Adding a 2nd Bilge Pump to a 310?

M

Monheganlover

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Apr 6, 2013
163
Catalina 310 Annapolis
I had a scare at commissioning at the beginning of the season when I saw my boat right after the yard had launched it and the bilge was entirely full of water to just about 1/2 inch from the floorboards. Luckily, it was not from an external leak but a combination of a leaking hot water heater and water left over from the yard servicing the heat exchanger. They'd assumed the bilge pump would take care of it but the pump had failed.

I am considering adding a 2nd automatic electric bilge pump and wondered if anyone else has done this as a DIY project and, if so, what steps were taken? Thanks!
 
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Tom J

Tom J

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Sep 30, 2008
2,325
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
My second bilge pump was the raw water pump itself. I installed a three way valve at the strainer so that I could select to draw from a hose that I could lay in the bilge. This also served well to flush the raw water system with fresh water that I dumped into the bilge first. I could also flush the system with antifreeze by dumping that into the bilge, and then sucking it through the strainer. I had also installed a high water alarm in the higher part of the bilge just aft of the bilge pump sump. I had envisioned just the scenario that you described, and didn't want to get caught unawares. I hope your new pump works well.
 
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Don S/V ILLusion

Don S/V ILLusion

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Sep 25, 2008
7,423
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
I didn’t know there was a marina which didn’t require their yard guys to check inside when splashing the boat to ensure it isn’t flooding. Solving that problem is a bigger challenge than adding a second bilge pump.

Put another pump anywhere you have space, obviously lower is better. Use a standard pump float switch arrangement and place the float switch higher than the primary pump switch such that it will activate only when the water gets high.

If you use the electronic switch type, it will replicate the original one every time there is any water.
 
M

Monheganlover

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Apr 6, 2013
163
Catalina 310 Annapolis
Agreed. I was pretty unhappy but I think it was actually water from when they removed the raw water cooling hoses when they repaired my hest exchanger after launch as well as leakage from my previous corroded hoy water heater.

As for installing a new bilge pump, I want to put a new through-hull for a second bilge pump on the starboard side and connect the pump wires directly to the battery.

What I am really unsure of is how/where to run the discharge hose to the aft starboard quarter (where I want to put the through hull) behind the aft bulkhead... and how to reach everything to do the work and, then, how/where to run the wires from the pump to my house battery banj which is housed under the "L" side of the port settee in the salon up against the head bulkhead
 
JRT

JRT

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Feb 14, 2017
2,057
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
Hmm, that is a lot of changes and another hole in the boat. I'd just have a spare pump in my inventory, the manual pump should work too from the cockpit.

I do love Tom's change and considered it. But we are just day sailing on a lake so don't need it.
 
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Tom J

Tom J

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Sep 30, 2008
2,325
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
JRT said:
Hmm, that is a lot of changes and another hole in the boat. I'd just have a spare pump in my inventory, the manual pump should work too from the cockpit.

I do love Tom's change and considered it. But we are just day sailing on a lake so don't need it.
Click to expand
Good point about the manual pump. That sucker can move some water! I forgot to mention, I also had a spare bilge pump on a wiring harness and with a hose attached that I kept under the settee. In an emergency, I could plug it into the 12V receptacle and hang the hose out the companionway.
 
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