2006 Fiesta Vee 250 Mid-Bilge / forward bilge?

DonMont1972 · September 2017

Hello all... I'm 2 month into owning this wonderful boat and have some questions that no one seems able to answer. First is do I have a mid-cabin bilge? I don't mean the sealed unit under the stairs that the cabin sinks and bathroom floor drain into. I mean an actual mid-bilge. I ask because I live outside of Buffalo, NY and am worried about freezing issues. I have seen a dark brown nasty sludgy type water come out of my top right side through drain when running my bilge pump manually but only twice. So this has led me to believe that maybe there is another bilge pump mid-cabin but I am unable to find it or access to it. Rinker has been less then helpful with schemantics, actual manuals or any sort of real information that will help me. 2nd question-- I bent the anchor guide this weekend as it got snagged on something really well. Do they simply unscrew with those 3 big screws or do I need to worry about a backing plate underneath that will fall if I unscrew that to try and fix the bend? Thanks for all the help and please forgive my ignorance or lack of nautical terms as I am new to owning this style or size of boat. Thanks again...

DonMont1972 · September 2017

OK, by mid-bilge maybe I actually mean forward bilge. Whatever the proper nomenclature is I think I have one but can't seem to find it.

aero3113 · September 2017

I have a 242, and it only has an aft and mid bilge pump. I would think yours would be the same, but I could be wrong.

Ian · September 2017

In my 310 there is one under the aft berth cushions, accessible via a drop in hatch and it pumps out through a starboard side through hull. I have seen this referred to as forward and mid although it's not as forward nor mid as the adjective suggests!

Re question 2, ours too at one point had been "adjusted mechanically" and I got it back onto shape by careful use of adjustable wrenches and grips padded by rags or toweling in the jaws. Allows you to bend things back to shape or alignment while securely mounted and not damage the metalwork.

duane.mosley · September 2017

i have an 06 250 and there is the mid bilge pump under the steps and the one in the main bilge under the engine. that is it for my model that i have found and i have been all over this boat. as for the pulpit. if your is like mine, i was able to just bend it back in place. year of your boat and a picture of your pulpit will help determine a better answer to your question.

DonMont1972 · September 2017

So as requested, I am attaching some photos of my pulpit. I am thinking that I can throw a racket strap around the pulpit and the trailer, back at the point it mates with the tip of the bow and then attempt to mechanically adjust it upwards, careful not to scratch the metal with the tools I use. As far as what year I have, it is a 2006 Fiesta Vee 250 and I do think I have a forward bilge as I have seen brown sludge come out the my starboard through hull, but only 2-3 times. I

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020499/uploads/editor/db/gjg3fdv8vubz.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020499/uploads/editor/21/ocduxl1wp98r.jpg

looked up front but I will go look again now

DonMont1972 · September 2017

Duane, You have a beautiful boat, I love the blue gel coat. Now as far as the forward pump, I'm just concerned about the brown water that came out of my top starboard though hole. The middle one is for my AC and not sure what the bottom one is doing but I am fearful of freeze. I'm going to take it a few hours away to an actual Rinker dealer and see what they have to say. Let me know what you think about the pulpit....

[Deleted User] · September 2017

Also 06 FV250 owner here. As Duane said, aft bilge pump under engine sump, midships pump is under white plastic hatch under the stairs. That pump is also the shower sump pump and will only kick in if the shower sump fills with water. You can access the forward bilge somewhat by lifting the v-berth side cushions. Under there is storage space and should remain dry because the aft pump should handle all water ingress unless there's a breech in the forward hull, God forbid. There's no pump in that location.

I replaced my shower sump pump even though the old one was working, and I have kept that old pump as a portable ancillary backup. The 12v power cord has a cigarette lighter plug on it for fast deployment if necessary.

Andy

duane.mosley · September 2017

DonMont1972 said:

Duane, You have a beautiful boat, I love the blue gel coat. Now as far as the forward pump, I'm just concerned about the brown water that came out of my top starboard though hole. The middle one is for my AC and not sure what the bottom one is doing but I am fearful of freeze. I'm going to take it a few hours away to an actual Rinker dealer and see what they have to say. Let me know what you think about the pulpit....

thanks,

DonMont1972 · November 2017

AndyD--- I did finally locate a forward or mid bilge pump. It is under the the stairs in that hatch, and underneath the box that holds the the pump that pumps your shower and cabin sinks. I actually slid my phone down next to and then underneath that box and took a picture. I have attached it here.