Creating bilge sump access

[patrscoe]

Has anyone created a bilge sump access panel on a 11.0a? The manufacturer access is actually in front of the sump, seems like it would be better to increase the panel towards the engine for full access. I have installed a remote bilge pump and would like to install a small bilge located in the bottom of the sump for the every so often pumps and use the larger remote pump as a backup, float would be higher then the small pump.

Patrick

 

[Mark Maulden]

Here's a consideration that I'm thinking of... Put a bilge pump remotely somewhere with the pickup to the bottom of the sump. Right where the shallow bilge drops off to the sump, glue (4200) a lengthwise piece of teflon or such where that drop off is. Then take a piece of sailtrack and bend it in a "z". Screw one end into the plastic piece and a float switch on the other end which is extended down into the sump on the z bend of the sailtrack. The plastic piece is only to keep from putting holes in the boat. I don't know how thick the fiberglass is in the shallow bilge

 

[patrscoe]

Do you think there is enough room to slide a metal Z-trim down into the bilge sump? Does not appear that you can reach it from the engine side, would have to try from the existing access.

The problem with the existing design is access and properly pumping out the sump. Does not seem like a reasonable design to pump out the water only when it reaches the shallow sump.

I currently have a remote diaphragm pump with a hose sticking down into the sump and a float installed in the shallow sump. The previous owner has the output to the sink seacock which I need to change to a separate above the waterline thru-hull, perhaps not far from the existing pump (Port side under the sail locker). I do hate drilling into a hull, even above the waterline. Just something about putting another hole in a perfectly good hull...

 

[Mark Maulden]

Have to do it from the from the existing access area in the shallow bilge. My pump is a PAR diaphram which is mounted on a couple of teak rails 4200'd to the hull under the floor of the deep locker between sink and stove. Good hose access to the sump and sounds similar to what your current situation is. Was there when I bought the boat. I put a float switch at the shallow bilge level (for now), but I want to lower it into the sump and have come up with the sail track Z bend idea. I'm at the boat several times/wk so I can monitor it. The output of pump goes up to the cap rail level fwd of the cupboard area and back down to a thru hull at the waterline. It's all in the deep locker. For the plastic, go to the grocery store or a cheap kitchen store and buy a small cutting board and hack it up. Cheaper than a plastic store. I thought of a sailtrack as it already has holes drilled into it and can probably be used to mount a float switch. For the Z bend, you might have to "stretch" it out when it installed. The second bilge pump will be a high capacity pump in the shallow bilge on a float switch.