Bilg Pumps 1984 Hunter 27 SL

[Bigjer40]

Curious how many bilge pumps you all have on your H27 1975-1984 boats. Mine has several bilges (motor compartment, bilge under the pannel between galley and nav station at the bottom of companionway, the front of the salon, and in v-birth). The engine compartment has a flow hole to the bilge at the bottom of the companionway but is plugged with a cork. The only bilge with a pump is the one forward in the salon. The engine bilge is dry with no pump, water in companionway bilge, water in salon bilge (need a better pump set up), and water in v-birth bilge (thanks to leak in anchor locker). I am hoping to fix the leak in the anchor locker and dry that bilge and not nead a pump there. I am thinking of a smart pump in the salon bilge, but not sure what to do with the companionway bilge and the engine compartment bilge.

Wondering how some of you guys are set up????

 

[Manny]

just one...
not that it does much...
My boat is pretty dry at this point and the bilge is so shallow the pump can't pick up the small amount of water that does get in there. I forget who on this site suggested using a turkey baster, but I went ahead and got one, and that is what i mainly use. It never fails and never drains the batteries.
You definitely want to keep the bilge as dry as possible on the 27, otherwise on a good heel you'll get water running into the settees.

M

 

[Bigjer40]

just one...
not that it does much...
My boat is pretty dry at this point and the bilge is so shallow the pump can't pick up the small amount of water that does get in there. I forget who on this site suggested using a turkey baster, but I went ahead and got one, and that is what i mainly use. It never fails and never drains the batteries.
You definitely want to keep the bilge as dry as possible on the 27, otherwise on a good heel you'll get water running into the settees.

M

I will pick one up! I am sure a little maintenance and mine will be a lot drier. It hasn't been maintained and sitting in the Columbia River. We have had so much rain this year. I'm just gonna reseal everything and dry it out this summer and cover next winter and see what happens. Thanks for the response.

 

[amcmahon]

Here is a post on this topic I made several years ago - several items may interest you -
Ever since I purchased my 1984 h27 six years ago I have experienced more water accumulating in the bilge that expected. It is sometimes difficult to judge since melting ice from the ice box discharges to the bilge. I had always assumed that the source of the water was too much drip from the prop shaft packing. This was based in part on the recognition that the water leak was worse at times when the engine was pushed a little harder. Because of this I have always kept the packing adjusted as tight as I felt comfortable.

On a recent trip in the Pamlico Sound, NC I had a chance the set up the auto pilot and was able to check the packing drip at about 3000 rpm in rough seas. It was surprisingly light and while counting the drips, I noticed water splashing into the engine compartment from next to and under the muffler. I thought, aha the exhaust hose must be loose on the back end of the muffler, so I wiggled further into the aft port berth and peered and felt the muffler outlet, but no leak, although water was definitely gathering in the low area of this aft compartment. Then I noticed water running down the rudder/steering assembly.

Turns out there is a set of matching flanges on the steering assembly below the wheel devise where the steering cables are attached. These flanges are held together by four 11mm stainless bolts. There was probably a gasket between the flange faces. In my case, all four bolts were VERY lose - each took about 3 or 4 turns the tighten. By tightening these bolts, I have reduced water intrusion by as much as 80 %.

At rest, these flanges are above the water line, but at higher power, as the stern of the Hunter 27 squats, these flanges move closer the the water and in rough seas you get a leak. Three of the bolts can be reached from the storage locker under the helm seat. I would recommend any owner of an older Hunter check at least one of these bolts to see if any looseness is present. Good Sailing. Tony

Hope this helpps, Tony

 

[amcmahon]

Here's a pic of flanges and bolts - access also under seat/storage at helm.

 

[Bigjer40]

Thanks Tony, I will check for sure. I know I need to tighten my packing. Surveyor said a drip about every two seconds at 2200 Rpm's.

Any idea where I would go to get new rear deck drains??? Are things like that brand and model specific or pretty universal. All mine are bad and leaking.

 

[Benny17441]

The bilge is the lowest point in the hull where all water collects. I guess you can use a turkey baster or a manual pump but you would be missing out on the convenience provided by an electric bilge pump. The h27 Cherubini has a very shallow bilge amidship. An electric pump with float switch is practically useless as by the time the float switch engages it is almost full and underway when it heels the water will spill in the cabin sole. For that shallow bilge I strongly recommend an electric sensing pump. It will cycle on every 2.5 minutes and if it senses pressure in the vane it will continue to run until it expells all the water but if not it will shut itself up within one second. The total draw for a 500 GPH pump is under 1/4 amp for a 24 hour period. When in operation expelling water it draws 1.9 amps per hour which is the same as the non-automatic pump. The quick shut off feature in the absence of pressure prevents backflow cycling. No pump will leave the bilge dry as they start sucking air when the water level gets real low but a float switch in the h27 bilge will cut off quite early. The pan under the engine is designed to contain fuel, oil and water leaks emanating from the engine. This is not designed to drain into the bilge and should be cleaned manually and properly disposed off. All other comparments are pretty much interconnected to lead all water into the bilge.

