Hello, I spent some time today pumping out about an 1-2 inch of water from my bilge earlier today. Im trying to identify the two pipes that are in the bilge - the black and white ones. Anyone know what these are? I suspect there is some water coming from them, especially the white one. Thank you!
Bilge water question
- Thread starter catsails8
- Start date
I suspect that the corrugated tan hose is the manual whale pump feed line. The white line to the right with the mold on it might be a drain line line from the icebox.
Can't see where the hose coming in from the right enters the bilge but it's likely the shower drain. Not much else forward - easy enough to check...
I did in fact try to follow the hoses to a source but the white one just stops in the corner of that second picture. I couldnt find where it is connected beyond that. I did try to get in there I promise! For the black hose I suspect it is something to do with the head but wanted to verify. Seems unclean to empty into bilge from head so I wanted to confirm thats how it works. Why wouldnt anything from the head be routed to blackwater tank?
I don't believe there's much difference between an '84 MK I (mine) and MK II (yours) concerning the subject plumbing. The white corrugated hose (left) is the pickup for your manual bilge pump probably located on the port lazarette side wall. The ice box drain usually empties into the bilge and drains fwd via weep hole to the keel. Mine was tee'd into the galley sink drain with its own capture box, float switch and pump by a P/O (a lot of work for a little freshwater). In the head, the commode drain is hopefully the only thing plumbed into your holding tank, gray water is allowed overboard and would otherwise require more frequent pump-outs. The head sink should drain to a thru-hull located other side of the fwd head bulkhead wall (small access door down low). You'll notice a 2nd hose coming into this thru-hull as it also feeds sea/lake water to the commode bowl pump. NOTE: make sure the commode pump feed hose has a vented loop (mine didn't), otherwise it's possible to fill your holding tank if the thru-hull is left open for an extended period and the commode pump seals leak. As mentioned before, the shower drain (below the waterline) drains aft into keel bilge and must be the black hose (right). Other than an A/C condensate line from an A/C unit installed FWD? in your hanging locker? there's nothing else up front that would need to drain.
Maybe the white one was cut at some point or partially removed if a manual bilge pump failed?
The toilet should certainly go to a hold tank, not the bilge
. But the shower pan is sometimes run into the bilge for builder’s convenience. It’s not the best way though - shower water in the bilge keeps the bilge wet and builds up smells. Better to route that to its own sump pump if possible.It was a common practice for shower drains to empty in the bilge and for the bilge pump to pump it over board. There are problems with this approach but it was cheaper and faster than Installing a shower sump and separate pump. Note this not discharge from the toilet.
If the showers and sinks drained in to holding tank a much larger tank would be required.
Toilet is definitely *NOT* emptying into the bilgeMaybe the white one was cut at some point or partially removed if a manual bilge pump failed?
The toilet should certainly go to a hold tank, not the bilge
haha. I dont think itis the shower drain but I will double check this. I put some water in that drain and didnt notice anything but I will try again with more volume.Thank you I think this is correct as well. I need to find the manual bilge pump, I suspect this is the source. Thank you for the great reply.
I have a MKII, aa 93.
I agree with the others, the corrugated hose coming in from the left in the pic is the manual drain pump. The pump is located in the port lazarette, under the lid, bolted to the cockpit side. There's a cutout on the cutout side giving you access to put a short pump handle into the pump.
The black & white hose coming in from the right in the pic is the shower drain.
The ice box drains to a foot pump located under the 3 drawer setup in the galley. From there it runs to a T at the galley sink drain thru hull. I've heard some owners have run the drain line directly to the bilge. Any liquids, like milk, can stink up the bilge real fast.
Plus cold air drops, hot air rises, so have line directly to the bilge allows precious cold air to run down to the bilge.
I removed all of that and put a rubber stopper in the drain. I have a small wet dry vac I use to take water out of the ice box and I don't use ice. I have a cold plate in there.
I agree with the others, the corrugated hose coming in from the left in the pic is the manual drain pump. The pump is located in the port lazarette, under the lid, bolted to the cockpit side. There's a cutout on the cutout side giving you access to put a short pump handle into the pump.
The black & white hose coming in from the right in the pic is the shower drain.
The ice box drains to a foot pump located under the 3 drawer setup in the galley. From there it runs to a T at the galley sink drain thru hull. I've heard some owners have run the drain line directly to the bilge. Any liquids, like milk, can stink up the bilge real fast.
Plus cold air drops, hot air rises, so have line directly to the bilge allows precious cold air to run down to the bilge.
I removed all of that and put a rubber stopper in the drain. I have a small wet dry vac I use to take water out of the ice box and I don't use ice. I have a cold plate in there.