Secondary Bilge Pump connected to galley outlet

[john_morris_uk]

All the cockpit drains that I'm aware of are above the waterline; they are effectively like gutters on your roof and stop water from the outside getting in. A very different thing indeed.

Perhaps you can explain how any of the many centre cockpit boats have cockpit drains above the waterline? Our cockpit drains go vertically down through the engine space and out through the hull underwater. The seacocks remain open permanently. The only time they get closed is when I check that they are not seized!

Actually I am with Yoda on this. If the hull fitting doesn't leak when you are on the boat, why is it suddenly going to start leaking when you leave the boat on its mooring? We have sea-cocks on all our skin fittings (including the engine exhaust) but they are all open pretty much all the time and I don't see a problem with it. I know that they all work though!

 

[Captain Haddock]

Make sure the cockpit exit is high enough that it doesn't let water below if there is any in the cockpit. Mine is just under the seat level with a hose down to just above the drain.

No worries there it's pretty high I think the idea of sighting the exit at seat level with the pipe angled down will work quite well. In addition it's a shorter tube length to the cockpit than to the galley outlet.

 

[Captain Haddock]

Work complete

Just thought I'd share with everyone what I've done over the weekend.

I'm quite surprised how effective the pump actually is. The 360 is fine as a little maintenance pump whilst I'm away from the boat. So here's some pictures to show bilge with water, draining and empty all automatically.

BTW I don't expect the bilge pump to be chucking water out like it is in the picture all the time as it's only supposed to happen when we leave the boat or when we first turn up as part of our pre-journey checks.

Bilge Full - Pump activated

Bilge exit point into cockpit - Directly over the cockpit drain (1 either side)

Bilge all empty