HAND OPERATED BILGE PUMP INSTALLATION

Post Reply
User avatar
Ozzie
Posts: 1621
Joined: Wed May 27, 2009 1:07 pm
Investigator Boat Name: Spritzig II
Location: Lake Macquarie
Contact:

HAND OPERATED BILGE PUMP INSTALLATION

Post by Ozzie »

.
At the same time I did the OB bracket upgrade I also installed the hand bilge pump I’d picked up a year earlier as one of witless worth’s quarterly super sale items. It was, if I recall, just over 20 bucks. The boat previously had a loose 12v bilge pump which I’d never used. I had a 12 v pump on my old cruiser but my opinion is they are fine for nuisance rain water but in a serious leak you will run out of battery and sink. Different on a power boat moving with the engine powering the battery.

There are many ways to install pumps all probably as good as one another. I decided to bung mine just above the cabin step on the convenient piece of bulkhead as per photo. My reasoning was that it can be operated by crew from inside the cabin with the storm boards in place in rough weather if you’re taking on water for some reason. On the rare times I would be solo these days it could be worked from the cockpit with my tiller extension allowing me to use both at once.

The fittings I used to do the right angle through the bulkhead are cheap and simple high pressure water pipe (I think) fittings from bunny’s which will glue very neatly internally to the outlet at the top. I then added one of their screw couplers with a stopper in the end as a plug to keep insects and salt air out of the pump when just sitting on the mooring. For normal operation, the water pumps out of the outlet into the cockpit and out the drains but I’ve rigged a screw in extension pipe for pumping over the side which I’d set up if I was facing really heavyweight weather, which is highly unlikely for us.

The main use for this really, is pumping out a little nuisance rain water that seeps in and the washout water I spray in the whole interior every haulout. On the inside I have clamped a flexible hose that will go into all three chambers of the floor pan and suck out the contents.
3C9D1769-B372-490C-A208-D7E6A224A742.jpeg
5207D2AB-44FD-4C85-9AD6-1253FBC226D0.jpeg
As you can see all that’s visible in the cockpit is the four bolt heads and the opening. I take the screw in plug out when sailing. I’ve got to add a small retainer chord of 2mm spectra to hold it so I don’t lose it.

I must say having not used one of these gusher style pumps before I was bloody impressed with how well it works and how it pumps lots of water very quickly. I may see if I can rig it up as a deck wash. It was only a base model too. I’ve yet to rig some C clips up to hold the removable handle close by.
Ozzie
Investigator #143 "SPRITZIG II"

The Mariner - “It’s too strange here. It doesn’t move right." ...
Enola - “Helen said that it’s only land sickness."
Waterworld (1995)
User avatar
Ozzie
Posts: 1621
Joined: Wed May 27, 2009 1:07 pm
Investigator Boat Name: Spritzig II
Location: Lake Macquarie
Contact:

Re: HAND OPERATED BILGE PUMP INSTALLATION

Post by Ozzie »

With a good recharging battery setup an electric bilge pump would be good. My old cruiser had an airtight compartment in the lower hull. Technically I imagine like the Investigator if it were holed the inner tub would keep her afloat. My float switch activated pump was mounted in a recess in the cockpit sole to extract rain and wave dumps.

I figured with both of my vessels my main chance of disaster on the mooring would be one of the floating gin palaces surrounding me breaking loose during a storm and wind up crunching me into the seawall, in which case not much would help.I get my mooring regularly serviced and keep my insurance up to date. It’s interesting for the duration of the three forums, now four, we haven’t had a post on a test or emergency sinking of an Investigator. I’m sure it works which is why it was given the good design gong , but it would be interesting to find a first hand experience of an ordinary owner if such a thing has ever occurred.
Ozzie
Investigator #143 "SPRITZIG II"

The Mariner - “It’s too strange here. It doesn’t move right." ...
Enola - “Helen said that it’s only land sickness."
Waterworld (1995)
User avatar
Ozzie
Posts: 1621
Joined: Wed May 27, 2009 1:07 pm
Investigator Boat Name: Spritzig II
Location: Lake Macquarie
Contact:

Re: HAND OPERATED BILGE PUMP INSTALLATION

Post by Ozzie »

