DePersia Bailer Components

signal charlie

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Okay, how many washers should a DePersia bailer have. Inner housing? O Ring? Inner cockpit? Screw cap? And does anyone know the float ball diameter. Go!

 
All the parts are there, except for the inner seal. You're lucky to have retained the ball, which, like the interior seal, is "NLA". As discussed elsewhere on this forum, replacement balls (including cork) can be found on the Internet. As I recall, their sizes are expressed in millimeters.

When afloat—but not moving—outside water pressure floats the ball against the inner seal, which keeps most of the water from flooding backwards into the cockpit. The oval opening was designed to retain the ball*, so installation of the ball should be done from the cockpit end.
*Since the De Persia aluminum body is subject to production variables (and corrosion), oval openings can vary in size.

In the picture below, I managed to get the sun to shine down through the oval opening into the De Persia's nether regions. (You're looking down from the cockpit to view the interior). In particular, the sun has illuminated the groove that retains the seal. A regular garden hose washer can be made to fit, but it's not very supple. Attention to the chamfer can help to rectify this condition.

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The oval opening was designed to retain the ball*,
*Since the De Persia aluminum body is subject to production variables (and corrosion), oval openings can vary in size.

The DePersia corporation was known world-wide for its strict production tolerances, so it is unlikely "production variables" had any impact on the size of the opening.
 
50 cents for shipping?! Highway robbery, I'm not going to pay that, they can just keep their bailer!


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At .90, polypropylene's density says it should. But even if it didn't—as a solid polypropylene sphere—they are also made in a hollow form. (Both metric- and US-measure at link). I think you'd be safe with the solid ball.

I'm presently six hours away from my two De Persia bailers, so I'm unable to determine the proper size ball. The ball definitely can't be smaller than the opening vent—and needs to be slightly larger than the opening of whatever seal you install. To start, try testing with a ⅝-inch drill bit.

If you need more time to get the bailer to operate satisfactorily, the bailer hole can be temporarily sealed with a $5 expanding block seal of 1¼" size from NAPA stores.

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The automotive term for that item is an "expandable freeze plug". The through bolt is 5/16".

Put the large washer and adjustment nut on the cockpit side. Especially when wet, some resistance is necessary for tightening, so install it somewhat skewed, as tightening will straighten it.
 
If you can snag one of these off discarded exercise equipment, the "freeze plug fix" will be eased.
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I'm just starting to put together the '75 sunfish we just picked up. I've got the original bailer out but would like to replace the nut. Does anyone have information on what can be used as a replacement (with p/n if you have it)???
 

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