Bilge Pump instalation on a H 25.5/ outboard type

[Mic Fry]

I need some Ideas on the instalation of a bilge pump as this vessel has one in the bilge but not plumbed. Where is the best and proper place to to put the exit port? and is it safe or proper to drill thru the cross member in the bilge area to run the wireing and the tubeing to the exit port. It appears that starboard sink is the closest line that has a thru fitting that is above the waterline but if the boat starts to take on water that would not be so very long. It is a long way to the transom. thanks for your help. "MIC" in so. cal.

 

[Ray Bowles]

Mic, Our 95 H26 has the bildge pump

mounted mid ship under the aft bed below the cockpit and it is plumbed out the starboard side by the galley sink thru hull drain. Neither thru hull has a seacock closure valve. The owners manual shows the bildge exit out the transom so go figure. I don't know if this helps, but good luck. Ray

 

[Anthony Bavuso]

bilge pump exit port location

Mic,There was some discussion of bilge pumps on the 25.5 a few months ago. You might want to check the archives.My 25.5 has a Rule 800 pump that is located in the lowest point in the bilge. The exit hose comes up from the bilge area through a hole in the cabin sole underneath the port side, bow most seat at the dinette. The hose them goes through a notch in the portside bulkhead and up behind the head area. The thru hull is placed underneath the shelf on the port side behind the head compartment right next to the bow side of the port bulkhead.Also my boat and another 25.5 that I have seen has about 1" diameter holes drilled through the stringers in the spaces below the cabin sole to run wiring. So I think you will be okay doing that, but it is recommended to try not to run wiring through the bilge areas as it reduced the life of the wiring. So if when I got the boat it didn't already have the wiring going through the bilge spaces, I would have tried to find another way to run the wiring to avoid it.I could take some pictures of my bilge pump plumbing and wiring if it would help. Let me know if you want some pictures.

 

[Dick Vance]

Out the Stern

Mic,I considered all the options when I put the pump in my 25.5 and decided the best place for the exit was the stern. Anywhere else creates a couple of problems: 1) If you run it out the forward sink drain, you run the risk of siphoning water back into the boat when heeled over on port tack. I have had water siphon into the sink when heeled over and it is necessary to have the sink plug in when sailing.2) Placing the thru hull anywhere else along the sides of the hull creates the same potential as in 1) and also increases the rise the pump must push the water, decreasing the efficiency of the pump. I ran a hose through the stringers (I enlarged the existing hole); up through the cabinet under the galley sink; through the starboard cockpit locker and out a thru-hull at about the level of the cockpit sole. This allows exit without concern for back siphoning; is a fairly small rise for the pump and is more efficient regardless of which tack you are on.I ran the wiring through a small hole drilled under the dinette seat next to the battery and mounted the 3-way switch on the side of the seat base for easy access and visibility so that you can tell if the pump is in on/off/ or auto mode.Dick VanceH-25.5 "Honey Bear"