Self Bailer

[MediumMike]

Greetings all,

I am in the process of re-fitting a 1976 Daysailer 2. I have removed the corroded DePersia Bailer and I'm wondering if anyone has reinstalled an Elvstrom Mini bailer, rather than the new plastic DePerisa. Are there in pros or cons with this change.

thank you

Cheers

[GreenLake]

Mike, bailers have been discussed a few times here. Luckily it's easy to search for the single word "bailer", even with the pitiful forum-internal search (upper right). You may have to go back a bit to see whether someone addressed how well they work instead of simply how to fix an existent one.

[Mackrelman]

Mike , I'm about at the same stage as you of "reincarnating' a vintage DS11 from 1978.
I cannot see how the Evstrom could work. The DePersia has a neck long enough to drain the cockpit well in the aft end of the cockpit. The neck runs completely thru the floatation chamber (bilge) which is under the cockpit floor and is intended to have a nut on it. In my hull that flotation chamber is drained by an external screw in plug and socket at the low point of the transom.
For reference my DePersia is so corroded the the nut is completely gone however the unit is calked in place and working. I still have the origional cap with the (4) holes in it that can be used to keep water from entering the cockpit when at anchor or sailing slowly. I use a wine cork instead of the cap.

My hull also has a drain thru the transom about 8" high. I sail with the plug in and leave it out when on a trailer. I am yet to test what would happen if the cockpit filled high enough for that drain to work when in the water.
Hope this helps

[daysailingDFW]

I need to research this as well since the previous owner of my project DSII apparently removed the entire bailer mechanism and it was never replaced/repaired.

[GreenLake]

If you have a bailer that is intended for a single hull, you may be able to create a "well" for it to operate. That would require cutting / widening a hole in the cockpit floor, and then glassing in some "walls" that connect hull and cockpit floor. The bailer can then sit at the bottom of the well. Or you could replace yours like for like.

[MediumMike]

Thanks everyone for the replies. The one I removed was very corroded, there was no nut holding it on. I’ve placed an order for one of the new plastic ones with D&R. Unfortunately it’s on back order. I was trying to find an option that didn’t have something protruding on the bottom side. We have many beachable islands around here and feel the plastic bailer could be damaged easily. Maybe glass in some sort of protection on both sides of the bailer (stainless strip / rod, fiberglass skegs)
I’m open for suggestions and ideas.

Cheers everyone.

[GreenLake]

Sure you could somehow rig a SS cowl to go over that bailer or laminate over it. But I seriously wonder what that kind of bailer does for drag compared to an Elvstrom (that sits flat when closed).

[MediumMike]

GreenLake I agree with you about the Elvstrom sitting flat with less drag. I need to take some measurements to see if I can fit one in the stern area of or 76 DSII. We had an Elvstrom or a similar product on our 94 SLI which work very well although it was mounted inline towards the forward area of the centerboard trunk. If the hull thickness will accommodate the Elvstrom that will be the direction I will go. The cut out required for installation of the Elvstrom mini isn’t much larger than the 1 3/8 “ hole that is all ready in the boat, I think the limiting factor maybe the hull thickness.

Thank you for your thoughts.

[GreenLake]

What's the hull thickness issue? And how does it affect a bailer?

I've been reading up on them and there seem to be two kinds, internal and external gasket ones. Does that make a difference?

Also, it would seem trivial task to add a patch on the inside of the hull to add thickness for mounting. Is there anything else that's the issue?

[jalmeida51]

Years ago I had a Point Jude. It was hard chine, 16 feet. That had 2 bailers installed in it from the builder. The bailers worked great. If I remember it had the external bailers. The only problem I had with the bailers was the rubber gasket had to be replaced. You can buy a rebuild kit. I believe Elvstrom was sold to Anderson Winches and Anderson was sold to Ronstan. Go online to Ronstan and you can get the spec sheet on the bailers, there are several types and sizes. I don't know why the Point Jude had 2 bailers? Would a daysailer need 2? I would call Ronstan up in R.I. and pick their brains.

[MediumMike]

GreenLake the hull thickness is about one inch. (I will double check that measurement tomorrow). I am looking at the inner mounted bailer. I believe it’s called a Super Mini. I will only install one, enlarging the existing 1 3/8” hole. After thinking about this project I don’t think the hull thickness would limit the working operation at all. If a leveling or build up patch is needed that does seem easy enough to accomplish. I’m probably over-thinking this task. I found a template for the cut out on line.

Jalmedia51, Thank you for your suggestion to reach out to Anderson / Ronstan

Cheers

[GreenLake]

OK. If you can, post some pictures when you're done.

[Tipster1]

Greetings all,

I am in the process of re-fitting a 1976 Daysailer 2. I have removed the corroded DePersia Bailer and I'm wondering if anyone has reinstalled an Elvstrom Mini bailer, rather than the new plastic DePerisa. Are there in pros or cons with this change.

thank you

Cheers

I am also considering replacing very corroded, tempermental OEM self bailer on 1975 DSII. What have you learned or done so far?

[daysailingDFW]

I gave up on finding parts for my shattered self bailer. Everywhere online is out of stock. So I just put a basic plastic transom plug kit in there for now so I can at least get on the water.

[GreenLake]

Way to go!