Whilst scrabbling about under the cockpit floor laying insulation, I took this photo.

It's taken looking towards the stern, underneath the rear seating over the shaft tunnel.  What's the green pipe in front of the rudder?

On mine, that goes to the engine. It's the Water inlet pipe.

Where does that green pipe end up then??

No the water inlet (ie the raw water cooling inlet is another seacock and hose - which we have just replaced. This one - now that we see it so plainly is a real mystery - where does it go to Brian. Come on there is a few more  minutes of light, get out there on the Fens and investigate man!

Aha!

Perhaps it's a no-longer-used pipe for a bilge pump?

Pipe left on, but tied up to keep it safe and tidy.


Only other possibility is perhaps it's the seacock you use when the engine goes bang, and your insurance claim beckons....

Hi guys,with reference to the pipe???could it be a naughty bit of plumbing that a person or persons unknown fixed to the holding tank of the heads to discharge waste as close to the propeller as possible to cover up the discharge??????.
Have you followed the pipe yet BrianJ??? can't wait to hear the answer to the mystery

Jesse  

No i've not got one of then. I'm jealous now

But seriously, doubt its a bilge pump outlet for sure. Wouldn't go through the bottom of the hull.
Looking at it, its not very old as the connector and stop cock look fairly newish, which flies in the face of the next paragraph.

Unless it was the original sea cock and a previous owner moved it to where it is now, perhaps on the recommendations of a surveyor due to its dodgy location near the rudder and prop.

Or maybe its the inlet to fill an onboard swimming pool!    

--Last edited by flashheart on 2008-07-10 09:43:05 --

I haven't yet seen where the pipe goes because that would mean squeezing my head into places heads were not meant to go!

Speaking of heads... Yes, I suppose that it could be a secret heads disposal point.  We've got a PortaPotti system at the moment and I think that that was definitely in service when the mystery green pipe was put in.  How can I tell?  Well, the pipe is exactly the same as (a) the pipe on the raw water inlet pump and (b) some bits of pipe which have been split and then used as anti-rubbing devices where the exhaust hose goes over some potentially sharp edges on its way out off the engine bay.

SO if this mystery pipe was put in at the same time as that other pipe, it means that it was very likely put in by the same guy.  And that would be the one who installed the marinised diesel engine --  Jim -- who was the owner before (and friend of) the ones we bought Nimue from.

But I don't think Jim would have removed a sea-toilet system to install a PortaPotti, would he?  And if there was a sea-toilet system in at one time, wouldn't there also have been pump-out points somewhere on the outside decking?  Or do sea-toilets not need a fixed outlet point on the outer surface of the hull?

And -- speaking delicately here! -- doesn't that pipe have somewhat of a narrow bore for a covert sea-toilet system?  

Bilge pump?  Why isn't it straight out of the side?  I would have thought that any opening in the hull has to have a really good reason for being below the waterline, and a bilge pump exit wouldn't count.  Plus, of course, if the boat starts to sink, as soon as the internal water level gets up to the top of the shaft tunnel, the bilge pump would stop working!

I like the old sea-cock idea, though.  That's a possibilty.  Although... why leave a great length of hose on there?  Why not close the valve and put a notice on it saying "Open This For A Laugh!"

No, I'll have to get my mirror-onna-stick and see exactly where the pipe ends. At the moment, looking at the bolts sticking through to the inside and following the curve as it starts to bend, it seems to end just about where the rear starboard air-vent is located.



A puzzle, eh?  

--Last edited by brianlj on 2008-07-10 10:34:10 --

Suppose if it was the old seacock and when shut off for good they just left the pipe stuck up the back out of the way.

Would you like to go down there to shut it off at the end of every cruise?  I certainly wouldn't. Thats why its much more convenient next to the engine.

But I see a clamp holding the pipe to the rear of the boat so all of the above may be wrong.

Wouldn't be the first time. Ask the Missus!!    

--Last edited by flashheart on 2008-07-10 12:35:55 --

Okay.

I crawled in on my back and I saw where it went and...

It connects directly with the side of the boat just forward of the upper rear quarter starboard bumper:



It looks (this photo was taken from many feet away) as though it's been sealed off for some reason.

Most odd.

Ah, the 'Prop bypass pipe'  

I reckon you're right -- it's a 'Prop bypass pipe'!

I think it must be a prototype jet propulsion unit,sucks and blows!!!! we should all have one of them!!
Jesse

Hmm, maybe a Jacuzzi. I see you have a bathing platform.
Shove err into gear, turn on the tap, it sucks air into the prop.
Thus giving a nice bubbly wash whilst bathing off the platform.

Well Brian, the only way we are going to find out what it does is to open that seacock and go for a run, and see where we end up!

Don't leave it open, you'll flood the river!  

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Flashheart wrote : it sucks air into the prop. Thus giving a nice bubbly wash whilst bathing off the platform.

I've just re-read this and d'yknow... I think that that's exactly what would happen.  The hole over the prop is in an area of fast-moving water flow -- and that's low pressure.  It would suck air in!

Well, it would if the inlet wasn't bunged up.

I think we'll have to un-bung it and see what happens.

Quote :

I think we'll have to un-bung it and see what happens

and which mug will be at the helm and taking full Captain's responsibilities when we do so I wonder!

Quote :

and which mug will be at the helm and taking full Captain's responsibilities when we do so I wonder!

Well, it depends on who can get underneath the floor and their hand on that inlet valve the fastest.

The one who's slowest has to be captain!