Bailer - hull turbulence?

Hi - just fitted new springs to the bailer. On replacing and screwing down the bailer, I noticed quite a bit c 2-3mm of the front lip of the bailer not sitting flush with the hull. I tried several times to refit but still couldn't get it to sit flush. Maybe it was always like that, maybe the turbulence is negligible - but any suggestions most welcome.
Thanks, Richard

Try to smooth the bump out with silicone. Just apply a small amount w/your finger.

I'm no hydrodynamicist but I'm guessing the turbulence created in your scenario is not as bad as it would be if you had no bailer at all. However, you may want to try holding it down with a silicone sealer to keep it nice and flush.

James Freedman has a handy wee article (incl. pics) on his website about this which I followed myself and now have the bailer almost perfectly flush with the hull:-->
http://jamesfreedman.org/static.php?page=static060809-000101

Good luck!

what you might consider doing is heating the bailer lightly and then bending it slightly to conform to the contour of the hull, which is what some of the guys at the sailing club were doing when repairing the bailers of their boats which belong to the junior college [like highschool] that they attend. i havent tried doing it myself.

Hi most laser bailers dont sit flush but of its not a huge gap you can always use electrical tape on it it help especially in light winds.

Bailers are a devil of a thing to align properly. There is variation in the bailer mouldings fom time to time and in the hull on different boats. when drilling to attach a 'new' bailer or even refitting a a new replacement bailer to a boat that has had one installed before, the angles sometimes don't line up'.

If installing a bailer in a boat for the firtst time suggest drilling a very fine pilot hole with the bailert taped in a flush position as a guide.

If retro fitting a replacement bailer, try a dry fix first to see if it alligns - if not, work out the missalignment problem and either try another replacement fitting or fill the existing screw hole and re-drill as if a first time installation.

Overall, if you use the replacement fitting as a guide to drilling a new screw hole, carefully monitor that it remains flush during the proces.

Fred Scrotch may have more practical advice.

I've had to tape the front of mine to make it flush. Silcone didn't really work.

Thanks everyone!

There is a little black tube underneath your bailer. The tube isn't symetric. Try to turn the tube around, so the tube won't get stuck against the bailer.

It might solve your problem.