 

[amcmahon]

Thanks Tony, I will check for sure. I know I need to tighten my packing. Surveyor said a drip about every two seconds at 2200 Rpm's.

Any idea where I would go to get new rear deck drains??? Are things like that brand and model specific or pretty universal. All mine are bad and leaking.

The scuppers in the cockpit on mine are recessed and appear to be part of the fiberglass deck. When I bought mine, the scupper hoses needed to be replaced - the port scupper drains to starbord and vise versa, in a rough stern sea, water sometimes comes back up into the cockpit thru the scupper lowest in the water. The drains on the deck along the toe rail are standard plastic available at West Marine and are installed with 5200. Not sure this helps?!? Tony

 

[Bigjer40]

The scuppers in the cockpit on mine are recessed and appear to be part of the fiberglass deck. When I bought mine, the scupper hoses needed to be replaced - the port scupper drains to starbord and vise versa, in a rough stern sea, water sometimes comes back up into the cockpit thru the scupper lowest in the water. The drains on the deck along the toe rail are standard plastic available at West Marine and are installed with 5200. Not sure this helps?!? Tony

Yup, it does! Its the ones along the toe rail that are toast. The portside drain drops into the port quarter birth and is making a mess (bad leak). Short hose to a 90 elbow and out the thru hull. I'm gonna replace all of them while I am at it. I think there is one in the chain locker as well.

 

[Bigjer40]

The bilge is the lowest point in the hull where all water collects. I guess you can use a turkey baster or a manual pump but you would be missing out on the convenience provided by an electric bilge pump. The h27 Cherubini has a very shallow bilge amidship. An electric pump with float switch is practically useless as by the time the float switch engages it is almost full and underway when it heels the water will spill in the cabin sole. For that shallow bilge I strongly recommend an electric sensing pump. It will cycle on every 2.5 minutes and if it senses pressure in the vane it will continue to run until it expells all the water but if not it will shut itself up within one second. The total draw for a 500 GPH pump is under 1/4 amp for a 24 hour period. When in operation expelling water it draws 1.9 amps per hour which is the same as the non-automatic pump. The quick shut off feature in the absence of pressure prevents backflow cycling. No pump will leave the bilge dry as they start sucking air when the water level gets real low but a float switch in the h27 bilge will cut off quite early. The pan under the engine is designed to contain fuel, oil and water leaks emanating from the engine. This is not designed to drain into the bilge and should be cleaned manually and properly disposed off. All other comparments are pretty much interconnected to lead all water into the bilge.

You are 100% right. First weekend sailing and bilge water poured out when keeled over. The float switch is useless. Plus, you have the ice box draining in the bilge NAND its even worse!!!!! I will try the auto pumps.

 

[BruceG]

Similar to Manny, one bilge pump in the forward salon area (I test periodically), but bilge never gets water. Shifted to a bin for my block ice to keep it from draining to the bilge. Used a turkey baster and a drill pump to remove past accumulated water from the area below the sole, through the holes where it is supposed to flow into the bilge.
Another place to check for leaks is the bow pulpit. I had water collecting under the forward v-berth. Had the wife run the hose at the base of the pulpit stanchions while I was in the v-berth with a flashlight. I watched the water drip in. The forward bolts drained directly into the bilge area and the aft bolts drained down the bulkhead to the cushions (now I know why the misses complained about not wanting to sleep there). All four bolts are reachable with a socket and extension. Ever since, dry as bone.
Another potential leak location is the galley sink drain. Two potential sources: 1) the hose connection to the sink not properly fit and 2) the hose may need to be replaced.
Mine had a vertical crack just at the height of sea pressure head, and slowly weeped into the bilge area below the drawers. A bear to replace if you are 6' 1" - requires squeezing into the starboard cockpit locker (just make sure you tie the hatch open, or have your cellphone positioned where you can reach it if you choose not to tie the hatch open)

 

[FourPoints]

I started putting a drain plug in my ice chest, that melt water is still really cold, no reason to let it go to the bilge. I cut down my ice usage by 50% after plugging the drain in the ice chest, and food stays colder longer too.

When the water starts to fill above the grate at the bottom, or we're done with the trip and back at the dock I clean out the chest and pull the drain plug, and let it pour into the bilge then.

2 days out with two 5# bags of ice in the chest, and the water coming out is still cold (~40-45 deg). If I didn't plug the drain it would have all melted and drained away, and the ice chest would have not have been significantly colder than the rest of the interior.

 

[Bigjer40]

Yep, yep, and yep! Vbirth leaking from bow and collecting under vbirth. Need to plug the ice chest, and it is the galley fitting on the sink that is leaking. 6'2" and 250 lbs and have been in the locker. Don't know if I could get the cell phone if hatch closed Just kidding, I will wear it around my neck!!!!