Bilge pump hose

[Terry Houwerzyl]

Last weekend my Hunter Legend 40 had a problem with the bilge pump. While attempting to correct the problem the end of the hose leading from the bilge pump broke off. The hose looks to be a reinforced plastic of some type that is most likely original equipment on my 1989 boat, so no complaints about its durability. That said the hose has stiffened with age and has the flexibility of a 2x4. The hose exits the side of the bilge into a track that runs under the floor 4 or 5 feet to a stringer just inside the aft head. The hose takes a hard right into the stringer and exits behind the heads sink where it then connects to the thru-hull overboard. My problem is running a new hose. The old hose is so stiff that I have only been able to move it about 3 inches either way.
If I could move it I could find a way to attach the new hose and pull it through, but it will not budge. Short of removing the cabin sole (I'm not sure even that would do it) I have not found a way to access the existing hose. Any suggestions?View attachment 139916

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Did something similar on a neighbor's boat and ran into the same problem. We filled the hose with very hot water and let it sit a while which softened up the hose sufficiently to allow flexing. Be sure to run a cable through the hose before ripping it out which will serve as a guide for the replacement hose.

 

[jssailem]

Be sure to run a cable through the hose before ripping it out which will serve as a guide for the replacement hose.

Very nice idea Don. I need to add that one to my tool box. Thanks.

 

[Terry Houwerzyl]

Thanks Don, been thinking about how I can get and keep the hot water in the hose. Hope to give it a try in the next few days.

 

[Benny17441]

It seems to me the hose was working fine until the leading edge broke when you were working on the pump. Unless it has already been further and seriously damaged by attempts to remove it I would say just repair the tear with elastic safety tape or a clamped barb extension and a new short piece leading to the pump. The bilge pump hose is not a critical item. (electric bilge pumps are convenience items to discharge incidental water that collects in the bilge) Probably you have more water backflow into the bilge than would leak out of small tears. Any leaks below the sole would flow back to the bilge. After repair you can fill the bilge with water and activate the pump to see how much water is discharged overboard, how much water flows back and after a little time see if the level rises due to any leaks. All the hose needs to be is "good enough". As long as the great majority of the water is being discharged outside the hull and the pump does not run with undue frequency it is fine. You may also consider this as a temporary fix until you come up with something better.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Thanks Don, been thinking about how I can get and keep the hot water in the hose. Hope to give it a try in the next few days.

We used some wooden plugs intended to plug holes in the hull. If you don't have some, it's a good excuse to buy a cheap safety item too.

 

[sailcapt340]

Don is right. I did the same thing while pulling out my old (2000) original potable water lines. I used the very hot water and wire method also. It still had some trying moments, as there are some sharp turns along the way. Just be certain to tape and secure the old line to the new.

 

[FastOlson]

I replaced the factory manual bilge hose last year. 1.5 inch and tough to pull it through several hidden openings beneath the aft cabin berth. Wish I thought of the hot water trick!
I did finally rig up a tackle to one end, back in the lazaretto, and work it back, and out, inch by inch.
I had previously replaced both hose runs for the electric bilge pumps, but they were 3/4, and much easier to work with.
Nice opportunity to reach in and chamfer the edges all the routing hoses while the old hoses were out. The re-install went a lot faster.
I also found that the check valves in the original cockpit-mount Gusher pump had hardened to the point where they would not seal enough to pull water thru 23' of hose....
This will likely happen on any boat of that age. In my case a new pump was the chosen solution.
Our boat came with two electric Jabsco multi chamber check-valve electric bilge pumps and the one 'emergency' manual big pump by the helm.

Our particular boat has never been threatened with a sinking situation, but this spring I helped to de-water a 37 foot sailboat and can certify that there is no frickin' thing as too many pumps! (And when you find that the water inside is 3' deep and rising, all those pumps had better Work. Really. Well.)

Opinion: Doing your Preventative Maintenance to keep your de-watering schemes functional is a really good idea.

 

[SG]

Terry, I would suggest, assuming you have no leak in the existing hoses...

Take the section that broke off near the bilge pump cut the hose where it's "clean". Put a plastic splice piece and replace the section that you cut-out with a more flexible piece of hose.

I think the you are just wasting your time chasing that hose through the floorboards. If you have issues with the union insert working, then use Superlube on the plastic union after you soften-up the hose a bit. Then some SS hose clamps and you're done.

The hose that you showed was hard to deal with the day that it was installed! It was installed (in all likelihood) early in the construction process.

You might use a more flcxible (ariticulated, gray) hose to go to the bilge pump. That way, if you need to, you man move it around a bit. The articulated hose has more "friction" in the pumping; but I think that it's the vertical lift and length of the hose that are the bigger issues for the pump

 

[All U Get]

We had a 1 1/2" waste line that disappeared under the aft sole. I used a double barbed fitting connecting the two hoses and pushed the new hose while my wife pulled gently on the old. Since the contents couldn't drain out we stuffed rags in each end and taped over them to seal it tight. Success was measured by getting the new hose in and only a small amount of clean-up of contents.

All U Get