How do you keep your bilge dry (more or less) and your boat floating? In your opinion, was your boat properly equipped with pumps when new? Or have you added or changed out bilge pumps over the years? Pump out your opinions here, then vote in this week's Quick Quiz atthe bottom of the home page.
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...but somebody's got to do it!
Periodically, I bail what water remains in the bilge with a hand operated pump, like you might find at any sporting goods store. I then clean the bilge and make sure the pump/float switch are working and clean the intake.
Periodically, I bail what water remains in the bilge with a hand operated pump, like you might find at any sporting goods store. I then clean the bilge and make sure the pump/float switch are working and clean the intake.
Mulitble pumps
I have one manual and one Electric, a 3500 GPH in my C-36 witch mostly only gets rain water from the mast in the bilge (The boat is in Portland, Oregon, it rains a lot here). The 3500 is big an only draws the water down to about 1 1/2 inches. I would like to install a small, 4 or 500 GPH pump, and have it wired on a separate circuit or battery. Then let the little pump do the normal duties of keeping out the rain water, etc, that gets into the bilge. Let the larger pump work only if the little pump fails (Dead battery, broken wiring, bad switch, etc.) or is unable to keep up with the in coming tide. I feel the little pump will use less battery power when it does run and it will be able to draw the water down to a ½ inch or so, then evaporation should be able to dry the bilge. But I do not want another through hole, so how can I tee the output of the new little pump into the existing through hole for the larger pump? Boy, are we having fun yet? Bob
I have one manual and one Electric, a 3500 GPH in my C-36 witch mostly only gets rain water from the mast in the bilge (The boat is in Portland, Oregon, it rains a lot here). The 3500 is big an only draws the water down to about 1 1/2 inches. I would like to install a small, 4 or 500 GPH pump, and have it wired on a separate circuit or battery. Then let the little pump do the normal duties of keeping out the rain water, etc, that gets into the bilge. Let the larger pump work only if the little pump fails (Dead battery, broken wiring, bad switch, etc.) or is unable to keep up with the in coming tide. I feel the little pump will use less battery power when it does run and it will be able to draw the water down to a ½ inch or so, then evaporation should be able to dry the bilge. But I do not want another through hole, so how can I tee the output of the new little pump into the existing through hole for the larger pump? Boy, are we having fun yet? Bob
tied into sea water pump
I have a manual,an electric 1100 and I made a tie to the suction side of my water pump on engine..close thur-hull valve and open 3/4" line to bilge with a flat brass strainer from wm, I filed the feet down so it will pick up all water down to about 1/8 or 3/16" then a rag can mop up the rest. Also if elect pump when out for some reason, just fire up engine it beats pumping
Mike WD9EOU C-38 # 169
I have a manual,an electric 1100 and I made a tie to the suction side of my water pump on engine..close thur-hull valve and open 3/4" line to bilge with a flat brass strainer from wm, I filed the feet down so it will pick up all water down to about 1/8 or 3/16" then a rag can mop up the rest. Also if elect pump when out for some reason, just fire up engine it beats pumping
Mike WD9EOU C-38 # 169Shop Vac - gets you a dry clean bilge
About three times a year I bring my wet/dry shop vac on board our C-34 and thoroughly clean the boat, including the bilges. After brushing around some bilge cleaner, or just some simple green, I get all the juice into the shop vac and dump it far enough inland to keep the DER happy. This leaves me a sweet smelling and at least for a while, dry boat. It works really well.
About three times a year I bring my wet/dry shop vac on board our C-34 and thoroughly clean the boat, including the bilges. After brushing around some bilge cleaner, or just some simple green, I get all the juice into the shop vac and dump it far enough inland to keep the DER happy. This leaves me a sweet smelling and at least for a while, dry boat. It works really well.
Keeping the bilge dry
I've got a Rule electric pump with float switch, a manual pump, and a portable hand pump aboard my 84 C-27. I suppose, in an emergency, the engine's raw water intake could be used for additional pumping capacity, though it's not currently set up that way. Periodically, I pour some soapy water into the bilge, then pump it out, which keeps the bilge fairly clean. Randy
I've got a Rule electric pump with float switch, a manual pump, and a portable hand pump aboard my 84 C-27. I suppose, in an emergency, the engine's raw water intake could be used for additional pumping capacity, though it's not currently set up that way. Periodically, I pour some soapy water into the bilge, then pump it out, which keeps the bilge fairly clean. Randy
Seperate bilge compartments
I find impossible to keep the bilge dry, so I glassed in a small bulkhead and put a 500gph pump with float switch in the compartment where the icebox and shower drain, with holes 3" up in case of pump failure, and 2 2000gph pumps in the other compartment with a float switch on the bottom and another 3" up (both pumps hooked to seperate batteries) in case the other fails. I have also installed a PSS dripless shaft seal which eliminates water through the stuffing box. The 500gph pump is Tee'd into the 1-1/2"hose from the manual pump in the cockpit.
I find impossible to keep the bilge dry, so I glassed in a small bulkhead and put a 500gph pump with float switch in the compartment where the icebox and shower drain, with holes 3" up in case of pump failure, and 2 2000gph pumps in the other compartment with a float switch on the bottom and another 3" up (both pumps hooked to seperate batteries) in case the other fails. I have also installed a PSS dripless shaft seal which eliminates water through the stuffing box. The 500gph pump is Tee'd into the 1-1/2"hose from the manual pump in the cockpit.
Minimize water in the first place
I really don't like any water in the bilge - ever. I have an small electric pump in the shower bilge, a manual in the center main compartment, and an electric in the aftmost main part of the bilge. The drain from the icebox is routed by way of the manual footpump into the sink to drain out there, and I have a Dripless shaft seal. Only remaining source of water is from the mast and I am presently experimenting with some form of cover on the mast cap and a seal in the mainsail luff track. A manual handpump and sponge catch anything that gets by.
I really don't like any water in the bilge - ever. I have an small electric pump in the shower bilge, a manual in the center main compartment, and an electric in the aftmost main part of the bilge. The drain from the icebox is routed by way of the manual footpump into the sink to drain out there, and I have a Dripless shaft seal. Only remaining source of water is from the mast and I am presently experimenting with some form of cover on the mast cap and a seal in the mainsail luff track. A manual handpump and sponge catch anything that gets by.
A better bildge
My bildge pump will leave approximatly 1/2 inch or so of water in the bildge. So, I put a "Y" valve in the on the discharge line on the shower sump and ran a line to the bildge. With the "Y" valve shifted to the bildge, I can vaccume up the water left behind by the bildge pump. Now it's easy to keep the bildge dry.
My bildge pump will leave approximatly 1/2 inch or so of water in the bildge. So, I put a "Y" valve in the on the discharge line on the shower sump and ran a line to the bildge. With the "Y" valve shifted to the bildge, I can vaccume up the water left behind by the bildge pump. Now it's easy to keep the bildge dry.
Final results
Final results for the Quick Quiz ending 5/29/2000: How do you pump your bilge? 51% Manual and electric (75) 29% Electric pump (43) 15% Manual pump (23) 01% Neither (2)
Final results for the Quick Quiz ending 5/29/2000: How do you pump your bilge? 51% Manual and electric (75) 29% Electric pump (43) 15% Manual pump (23) 01% Neither (2)
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