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Forward of the water tank below decks is a pretty large space that only houses a bilge pump, being that most of the water in the bilge drains to that area I understand it may not be a great place for long term storage.

Curious if anyone has made use of that space?

I closed the limber hole at the cabin bulkhead , drain a/c to a shower sump, stays dry. Plastic storagebcontainers for tools and spares. Also cabin gets no bilge odor. Good deal.

It's a great spot for oil absorbing pillows.

I have two bilge pumps in there. And my personal opinion is that creating separate compartments with no water flow between them is not particularly safe, unless each compartment has several bilge pumps in it.

I have a plastic bin in there sitting a bit high for water flow, attached to bulkhead. I use for items that can get wet, but would prefer they didn't get wet...cleaners, scrub brushes, lunch hook and rode.

Carl pretty much what I was thinking.

Peter,
Like Mean Mike I closed the limber holes but still have a bilge pump just in case. Then I moved the batteries there after raising and flattening the floor to accommodate them. Heavy weight down low.

Your cheating Mikey you keep reading " the book". Central grounding bar keeps all grounds at O difference in potential.this is the starting point at building a no problem electrical system for your boat. Nice job!!

Mike for the first time in 10 years I have a difference in engineering view point from you.assuming your fears might be gas vapors. We will assume this discussion is diesel powered Bertram. I close all limber holes and layed up in expoxy .i have bilge pump on house battery isolated from engine battery bilge pumps and pump thru separate tru- hull .area is spotless and dry at all times but that's not my augment ; 99% chance hitting a surmerge piling with the BOW rather then stern at speeds ,the hull will take on water thru hole in bow .i would try to close hole with life ring and brace and run wot. To keep bow out of water with bilge pump running and portable a/c pump on gen, if it was a catastrophic breach I would definitely have more time to get crew in life raft rather then water running back to starter motor 12 volt battery point and the saltwater explosion that would follow leaving boat dead in the water.no matter what you do once the water hit that starter motor point it's all over so any thing I can do to buy time is going to help and don't forget fumes will vent thru open floor in back of galley. I rest my case.

Case in point navy ship stay afloat with 8' hole in side from rag head attack . Compartments are critical if done correctly.

bob lico wrote:Compartments are critical if done correctly.

That's a very big IF... One famous case of compartments done wrong was the Titanic... They didn't go up al the way to the main deck...