Why does the icebox drain into bilge?

[Bruce Mulford]

Purchased a '97 Hunter 29.5 in June '99. One thing I find anoying is that the icebox drains into the bilge - to me a dry bilge is a secure (non-leaking) boat. Is there a reason it couldn't be set up to drain out the same thruhull the kitchen sink drains through? I was thinking a Y connector but it can't be that simple. If anyone can explain this, thanks!

 

[George Kornreich]

Sure could.

On my 430 it drains into the shower sump and then is pumped overboard. Does your boat have a sump pump? It could be tee's into the sink drain. Is the sink drain on your boat just an open straight line? If so, water stands in it up to the waterline, so you want tobe sure that you don't do this if the icebox is anywhere near the heeled waterline, or you'd have an icebox full of fishies, etc. Also, you'd want to be sure you use a "y" drain fitting rather than a regular "T" so that the sink does not drain into the icebox, and this fitting should also be above the water line if possible.

 

[Dennis]

Pump it

The drain is below the water line so I installed a pump in the icebox drain and ran it into the sink drain. Only problem is you have to remember to run the pump to drain the icebox.

 

[George Kornreich]

standing water

You may not necessarily have to have a pump as the sink drain probably is a standpipe... has standing water in it up to the water line, and the water, as it seeks it's own level, will not go above the water line. But you would need a pump if any part of the line does not slope downward.