Manual Bilge Placement
I have seen manual pumps in two locations - under the port cockpit bench and in the stern against the aft cockpit wall.Mine is located on the aft cockpit wall. It looks like is original equipment, and the handle (which is removable) protrudes through a gasket fitting into the cockpit area, so that it can easily be operated while sitting in the cockpit. The chief advantage of this placement is that if the manual pump fails or starts to leak, the escaping water falls into the stern bilge compartment and coveniently drains out the bilge hole on the transom. HOWEVER - I firmly recommend that the manual is only a backup to the automatic system that should be located in the bilge (proper) under the sole. The previous owner of my boat did not install an automatic unit (a grand total of 58 bucks!) and once came back to find 6 inches of water sloshing around. You do not want this, trust me. I just saw a C-27 down the dock from me almost sink. She had over two feet of water in her and was on her way down when the dockmaster began pumping her out. Very sad, very sobering lesson. Good Luck!