray pushed out and up and blows in over the side decks”
The Viola is going to kick up spray … so it makes sense to remove it as fast as it arrives!
Joost notes that the spray comes in when the chop is short and sharp. There is not problem is more widely spaced and regular waves.
It also is a boat that gets used a lot for thrill, day sailing and competing in RAID type events. if more cruising oriented it may be worth eliminating the bailer so the boat can be dry in light to medium winds as bailers do develop small leaks.
Joost writes
“First sailing this season with the Viola 14 sailing canoe.“
“The bailer is working great. I know that some people are considering decking the front of the Viola 14. In my opinion, this does not add much value since the spray does not come in over the bow but rather over the luff side of the boat just aft of the mast partner (so in the cockpit area).“
“The wind simply blows some spray in the boat that is deflected by the sides. The bailer was installed just forward of the aft link frame in the boat. Should have installed one much earlier.“
“So the boat is actually less wet in higher waves that are less steep. Also what I have noted is that it is really blown into the boat (so deflected first to the sides until the wind gets a hold of it on the windward side). Below a photo made last year which shows that the spray is pushed to to sides well aft of the open bow.“
“On the lee side nothing happens since the water is blown away by the wind. On the windward side, some spray does get blown in“
2/ Goat Island Skiff, Why a Big disadvantage and small advantage?
It is very typical with the Goat Island Skiff that the only water that will be seen inside the boat in a day’s sailing is what came in on the sailor’s legs. Mop that up and the boat will be dry all day.
Also many Goat Island skiffs are used for multi day expect, carrying gear etc. If the conditions are light and moderate the GIS will not be travelling fast enough for a dinghy self bailer to even get rid of the water that comes in via the bailer itself. There may be value in a dry boat.
The higher sides of the Goat Island Skiff with its large freeboard. And the spray pattern is not problematic. Flat bottom boats it doesn’t get much water coming from spray. Even a fast flat bottom boat just doesn’t kick much spray upwards. Just outwards and low to the water if if much at all.
Joost also has a Goat Island Skiff. He Writes:
“I have never missed a permanent bailer on my GIS in having owned the boat for more than 10 years.”
“With the Viola a very different story. In a blow it really adds much value. I recommend Viola 14 owners/builders to install one from the beginning. The location forward of the aft link frame works very well.“
Checklist to see if a Dinghy Self Bailer has value for your Boat
These are questions that can often only be answered after using a boat for a while.
Self Bailers are designed to be fitted to finished boats. So use the boat for a while before deciding where to put the bailer.
- is it valuable to you to have a completely dry boat for a day’s sailing? Some boats will stay dry all day. Others won’t.
- How much spray will your boat kick up? Boats with rounded bottoms and conventional vee bows kick spray up into the air. Then it can blow aboard from the windward side. Flat Bottom boats will not unless they have a very wide bottom panel at the bow.
- is your boat fast enough to get a self bailer working? Need to see speeds of 5 or 6 knots
- If looking for assistance in capsize recovery how fast can the boat go with its normal load of post capsize water
- Where is the safest location where the bailer won’t cut your feet or stub your toes.
Discussion Link for Self Bailers in Sailing Dinghies
Ask questions or discuss on the Facebook Group.
Hints for Choosing and Fitting Dinghy Self Bailers
Biggest hint here is that some venturi effect self bailers have replaceable seals. So if they start leaking, as they most certainly will, then can replace the seals.
As far as location goes, there is nothing like experience to know where the water ACTUALLY collects. Go sailing or ask someone with the same type of boat. Older hull designs tend to go very bow up when going faster, Modern boats stay more level.
The outside of the bailer needs to be flush with the hull surface. That is why there are several rubber gaskets that go underneath the internal lip of the bailer.
Bolt the bailer in and seal the holes and cutout with epoxy or varnish before bolting if a timber or Foam core boat.
Foam core boats may need some core replaced with something harder or may have a recommended position that is already reinforced.
If your boat has floorboards it is normal to remove part of one floorboard above the dinghy self bailer.
Don’t use silicone sealant on a boat which needs to be painted or varnished. Polyurethane sealers are much better (Sikaflex etc)
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