winter sib modifications

[kaman]

It's been a long wet and dreary and windy winter.
My Sib has been patiently poised under cover on my driveway awaiting it's first dip of 2016.

Yes I know some on here have been going out all winter but I've got my winter pursuits to keep me busy (shooting and walking).

I find other activities more enjoyable than freezing my nads off in a Sib during the winter months.

Other than installing a fixed VHF radio I've started to set about installing a manual bilge pump to my transom to drain the water from under the aluminium floor (inspired by nuts and bolts of The Gurnard ).
This pump will serve to drain away water after washing out as well as whilst I am aboard during sibbing jollies.

Not being keen on drilling yet more holes in my transom I've decided to attach the pump to the existing wooden mounting boards see pic.
This board is held on the transom with the factory fitted eyebolt (bolt permanently sikaflexed and bolted in position)- I have widened the starboard mounting board by 3 inches to accomodate the pump next to the sib tube.
The one eye bolt holds my duct tape wrapped wooden board solidly to the transom - the bottom of the board sits tight against the aluminium transom runner which holds the aluminium floor in place - this stops the mounting board from rotating side to side whilst the eye bolt clamps it against the transom.

The fishing rod holder (pictured) will be moved towards the centre of the sib by a few inches.
Got to finalise things once I get the outboard engine out of the garage and on the transom for its oil change.
I will post up pics once the job is complete.

Maybe then all this waffle will make sense .

[Stray]

Looking good, I've got a couple of those rod holders that I want to attach to the F-rib, preferably without screwing into the transom. I'll have to get my thinking cap on.

[kaman]

Finally got around to fitting my manual bilge pump.
I had to modify the suction end to take a smaller pipe which goes under the aluminium floor.
It's a powerful old beast and as someone famously said in a movie "Could suck a golf ball through a garden hose"!

Mounted to removable transom block

The block mounts to the transom via the M12 stainless eyebolt.

[kaman]

Transom block mounted

[kaman]

As can be seen from the pics the drain plug is around 20 - 25mm from the bottom of the Sib floor.
The bilge pump will serve two purposes.

1 Pumping water out of the sib whilst underway on the water (water always runs to the rear when sib is moving - hence accumulates at transom under the floor where pump siphon is situated )

2 Pumping out the remaining water from under the floor after a wash down.

Cheap and cheerful mod and best of all no more drill holes in the transom.

[Paul]

Nice mod mate and very beneficial to those with ally and inflatable floors/hulls
I think I'm going to 'nick' your mounting solution to the transom with use of 'wing nuts' so I'll be able to position the pump for transportation and when it's needed just dismount it to bail water from the 3 hull sections of the F-Rib.

[Andy B]

I'm sure I've got a bulge pump like that somewhere in my magic Box'O'Bits...

[Paul]

First 'dibs' here.......but won't you be wanting it for yourself Andy

[Andy B]

First 'dibs' here.......but won't you be wanting it for yourself Andy

Sorry, yes I will.
Unless I can get mosses to christen then boat for me

[kaman]

Nice mod mate and very beneficial to those with ally and inflatable floors/hulls
I think I'm going to 'nick' your mounting solution to the transom with use of 'wing nuts' so I'll be able to position the pump for transportation and when it's needed just dismount it to bail water from the 3 hull sections of the F-Rib.

Hi Paul I got the idea of the pump from the Nuts and bolts of The Gurnard thread - just incorporated it to my existing fishing rod holders which are going strong after 5 years of use.
I had been using a little oil syphon pump tie wrapped to the existing fishing rod holder mount (5 quid ebay) - it was crud but did the job - eventually.
After wearing out 3 in 2 years I decided to splash out and buy a bigger more durable pump as linked to in Gurnard's thread.
It really does suck well and bail the water like a champ

In fact if you reverse it Andy you could use it to blow up and repair some of the worn out appliances from your box o tricks