Don't you HATE it when.........

[Bad Obsession]

you are at home figuring out a plan to do something on your boat. When you get the boat you check things out to see if the plan will work and it won't and the situation is harder than you thought that it would be.

I am trying to add a sump box into my boat for the shower. I have gotten the box all set up, pump in it and working, and a working float switch.

I went down to the boat and the path that I thought that I would be able to take with the drain line won't work. I have to run the hose and make 2 180 degree turns to run to the hose to where I want it to go.

The Catalina 30's bilge is sealed and only has small holes for wired to run forward. What I have to do is run the hose from the sump box and put a 90 degree fitting in the hose. Then the hose will run back to where the other hoses exit the bilge area. I will place another 90 degree fitting there. The hose will run from that area forward and go through an area where the fresh water hoses run through the bulkhead area. Once I am behind the sink I will add a vented loop. After the vented loop I will tie the sump drain line into the sink with a Y so that the water is being forced downward to the through hull. The Y should be above the water line which is good as well.

Do you guys think that this situation will work okay?

 

[Bad Obsession]

Does 1 or 2 ninty degree angle fittings hurt the run for the sump pump or not...that is the question.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Does 1 or 2 ninty degree angle fittings hurt the run for the sump pump or not...that is the question.

Yes - any 90 degree turn will effect flow rate. If it was a bilge pump on which you depend for maximum flow, I'd say minimize or eliminate as much bending as practical but in this case, a small reduction in flow probably isn't a big deal - it's more important that you minimize the head against which the pump has to work.

 

[Tim R.]

Try to use smooth hose turns rather than 90° fittings. That will make a huge difference.

 

[Bad Obsession]

I am starting to re-think my approach and run the hose to the galley sink drain instead of the head. That should make it a shorter run with fewer turns.

 

[Seattle Scott]

Mock up the system and test it

Make a long hose run and throw in a couple of 90 elbows and run hose up high thru a port light onto deck. Put the sump box in the shower, do a temp hook up of power to the pump and put the shower head ( handheld?) over the sump and turn water on full. If pump is adequate, then you know you can install drain hose however you want.

Different boat, but my sump drain hose just runs up to under the deck, and back down about 4 inches to an above water line thru hull, no shut off value no anti syphon.

Wire the sump pump into the fresh water pump circuit, so whenever you turn on the shower the drain pump will be energized, this assumes a float switch on the sump pump.

 

[Bad Obsession]

Well...I have rethought the setup. I will run the shower sump line back to the galley sink drain. I have a vented loop for it too. It should work just fine. I have all the parts and I am set to go!

 

[All U Get]

Hello Bad O,
I used the sink drain to run the drain hose from my built-in cooler and thought it a great way to keep ice from draining into my bilge. I didn't have a vent loop so the water in the drain would go out when heeling to starboard and in when on the port. I was quite amused. I placed a rubber stopper in the drain and monitored the water exchange on every trip. I didn't think the waterline was that high. :cussing:
All U Get

 

[Bad Obsession]

I am installing a vented loop in the line to prevent any problems. The kitchen sink is above the water line so it will be in that cabinet at that height.

I can't believe that Catalina sent a boat out of the factor with the shower draining into the bilge. This is very poor. There is no way to run the line forward to the head without running over 14 feet of line because you need to go around a few bulkheads. Best run is right out of the bilge, into the cabinet under the galley sink to a vented loop, then back down to the through hull for draining the sink.

If anyone has a Catalina 30 and is interested in the project I will let you know how it goes.

Want to give Stu Jackson a little credit on another part to this project....the water conservation valve for the sink. Got one and installed it. Defender has them and the price is good. Thanks Stu!!!