High water bilge alarm / strobe

LinekinBayCD · #1 (**permalink**) 06-08-2010

Last year my insurance company (ACE USA) asked ne to perform a "self survey" which consisted of copmpleting a questionaire and taking about 15-20 various pictures of the boat and its systems on a disposable camera they provided. After the information was returnes to ACE they responded with a list of "recomendations". Most were relatively minor. The two most significant were the instalation of an engine compartment fire extinguisher and a high water bilge strobe. I was thinking of adding a halotron extinguisher on my own after getting some smoke from the engine compartment due to some rubber bushing on my refrigertation compressor burning up last year, so that was OK. It was a little scary but not serious. Added a 15 lb Halotron portable extinguisher with a fire port at the front of the engine compartment.

Finding a bilge alarm strobe has been somewhat of a problem. Haven't found one. The reason it was suggested is that the boat is on a mooring in a somewhat remote area although there are a fair number of other boats around. Not sure why they recommended a strobe vs a sound alarm. I was thinking of modifying a "See-Me personal LED strobe but it may not be as easy as I thought. Any ideas or sources?

tomandchris · #2 (**permalink**) 06-08-2010

If your insurance company is recommending it they may know of a resource?

oceanscapt · #3 (**permalink**) 06-08-2010

Have you considered an anchor strobe light? It's bright, water resistant, and could be hung from the boom.

Or maybe one of those yellow vehicle strobes?

LinekinBayCD · #4 (**permalink**) 06-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomandchris

If your insurance company is recommending it they may know of a resource?

I asked them but they didn't have a specific recomendation. That's why I'm not to worried about it. I close all sea cocks when I'm away from the boat for any length of time in any case.

seawings222 · #5 (**permalink**) 07-13-2010

I keep my boat on a swinging mooring and with the amount of rain in Ireland it always worries me. This year I installed a XXXXXX on my boat. It monitors my bilge and comes with a waterproof strobe/siron. It also turns on the bilge pump automacaly and sends up to 5 sms so I know I have a problem.
While on the mooring it also monitors it's position by setting an electronic fence around my boat. If it exits the zone from theft or broken mooring I am notofied by sms and it turns on the strobe/siron to attract attention.
I am happy with the system and it works great.
Hope this helps
Cheers

rmeador · #6 (**permalink**) 07-13-2010

seawings, that XXXX thing sounds really neat, but I can't find it online. Can you provide a link? And perhaps a ballpark price?

hellosailor · #7 (**permalink**) 07-13-2010

Linekin-
A white strobe is a distress signal, a yellow strobe is more likely to be a submarine or hovercraft, so I'd stick to a white strobe. If your bilge pump has a built-in internal switch, you're simplest solution is to buy an external float switch for a bilge pump--but hook that up to the 12V power line for a mast-mounted strobe. If your bilge pump already uses an external float switch, you can easily add in a dual-pole relay and have one pole power the pump and the other power the strobe.

[A]ny of the other relatively new gizmos that sends out an SMS message to your cell phone and email, would seem more effective. More expensive and usually a monthly fee...but much better at keeping track of the boat, too.

MrFussy · #8 (**permalink**) 07-13-2010

I too have a XXXX in my boat. It cost around €500 and there is no anual fee. You just pop a sim card in it and keep it toped up with credit.You can buy it direct from their site its XXXXXX
I replaced a starter motor 2 years ago due to high water from the float switch faling and the genuine Volvo part cost me more than the XXXXXX
I would recomend and its spot on with a link to Googke maps.
MrFussy

sailingdog · #9 (**permalink**) 07-13-2010

Hmmm... two people new to the forum both touting the same product... what are the chances of that...

I'd ask both of you to clarify what, if any, relationship you have to the [product] product.

I'd point out that the spelling mistakes the two new posters make are awfully similar as well...

The fact that you need to pay a GSM cellular service plan for the [product] essentially means it has an annual fee...

dhays · #10 (**permalink**) 07-13-2010

I can't find XXXXXX, but I sure like the idea of having a txt message sent when the bilge pump activates. I quick search did find this:XXXXXX
it looks pretty cool and does more than just monitor the bilge pump.

I'd still like to find something like [edit] that would control audio and visual alarm as well as send a message. I try to close all through hulls when I leave the boat, but sometimes will forget.

Dave