Gush and Bilidge Pump

[Lookout]

I am the new and proud owner of a Catalina 27, 1977 hull number 2525.
I have a few head scratching questions.

First the gush pump is located in the aft cockpit compartment and us not hooked to the bilige. There is no hole to run the hose to the bilge . Is it located in the correct place? and how do you suggest that I run the hose.

Secondly where would you place the electric bilge? And where do you suggest that drill the above waterline through hull?

My last boat had no online info available, so one of the reasons I chose a Catalina, other that they are beautiful boats, is the recourses available. I have already printed the entire parts manual.

 

[Randy6414]

Congratulations on the purchase of a Catalina 27. They are great boats and I hope you enjoy yours for many years. I have.

On my boat, a 1984 model, the manual bilge pump is located in the aft end of the cockpit. It is plumbed parallel to the electric bilge pump.

The electric pump is mounted in the keel sump with a float switch. The discharge hose runs aft, beneath the engine, into the stern locker where it turns upward. Near the top of the compartment there is a Marelon valve. This valve is normally set to allow the discharge from the electric pump to go overboard. But switching the valve allows the manual bilge pump to draw water from the bilge (through the electric pump's strainer and through the electric pump's discharge hose) and then sends it overboard.

The way it is set up is either/or. I can use the electric pump (good for 99.99% of the time) or I can flip the valve and use the manual pump in a backup/emergency situation. The way it is plumbed, with a single overboard discharge at the transom, I cannot use both pumps at the same time. In my case, the manual bilge pump serves only as an emergency backup, and I have chosen to leave it that way. To my knowledge this is the factory set up. The only time I use it is once per year, to test it's function. After testing, I switch the valve back to the electric pump.

If you were to drill another hole for a second discharge, the upper transom would be my choice. C27s tend to squat when under power or when the cockpit is loaded with people. My bilge discharge, right above the waterline, is actually underwater when I am loaded and motoring. Because of the high loop in the bilge hose, and a check valve in the hose, I don't get back siphoning. But I could, if the check valve failed.

Randy

 

[Lookout]

Thank you for your detailed reply. Sounds like I just need to drill a hole to run the gush pump to the keel stump, and I will take your advice and run a separate hose for the automatic electric pump. I viewed the boat in the water last year and the keelstump was dry, so I expect that both these systems would only be for backup, or emergency situations.