Manual Bilge Pump General Forum Forums

Something Scott mentioned in brief, was the bottom of the bilge is under the engine.

Something I felt would be good to mention directly, to a new owner, is that the Bilge is 2 levels, an upper ( that you can see under the sole plates and under the galley sink), and the lower, that is only accessible under the engine.  The Keel under the engine is hollow. I would venture to say that you would have to have about 50 gallons in the lower keel before it started to show in the upper. 

On The Last Farewell, the primary bilge pump was a Par pump, mounted on the engine room shelf, with a suction line routed to the well under the engine.  I still have this in place, and use it as a secondary system.  I managed to get a small pump, mounted on a piece of aluminum flat bar, down in the bottom just aft of the fuel tank. The flat bar is secured to the liner under the front of the engine, removing two screws, lets me retrieve the entire pump affair, with the discharge hose still attached. I also mounted a flat switch on a second flat bar ( about 8 inches above the submersible pump, that will energize the secondary pump automatically, as well as trigger a high water alarm.

In my case, the emergency bilge pump was located the same as Scott's, the suction line ( 1.5" ID ) ran down on the port side of the engine, and through a hole they bored in the engine pan ( a brilliant move, as it allowed any oil caught by the engine pan, to run directly into the bilge... just for clarity, I'm being sarcastic), the hose then ran straight down to the bottom of the lower bilge.  It did not however, have a strainer or foot valve on it.  The pump was Whale clone, called a "Guzzler".  Since I couldn't see any way to have bored the hole after engine installation, I assumed this was a factory setup.

I have removed this pump presently, and have not reinstalled it as of this time.  I'm not sure which arrangement I will end up with for this, but the hole in the drip pan under the engine is history, I glassed it over prior to the new engine installation.

Scott,

I've got a flexible holding tank in that area just forward of the compression post, but I'm removing the original stainless water tanks ( I had the optional second tank as well), at that time I was thinking about relocating the sump box to just aft of the compression post, as the new tank arrangement will allow me access.  I really like the idea of taking the chain locker drain into that, I've been comtemplating what to do with that, and I think you just gave me the answer.  Thanks

Pardon my jumping into this discussion, but it seems that I will have to replace the suction hose and strainer on my deep (under the engine) manual bilge pump set up.

The boat yard where they are still getting the new engine in place says that when removing the transmission something went wrong and the pump does not pump.

I suspect that, as you mention above, that the hose has seen better days and the pump is sucking air, not water.  But...new hoses all around is the general order of the day.

The question is...does the suction line or the strainer at the bottom of the sump have to be fixed in place or can they just "dangle"?  I can see the danger of the shaft rubbing against the hose so think that maybe a couple of sections of solid pvc pipe might be in order to get the strained down to the bottom of the sump and then have flexible hose up to the pump.  With this I could fix the pvc pipe to the "shelf" next to the engine and not worry about working down in that deep sump.

Any comments?

Thanks, as always, in advance.

Bob

Thanks, Scott.

Yeah, I'll draw up a plan with solid pvc, with filter, inside the sump, transitioning to the flex tube for the run up to the pump.

Can't wait to get my hands on this vessel!

Cheers

Bob

OK.  I finally got down on my knees and looked into the engine compartment to see what gives.  

It actually seems much easier than I had thought.  There should be room to drop a 1 1/2" tube down the port side of the new transmission through the hole in the pan under the engine and then down into the bowels of the bilge.  Going up to the pump is a snap.  Only possible snag is getting a strainer through the hole in the pan, but probably can do some selective cutting to get it through.  Been looking at a Jabsco Bilge Pump Strainer which might just fit.

Now to get the stuff and get to work.  

Thanks for your help, Scott.

Bob