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IN my 2009 Mac M... I have a sink. Where does the water drain out after going down? I noticed the small hole low on the stern? Is that where the sink drains out? Also is that the bildge? Why so low? What happens to water that enters this hole? How important is it to get a bildge pump?
Lots of questions... This is my first boat with a cabin so I am new to this.
Finally sailed my new mac yesterday in beautiful weather here in Washington DC. Sailed great!
thanks,
-Tom

The small hole at the stern is for draining the anchor locker. If you look carefully under the sink, you must also notice a hole on your port side. You need a hose that leads from the sink to that little hole. It may be disconnected. Don't worrry about outside water backing up through your sink. By the time it does( if it ever does) , your boat will be so low and will be sinking so badly that you will have other priotities. God forbid.
A bilge pump comes in handy if the hose gets disconnected, or if you collect some water in the bilge (it often happens regardless of the sink hose). You might want to get a manual one, or a mobile one that can be moved from under the sink to under the table. The bilge is larger than what you see under the sink--and compartmentalized. An old towel and a bucket will also work in a pinch. You could toss the bilge water into the sink. But you will have to fix the sink hose first for optimal results

March wrote:The small hole at the stern is for draining the anchor locker.

Huh? Small hole at the bow, perhaps, but not stern, I don't think.

Whoops - - - some incorrect info on THIS site????

The anchor locker drain is on the STARBOARD side of the bow underneath the locker.

That hole in the stern, port side, IS the sink drain - - - there is a hose that goes from the sink back along the port side underneath the aft berth. Fill the sink and drain it and you'll see the water flow. I have never had any water back up into the sink, and I used my boat more than most people.

The cockpit drain is next to the ballast valve - - - and that tends to clog once in a while - - - there are many solutions to that, both preventative and to unclog (do a search - Cockpit Drain). I don't recommend flushing that from the stern inwards for fear of separating the hose - - - I flush it from the top of the drain and out the back from the motor well.

I'm glad your sailing went well. Have fun - - be careful.

Rick

Even I know that (now) since I now know that the compartment on the bow isn't the chain locker DOH! I did put a plug in the anchor locker thinking the water was draining into my bilge Now I know better But why do they call them chain lockers OK, Not sure how I mixed up chain locker with chain plate but I got my mind right now boss Anchor locker/chain locker no dif. But not the chain plates where the water comes in. Thank you edit button.

SkiDeep2001 wrote: But why do they call them chain lockers

Ahhh - - - because they hold the chain attached to your anchor

Anyway, on a Mac, I (and I think most) call it the anchor locker

Rick

March has an X.
Thru hulls are one of the differences.
The thru hull at the port side stern drains the engine well and the sink via an inline "tee".
The anchor locker drains from the stbd bow much above the waterline.

Anchor/chain locker.
I'd guess it depends on what kind of rode you use.
Most folks go with the lenght of their boat in chain then three strand nylon for the rest.

It really depends on your local bottom /surface/weather conditions.
Ask some local salts to get their hard earned experience.

Congrats on your first sail.

No,no,,no, I mean why do they call the port/strbd midship mast line attachments chain lockers or am I confused You know those metal plates that move and let water in? Sure glad you can edit these post. I'm no longer conger chain PLATE not chain LOCKER. Brain on fritz

I think that you mean "Chainplate", where the shrouds and stays attach.

~Rich

OK, thanks. Last question on this subject(beat it to death already) I've never seen a mast attached with chains so is this just one of those weird seafaring terms or what? Anybody know where the term originated? (chainplate Thanks Rich). I'm sorry but if I'm going to pretend to be a know it all in the future this would be a good nugget of info

On my 2005 26M the combined sink/motor well drain on the port side kept clogging up. I just installed a dedicated 1"
drain on the STB side of the transom for the motor well. I don't use the sink enough to worry about it at this point.
Anyone else out in Mac-land having the same problem?
BTW- the original hoses are siliconed and clamped to the through-hull fitting.

SkiDeep2001 wrote:...I've never seen a mast attached with chains so is this just one of those weird seafaring terms or what? Anybody know where the term originated? (chainplate Thanks Rich).

"Chain plates" originated with ancient middle eastern sailing vessels, in particular those which were built in what is now the land of Israel. That particular type of Israeli sailing vessel had two long, thin leather straps to hold down and reinforce the mast, which were attached at the top of the mast and came all the way down to either sides of the craft and attached to reinforced plates on the side of the boat. These were added to prevent the mast from collapsing, since without them many times men were injured or killed by the heavy falling mast. These lines became called 'life' lines since they saved so many sailor's lives, and were called by their Hebrew name, 'Chaim' (חַיִּים‎ or "ḥayīm") which literally means 'life'. Over time this has been modified by usage to become 'chain' and hence the name 'chain plates'.



(And if you really believed this story I have some nifty lakefront property for you in the Nevada desert!)

Now I know Thanks KM

EasyLuckyFree wrote:How important is it to get a bildge pump?

Tom,

Didn't see many answers to this. It has been discussed several times in other posts. Try a search on "bilge pump".

However, I don't have one. Never had any water in my bilges. No thru-hulls below the water line. Hitting a floating board or a submerged rock or something is a possibility and I could spring a leak that way. Probably need a pretty big pump to handle the water flow from a big hole...but even a small pump could buy you some time. A smaller hole I will attempt to plug with whatever I got and bail with a bucket and a handheld bicycle style bilge pump...and motor to the beach. If I get a big hole now I will test that video clip where the boat doesn't sink with 5 people standing on it. Of course, I don't sail "off shore" either.

But many are more "cautious" than I so read those other threads and decide how much risk you are willing to take versus the time/money to install pump. If I ever get to live with my boat again I may do this if it is not too difficult.

Cheers,
Jim

Are you not required by law in your area to have a bilge pump of some sort with a min. capacity requirment ! I know in Canada we do for coastal & lake boating

J