Bailer

L

laser161116

New Member
My auto bailer has a few problems:
1) it doesn't close
2) the cork leaks water
3)the trailing edge is warped down (towards the water)

Do I need an entire new bailer, a repair kit, or some O-rings and a new plug. Is there any way I can fix the warp without buying a new bailer?

Thanks
 
I had a boat that's bailer didn't close either. The problem is that all it's components are internal meaning you'd have to take the whole thing off to inspect it and from there use your own judgement as to get a new one or not.
 
The reason it wont close is the O-rings have gone.
they will perish every few months so many sailors dont bother replacing them, just put up with a open bailer but jam the plug in when going slowly. I dont know a local laser with a self closing bailer. Try a new cork.
To solve the warp, a new bailer might be the only answer unless seom abrasive paper and filler does the trick.
 
well, see, i got a BRAND SPANKING NEW auto-bailer, and guess what? it leaks like there is no tommorow. i have attempted to seal it, but i don't think that it worked too well
 
i don't care much about the warp. that little of a difference isn't going to make much of a difference where i sail. so you guys think that some o rings and a new plug will work.
thanks
 
But the new rings will snap within weeks.
Don't bother.
To get rid of water in the cockpit:

"Kick" it backwards by sliding your foot along the cockpit floor very fast: the water is then thrown over the back of the boat.
 
You simply don't have time to do that if you are hiking out hard when it is breezy. The best thing you can do is forget about the self bailer, buy a new rubber cockpit drain plug and use that. When water gets in, if you are going fast enough, open the plug and the water will drain out. When it is done simply stick it back in. I do this quite often and it seems to work great for me.
 
You'll need to learn the kick bailing routine for college events, most of the teams boats don't use autobailers.

Also, which do you think is faster, sailing upwind fully hiked out with a cockpit full of water waiting for it to slowly drain out thru the bailer, or taking 10-20 seconds to kick like crazy and get 50% out (much like the old days of adjusting the 3-1 vang while sailing upwind, if you practice it, you end up loosing less distance kick bailing then if you just waited for the autobailer to drain the water)

Downwind it's a no brainer - bury the bow, fill up the cockpit and you better be kicking like crazy.

I'm not saying you shouldn't race without the autobailer though, you should, I'm saying there are times when you need to help it.
 
You shouldn't need to kick and hike in the same conditions.
As soon as you have to hike, you shoul be going fast enough for the auto bailer to work. If it doesn't, check it for weed and grit that has caught on its way out through the bailer or bits of tape etc...
 
Originally posted by will162878
You shouldn't need to kick and hike in the same conditions.
As soon as you have to hike, you shoul be going fast enough for the auto bailer to work. If it doesn't, check it for weed and grit that has caught on its way out through the bailer or bits of tape etc...
Click to expand...

You must sail in deep or protected water ! There are lots of venues where the waves are steep and too close together to steer around or lift the bow over. Burying the bow is unavoidable.
 
I just bought an 89 laser in the US. The bailer is missing the bottom piece that closes it, all it has is a little spinning plastic piece, and a really big hole in the bottom of my boat. Is the bailer necessary for where I sail? (Atlantic Ocean around Cape Fear river inlet). Or can I just leave this hole in the bottom, and put the plug in in the cockpit until I'm going fast enough. Thanks.
 
Your bailer should be fine the way it is, if you don't stick the plug in when you're moving slowly your cockpit will get about an inch of water in it. Older boats didn't have bailers at all, so you shoudl be fine.
 
Flying Monkey is right... My '74 doesn't have a bailer, I just stick a plug in the hole and forget about it. If I ever get water in it, I just splash my feet around and it gets 95% of the water out instantly.

Never seal an auto-bailer. Sealing it will create hydrodynamic drag, therefore you will go slower. I've truthfully never seen one completely flush with the hull, so I really don't think it matters that it's perfect.
 
I just got a box of sailing stuff at a garage sail and it had an auto-bailer in it. I know it's missing the rubber plug but are there any other parts missing that you can tell in the photo? The door and o-ring that close it are there. How is it attached? Stainless screw?
 

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[email protected] said:
I just got a box of sailing stuff at a garage sail and it had an auto-bailer in it. I know it's missing the rubber plug but are there any other parts missing that you can tell in the photo? The door and o-ring that close it are there. How is it attached? Stainless screw?
Click to expand...

Hi Bedient,
Looks like you have the whole enchilda, and yes a stainless steel screw holds it in place.
Regards,
Fishingmickey
150087/181157
 
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