I have a Hunter 336 and the shower drain and fridge drain flow into the bilge. This creates a mess in the bilge as well as putting down things that easily activate organisms that create methane gases. Is anyone aware of a kit or solution where the waste water can drain into a seperate area/tank that can be pumped out with an electronic switch maybe down one of the existing thru hulls (ie: Sink drain?)
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The make sumps for the bilge.
Malcom: They make sumps for the bilge. It is a small box with a bilge pump in it. You can attach a hose from your icebox and shower so they drain into it. Then you would need a seperate discharge line for the overboard discharge. The only problem is you need to make sure that it is below the level of your shower and that there is enough room for the sump in the bilge. Seems like a good solution if you have room for it.
Malcom: They make sumps for the bilge. It is a small box with a bilge pump in it. You can attach a hose from your icebox and shower so they drain into it. Then you would need a seperate discharge line for the overboard discharge. The only problem is you need to make sure that it is below the level of your shower and that there is enough room for the sump in the bilge. Seems like a good solution if you have room for it.
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Dan
Kits
There are a few kits on the market that include the housing, pump, etc. Still have to figure out how it goes overboard. I like the idea of sticking it in the sink drain, but that also could get messy if the seacock is closed. I'm considering doing the same thing on my 290. there is room, but I figured I would have to put another hole in the boat for the discharge. Has anyone else retrofitted one of these kits? Be interested in knowing how you did it. We don;t use the shower, but our boat gets chartered some, and even though we have refrigeration, they alwasy dump a load of ice in the refrigerator. Goes right into the bilge. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije)
There are a few kits on the market that include the housing, pump, etc. Still have to figure out how it goes overboard. I like the idea of sticking it in the sink drain, but that also could get messy if the seacock is closed. I'm considering doing the same thing on my 290. there is room, but I figured I would have to put another hole in the boat for the discharge. Has anyone else retrofitted one of these kits? Be interested in knowing how you did it. We don;t use the shower, but our boat gets chartered some, and even though we have refrigeration, they alwasy dump a load of ice in the refrigerator. Goes right into the bilge. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije)
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Bruce
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
Dan, the sump has a pump in it that...
empties the pump through an above-waterline thru-hull. As Steve, said, you can also re-run your icebox drain into the sump...just remember to turn on the pump to empty it regularly, and keep the sump clean (archives have plenty of discussions on this) so the sump doesn't turn into a stinky stagnant pond.
empties the pump through an above-waterline thru-hull. As Steve, said, you can also re-run your icebox drain into the sump...just remember to turn on the pump to empty it regularly, and keep the sump clean (archives have plenty of discussions on this) so the sump doesn't turn into a stinky stagnant pond.
Shower sumps from Jabsco.
here is a link to some shower sump from Jabsco. http://www.jabsco.com/shower.asp
here is a link to some shower sump from Jabsco. http://www.jabsco.com/shower.asp
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Daniel Jonas
Sump
Peggy, The refirgerator line already runs into the bilge. So does the shower. Except for those two things my bilge would probably stay reasonably dry. I'm not sure I want the soap amd stuff from various showers running all over the bottom of the boat. I'd prefer to clean out a little smaller and dedicated box. Question remains, has anyone done the refit. thanks Steve, I'm familiar with the hardware, just curious if anyone has used the stuff. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije)
Peggy, The refirgerator line already runs into the bilge. So does the shower. Except for those two things my bilge would probably stay reasonably dry. I'm not sure I want the soap amd stuff from various showers running all over the bottom of the boat. I'd prefer to clean out a little smaller and dedicated box. Question remains, has anyone done the refit. thanks Steve, I'm familiar with the hardware, just curious if anyone has used the stuff. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije)
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Bob Howie
Gray water tank
For years, camping trailers and RV's and motorhomes have had gray water tanks; gray water being all "used" water other than sewage and bilge, of course. Depending on how much water you plan to use, a 5 gallon tank with an automatic float switch inside it and a pump on an outlet with a check valve to prevent back flush. You could run the outflow to an number of thru-hulls including the outflow of the bilge line and since you are using a small pump to automatically dump this ersatz sump, it could use a common thru-hull. As to placement of the small tank, well, they come in all sorts of sizes and you could probably find one to fit a convenient space altho you may have to give up some storage someplace. Also, Nautor produces a varied line of flexible bladder type tanks made out of ballistic material that even Navy SEALs can't tear up so that may be a solution. Just remember to have sufficient "fall" in your inflow lines so you get good drainage. It should be a fairly easy project and would bypass your bilge altogether.
For years, camping trailers and RV's and motorhomes have had gray water tanks; gray water being all "used" water other than sewage and bilge, of course. Depending on how much water you plan to use, a 5 gallon tank with an automatic float switch inside it and a pump on an outlet with a check valve to prevent back flush. You could run the outflow to an number of thru-hulls including the outflow of the bilge line and since you are using a small pump to automatically dump this ersatz sump, it could use a common thru-hull. As to placement of the small tank, well, they come in all sorts of sizes and you could probably find one to fit a convenient space altho you may have to give up some storage someplace. Also, Nautor produces a varied line of flexible bladder type tanks made out of ballistic material that even Navy SEALs can't tear up so that may be a solution. Just remember to have sufficient "fall" in your inflow lines so you get good drainage. It should be a fairly easy project and would bypass your bilge altogether.
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Ed Schenck
Sump problems.
Yes, sumps work. The problem is that they are generally mounted low in the bilge, but not low enough. It is difficult to get a downhill run from your shower drain and/or icebox into the sump. My H37C has the factory sump mounted just behind the mast. That is five foot from the shower drain and the last three feet are "uphill". Then there is the long hose run from the sump pump to the overboard thru-hull. Bottom line is that you still have stagnant gray water - in the inlet hose, in the sump, and in the outlet hose. But it's not sloshing around through the bilge.
Yes, sumps work. The problem is that they are generally mounted low in the bilge, but not low enough. It is difficult to get a downhill run from your shower drain and/or icebox into the sump. My H37C has the factory sump mounted just behind the mast. That is five foot from the shower drain and the last three feet are "uphill". Then there is the long hose run from the sump pump to the overboard thru-hull. Bottom line is that you still have stagnant gray water - in the inlet hose, in the sump, and in the outlet hose. But it's not sloshing around through the bilge.
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Malcolm Crow
Concern is not methane ...just smelly bilge
Thanks everyone for your widsom/ideas, you all understood my primary concern and did not get distracted by the inaccurate use of terminology in reference to methane. Just for future readers, my concern is really the mess and smells from the bilge, and not methane.
Thanks everyone for your widsom/ideas, you all understood my primary concern and did not get distracted by the inaccurate use of terminology in reference to methane. Just for future readers, my concern is really the mess and smells from the bilge, and not methane.
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Debra Blatnik
Drain the Icebox overboard
You won't ever get the smell out until the icebox drains overboard. Either directly or via a manual pump. (Lots of nasty stuff leaks in a fridge....from milk to run-off from defrosting meat.) Best to keep it moving with water every day or so while you are underway.
You won't ever get the smell out until the icebox drains overboard. Either directly or via a manual pump. (Lots of nasty stuff leaks in a fridge....from milk to run-off from defrosting meat.) Best to keep it moving with water every day or so while you are underway.
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