Bilge

Shp69 · **Joined:** 01 Nov 2006 17:07 **Posts:** 3

I started this chatter about the bilge pump. I am pumping all the way back to the cockpit drains in the back of the boat and getting a return of about 12' the hose water. My question is -- has anyone used the galley sink drain which is much closer as an exit port for the bilge?

Another questions -- has anyone drilled the side of their bilge basin and installed a drain plug for off season drainage and if so how difficult is it to do? I am having difficulty with water intrusion during my seven month absence during off season storage.

Down2TheC · **Posted:** 09 Nov 2006 19:12

Shp69 wrote:

Another questions -- has anyone drilled the side of their bilge basin and installed a drain plug for off season drainage and if so how difficult is it to do? I am having difficulty with water intrusion during my seven month absence during off season storage.

We have that issue too. No solution as of yet. (short of the hand pump and occasional visits.)

berwick · **Joined:** 21 Oct 2006 18:12 **Posts:** 325

I might have a fix for you. I have 2 things that bug me and I think I can address both. One is that the shower drains into a sump and then out via a thru hull (shared with the A/C). It plugs easy and is open thus prone to smells and never totally drains. The second is also that long run from the bilge to the stern leaves a few inches of water that I would like to get rid off. So I bought a Johnson viking 16 pump
http://www.johnson-pump.com/JPMarine/pr ... wer16.html
and a Bosworth valve http://www.thebosworthco.com/valves_1.htm.
I will have 2 inputs to the divertor valve, the shower and the bilge (thru a low profile whale strainer), it will then go into the pump which does not need any filters (no plugging up) and then out the thru hull where the shower one used to run out to. The pump is a diaphram type and can suck both water and air so I should be able to get most of the water out of the bilge. I don't think with a diaphram type it will flow back either, but I don't think there should be much in the line anyways due to the type of pump it is. When we use the shower I will move the divertor to get rid of the shower water and should not have any standing water left to smell. I may have to add a float switch to the shower basin, but if my other half turns on the pump for a few seconds when I take a shower I think that the line will be long enough to hold the rest of the water in the hose til I finish and turn on the switch. So I'll try it without the float switch first. We will see in the spring if this whole thing has a hope in working.....

Richard
#136
Salvation

Jay · **Joined:** 22 Oct 2006 19:25 **Posts:** 61

I have a check valve, probably not a great idea since check valves can impead water flow, in the bilge outflow hose to prevent backflow. But, so far so good. I have a Jabsco Par Max 3 pump in combination with a Rule Super Swich 37 which drains the shower sump. There doesn't seem to be much backflow with the Jabsco. Both sumps remain relatively dry. But then again I sail most weekends and don't store the T37 for the winter. Jay.

dave · **Posted:** 05 Jan 2007 19:32

The sink drain on Daybreak is below the waterline when sailing hard on the wind I would worry about shipping water through the bilge pump.I do have a check valve in the bilge hose that prevents most of the water from coming back.

berwick · **Joined:** 21 Oct 2006 18:12 **Posts:** 325

I finally finished the shower/bilge pump hookup. I just need to add a shower float switch. The whale strainer (not shown) brings the water left in the bilge to about 1/4" with this diagram pump. There will also be no standing water from the shower to smell up. The divertor valve shown can either be switched to bilge or shower.

Richard

Tartan37403 · **Joined:** 24 Oct 2006 12:51 **Posts:** 48

Lots of good ideas here.

Here's an additional thought. Focus on the water intrusion. Some years ago, I installed a dripless shaft seal and did the pour in product(Spar Tite??) in the mast partner. I rarely find any water in the bilge-when I do, usually, something else has happened.

carl s · **Joined:** 31 Dec 2006 13:33 **Posts:** 90

I have only had my boat for this season and still am discovering things. Regarding the shower, does it drain into a small molded in the floor pan and from there into the bilge? When I shower I can hear the bilge pump running. I noticed a post here that mentions the shower has its own drain or thru hull exit. I wonder if mine is clogged up and overflows into the bilge. Thnks Carl Sutherland. ser 295 MAWKY

Tortuga's Lie · **Joined:** 27 Oct 2006 10:32 **Posts:** 827

I hope it doesn't drain directly overboard...your boat would be on the bottom by now Shocked

It was originally set up to drain in a seperate sump, but this system was flawed. Previous owners most likely re-arranged it to drain in the bilge. I installed a complete sump kit to handle the shower and ice box and keep them from draining in the bilge. You want to keep these seperate because of the odors that can come from decomposing "stuff" from the shower/ice box such as skin or last weeks dinner that over-turned in the fridge.....Yuck!

jammin · **Joined:** 30 Oct 2006 15:40 **Posts:** 63

I would recommend against using the galley sink drain for the reasons already mentioned. The drain line is already below water.

I replaced the galley sink drain with new parts from Home Depot and was able to raise the cross drain pipe so it is now above water. However, when we provisioned the boat for a 3 month cruise, we found the water back in the cross pipe. Then with the boat heeled, the sink fills and overflows into the stbd side locker! We have to remember to close the thru-hull everytime we put the sails up.

Jerry
JAMMIN'

Tartan37.com

Bilge

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