Location for bilge pump outlet.

[swampthing]

Im installing a second manual bilgepump for emergency use. Do I have to route outlet tubing to transom or can I fit the outlet skin fitting in hull side, high as pos above water line. Is this bad practise? Hunter Europa. Thanks

 

[bazobeleza]

not much freeboard with a europa, and mine used to spend a lot of time sailing on its ear so just check next time you're out that the place you want to site it is not under water too often.

having said that both my bilge pumps exit on the hull sides on my current boat.

 

[MarkGrubb]

Both my bilge pumps exit on the side too.

Try and position the fitting so that you can loop the pipe high above the water line at all angles of heel.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
Try and position the fitting so that you can loop the pipe high above the water line at all angles of heel.

[/ QUOTE ] If you do that it will always leave water in the pump. It might be prudent to drain that out at lay-up time to avoid it freezing and damaging the pump.

 

[roly_voya]

If you offset the pump to one side of the bilge they take the outlet up to deck level then accross and through the opposite side of the hull should aviod syphoning. Often a shorter and therefore more efficient rout than through the transom. As an alternative ther is no reason it cant go either through the deck or the cabin side. Lots of commercial vessels do this and I suspect its not done on yachts for fear of staining the deck rather than because its a bad place to pump to.

 

[boatmike]

An alternative is to "siamese" the bilge lines to your existing outlet, but if you do this you need to fit in line one way valves (ASAP stock them) to the pipes otherwise you will just pump from one bilge to the other! Alternatively a change over valve but then you need to have it set right and wouldn't be able to pump both at the same time.

 

[captainslarty]

If you have a self draining cockpit with decent drains, feed it to the cockpit.
The pipe runs are shorter, and as you said, its for emergency use.
I feed 2 rule 3700's and a 240v mother of all pond pumps /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif to 3 outlets low on the aft bulkhead directly into the cockpit..
Hope to gawd I never need them lol...

I do have a deep cockpit, but installed 2 new 3 inch drain tubes directly through the transom.. to add to the exisitng somewhat undersized bath plug hole type drains.
With the direct to cockpit, you dont need valves or loops or highrises.. you can even use plastic waste pipe and fittings with a small flexi piece to the pump.
A good tip if you go this route is to fit a small flap valve over each outlet - looks neater and stops any backflow if ya get pooped !

Joe

 

[[10753]]

But if you have shipped a fair amount of water then the cockpit will have flooded and your pumped water will not drain. Please Correct me if i'm wrong.

 

[captainslarty]

Hi Osp, no, that can't happen. the floor of the cockpt is 18" above the waterline. the saloon floor is on the waterline, the bilge below the saloon floor is apx 3 foot 6" deep - engine under saloon.
Battery box (1000 Ah) is fully waterproof - for'ad with snorkel system for vents. to provide power i an emergency for pump systems. plus, of course /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif manual pumps..
The dump to cockpit in emergency seems a logical idea to me ?

 

[[10753]]

Ah ! My cockpit sole is considerably less - probably 4 inches tops - when sailing at 25 degrees water bubbles up the drain. Looks like draining in the cockpit would work for you but probably not for me !

 

[Stemar]

My bilge pumps both exit from the side of the hull. I have non-return a valve between the electric pump and the through hull, and a ball valve, which I turn off at sea. The pump makes enough noise that I'll hear it and can open the valve if it comes on

Incidentally, as bilgewater tends to be less than pristine - at least in my boat! - I sealed a 2" bit of plastic pipe (WC overflow, I think) into the skin fitting so the water doesn't stain my nice new paint.