Just had a thought re mooring David, do you have any through hull fittings. All I had on Spritzig II was a speed sender paddle wheel fitting. The boat had a screw in blank to fill the hole if you didn’t want to use it and I siliconed in the blank from day one. I think a lot of moored vessels are victims of faulty sub waterline through hulls. My mate had a Court 750, good seaworthy WA boat but I recall when he was restoring it he said the TH fittings just about fell off when he looked at them . He glassed them all over before mooring it . If you have the 12v pump could you set it up in the rear bilge compartment and “T” fitting it into the outlet for the gusher, so that the water goes out the same pipe.
Ozzie
Investigator #143 "SPRITZIG II"

The Mariner - “It’s too strange here. It doesn’t move right." ...
Enola - “Helen said that it’s only land sickness."
Waterworld (1995)
User avatar
Andrew
Posts: 541
Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2013 11:33 am
Investigator Boat Name: Teria
Location: Townsville, Qld
Contact:

Re: HAND OPERATED BILGE PUMP INSTALLATION

Post by Andrew »

Hi All,

My boat came with a manual bilge pump installed in the starboard cockpit locker. Its mounted against the bulkhead. Its a bit harder to get at it, but clears the bilge water well. The pumps exit is a through-hull in the transom above waterline. Also keep a few good buckets in the locker, nothing works as well as a scared man with a bucket the old saying goes. Also some 2" cloth tape and underwater epoxy putty which could emergency patch a hole.

The only sign of electric pump was a switch and fuse remaining..haven't got around to installing an electric pump. Guess i like simplicity, less to go wrong. The boat lives on a trailer at home.

Cheers
Andrew
Andrew

Investigator #9 Teria
User avatar
Andrew
Posts: 541
Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2013 11:33 am
Investigator Boat Name: Teria
Location: Townsville, Qld
Contact:

Re: HAND OPERATED BILGE PUMP INSTALLATION

Post by Andrew »

Yes, that suits my situation, as Teria is rarely out of my sight for long. Might get around to adding electric one day. I also replaced the centerboard bushing with a breadboard like machined plastic, the tightened nuts on washers probably compress it to form a seal, and i also put plenty of silastic over nuts. it hasn't leaked a drop anytime since 2013. I always keep a tarp tent over the boat with ridge on the mast, no rain gets in even if the hatches are left open, which is most of the time, and keeps the interior well ventilated to stop tropical mildew growth. only close up hatches when storms are approaching or going away for awhile.

It's Different if you are moored where you cant see the boat often, then an electric with float switch would be good and hooked up to solar panel recharge. It could also be good if you spring a sudden leak while sailing solo, as described by Atles in one of his posts! (his leak may have been the centerboard bolt? if my memory serves me correctly)
Andrew

Investigator #9 Teria
User avatar
snoopebj
Posts: 327
Joined: Wed May 27, 2009 11:32 am

Re: HAND OPERATED BILGE PUMP INSTALLATION

Post by snoopebj »

Similar situation in my boat with manual pump mounted rear stbd cockpit locker. No transom outlet just a hose from the pump to chuck over the stern - works ok. I have two electric bilge pumps in rear of bilge either side of centre board casing. One wired to the panel and other with a float switch wired direct to the battery via a fused switch with indicator light.Works ok but the float switch needs regular wd40 as it sticks. Both electric pumps exit transom above water line.
Power in the boat is supplied by two agm 45 ah batteries in the forward locker under the forward bunk.These are charged by 50w solar panel on cabin roof fwd of mast via a regulator.Two battery isolation switches are outside the locker stbd of porta potti together with the auto bilge pump switch.
Quite a task wiring it all up to the panel on the inner rear stbd bulkhead. As well as (pre cov19) week long stays in the Myall lakes /Port Hacking I sail out of Port Kembla harbour around Wollongong so I’m concerned about leaks on overnight moorings and out to sea. Also have two buckets. As you say a panicked man with a bucket can move gallons in quick time.
Currently cleaning mould out of the cabin after rain leaks. Bugger of a job. Ongoing problem with my boat. Ozzies suggestion of lowering jockey wheel has helped. After stripping everything out and bleach cleaning, more rain revealed pooling water on both the port bunks.(lower kerb side). Windows not leaking so must be where deck meets hull. I will sikaflex all the gunwale joints and see if that works. Meantime I will rig up a tarp tent like yours Andrew.
One good thing - you’re never idle or bored owning a boat and this
little beauty is well worth the trouble.
Fair winds and following seas

Emrys
Investigator #166 'Current Affair'
Post Reply