Hello,
I recently purchased an older Vanguard 420, without a bailer. I have been pumping out rainwater (and water that gets in from the centerboard) using a drill pump, but that gets old really fast.
Has anyone successfully installed a Andersen/Elvstrom Automatic Bailer (Medium) on a Vanguard 420 that did not have a bailer? I have no experience with fiberglass, so trying to determine if this is a good idea on the Vanguard 420, and also how hard it would be to do?
...get 1) a cover, and 2) replace the centreboard gasket
But of course you need at least one bailer, too... Installing one is about as hard/easy as cutting a hole and drilling six screwholes in the bottom of the hull. The fitting should include a template. No fibreglass work is needed. Pictures of bailer locations on 420s are probably all over the net.
I haven’t installed any bailers on 420s/470s, but many on Europe dinghies back in the day. I can give more tips once you’re ready to proceed.
First of all......get 1) a cover, and 2) replace the centreboard gasket
But of course you need at least one bailer, too... Installing one is about as hard/easy as cutting a hole and drilling six screwholes in the bottom of the hull. The fitting should include a template. No fibreglass work is needed. Pictures of bailer locations on 420s are probably all over the net.
I haven’t installed any bailers on 420s/470s, but many on Europe dinghies back in the day. I can give more tips once you’re ready to proceed.
Thanks LaLi.
I was thinking about the cover, but I figure if I have a bailer open, shouldn't that be enough to drain the water when the boat is on the dolly? Seems like more $ and effort when the bailer open would do the trick? Or does the bailer only work if the boat is in the water and moving?
Thanks, I will order one now (and PM you when I am ready for your tips).
Sure an open Andersen bailer will drain the boat on land as well (if the hull is in a position where the bailer is at the lowest point of course), but then the ”non-return” flap is only barely open, and it gets clogged very easily. All it takes is a few leaves or other natural debris. A cover keeps the boat reasonably clean, and slows down the ultraviolet deterioration of materials as well.
Installing an Anderson isn’t too difficult so long as you pay attention to the cut out and are willing to do some gelcoat filling. I have some for sale if you decide to try.
Thanks all, I installed the bailer, was not difficult at all (used a multi-tool for the cut), and it works well when sailing.
That said, I found it much easier to buy a Ryobi power inverter and plug it into a cheap 120v bailer for a portable pump (the 420 is docked on the lake), than to take the boat out each time I am done sailing.
2 things that i have found to work are picking the bow up before leaving it sitting to drain the water when it comes in, and getting a cheapo harbor freight electric gas / oil pump