Bilge pumps

zoidberg

zoidberg

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I haven't read a plausible rationale for the variations I've seen, so I'll throw the question out....

How many bilge pumps d'you have, what type(s).....and why?
 
Three: one electric, one manual, and the third is a switchover in the intake for the engine cooling circuit, so that the engine draws its water through a strainer from the bilge. I use that system when I flush the cooling circuit before winterising the engine, and it always amazes me to see how much water it shifts. A hose running at full chat does not keep up with it. I hope I’ll never have to use it in anger, but I’m pretty sure it will be more effective than me on the manual pump.
 
A Rule 2000 electric bilge pump, manually switched.
A Henderson Mk5 manual pump.
An electrical one I can drop in the bilge if necessary.
Another manual one I use to pump out the water tank, and dinghy if too heavy to tip.
 
Two pumps - one electric, one manual. Plus a vacuum cleaner every so often to remove the dust and fluff from the bilges.
 
We have regulations that specify the minimum number of bilge pumps for each category of vessel (allowed distance for shore)

I have 3 electric (2 in main boat and one in separate water tight compartment)

I have 3 henderson manual 2 in main boat and one next to the helm position.

I also have 2 electric head diaphragm pumps that can easy be converted by removing the suction pipes from the head bowls.
 
It will, of course, vary with the size and age of the vessel, whether coding or RORC regs have applied at any time in her life, and whether long-distance cruising has ever been contemplated by any of her owners.

My own 1957 24 footer has four: an automatic electric pump (Johnson L650), two manual pumps (both Whale Gusher 10s, one operated in the cockpit, one down below) and the engine inlet has a take-off to suck from the bilge. In addition, there is a small plunger-type dinghy pump.
 
Interesting point about using the engine seawater suction as an emergency bilge pump. The other day my good friend owner of another Sadler 34 flushed his ~25 HP Volvo engine before being hauled out at the end of his season. His plan was to motor the 100 metres or so to the lifting dock using prepared buckets of fresh water. He carried 40 litres and planned to motor as gently as possible. Few of us believed that he would make it.

In fact he did it comfortably, with 12 litres left over.
 
1 Jabsco electric. I worry as it can be turned off and left off .
One submersed high capacity pump that cannot be turned off accidentally. A manual pump with handle on deck. Does an electric toilet count as another way to get water out?
TS
 
One auto electric, one small non auto electric (mostly to get water from bows if resting at a funny angle), one big whale gusher with handle in locker, stout metal bucket plus adaptor pipe for manual heads.

And grateful I was too to have all these when boat flooded unknown to us in cockpit due to failed cooling water hose. Engine cut out, went down below and the saloon is deep in water. Auto pump had blocked so manual pump pump pump and get bucket ready. Easy sorted when I opened engine bay as a could see 1 year old reinforced pipe had split at the cooling pump so turned off sea cock and spent hours drying out lockers but didn't need to call mayday. Good exercise for the Navigator while I lay down in the flood to find and fix the issue.
 
I had two Henderson manual bilge pumps and one electric but I have decided that the Henderson pumps are pretty close to useless and now have two electric . The other Henderson manual is only kept because if I took it out there would be large hole to fill in the cockpit.
 
I'm finding this thread interesting and informative, as I'd hoped.

I have a deep bilge ( 55" ) not easily inspected, so I have fitted a new Rule RM 1100B electric unit. I also have a pair of smaller Rule 500 units, which I think I shall keep on board on a 'wander lead' arrangement. I reckon they'll be convenient for emptying the deep P&S cockpit lockers.

Like 'mainsail1' I have an existing Henderson manual pump - cockpit access - which I shall retain, for I like the practice of pumping the bilges clear morning and evening, counting the effective strokes as a 'cue' to developing problems.

I'm very interested in the idea of rigging a means of pumping using the engine raw water inlet and will actively hunt for a Y-valve or similar which will maintain an effective air-seal when in 'Normal' mode.
 
zoidberg said:
I'm very interested in the idea of rigging a means of pumping using the engine raw water inlet and will actively hunt for a Y-valve or similar which will maintain an effective air-seal when in 'Normal' mode.
Click to expand...

As I mentioned I have this arrangement, and I have never had problems with air leaks through the Y-valve. I hope I won’t get problems now I have said this. ?
I’ll see if I can find a brand name on the valve next time I’m on board.
 
Grandma-eggs warning, but..don't allow anything to fall in the bilges, and stress it to your crew.. rags and plastic bags are obvious ones but sawdust, hair, general fluff and lint will all disable bilge pumps eventually.
 
We have 2 electric pumps and one manual (operated from the cockpit but hose is deep in the bilge). Of the two electric pumps, one is a whale gulper 220, with the hose to the bottom of the bilge - although it has a relatively low flow rate it is better at extracting the last of the bilge water, and being a diaphragm pump, suffers less from flow back. The other electric pump is a higher capacity centrifugal type, mounted slightly higher in the bilge and hopefully never used, as it would mean that the gulper was not coping! Both electric pumps have auto sensors. Now I have fixed the various leaks (hardened seals round hatches, old sealant around chainplates, etc) that I inherited, I am hoping that the bilges will routinely be dry!
 
I have 4.
One fixed 2000lts/hr electric
One roaming electric with hose long enough to reach the cockpit from any location.
One roaming manual one usually for pumping rain water from the dinghy but can double up
One fixed Henderson my 5 of that ilk.
 
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