Raw Water Washdown System

[cbadmin]

From: Mike (Original Message) Sent: 11/25/2002 6:36 PM
Details of components and configurations for raw water washdown systems installed on members' C-Dorys.

•What model pump do you use?
•How did you route the suction line to the water beneath the hull?
•What pressure-side hoses and fittings did you use?
•How effective is your system for the uses it sees?
•How would change or improve on your installation?
•Any questions about systems and uses?

From: Mike Sent: 11/25/2002 8:08 PM
The washdown pump on the TyBoo is a Shurflo Blaster (3.5 gpm, 45 psi). I was a little disappointed in the volume and pressure output, but for the cost it is a pretty good unit. (A guy at the store counter where I bought the thing said it should be called a "squirter" instead of a "blaster".)

It is mounted horizontally with the suction inlet on the top. I originally had it mounted flat, and it worked good. Then I repositioned it, and without thinking I put the suction on the bottom. Didn't work too well that way. Turned it over, and it works better than it did sitting flat. I like things out where I can see them, so the pump is mounted to a small sheet of clear polycarbonate, which is hung beneath the starboard gunwale with the pump between the hull and the plastic sheet.

The suction line runs from the pump to a strainer inside the starboard lazerette, and from there it follows the motor control cables into the motor well. In the end of the hose is a length of 3/4" stainless tubing which runs down the outside of the transom to just even with the bottom of the hull. The end of the tubing that is in the water is cut at 45º, with the bevel facing forward to provide prime when the boat is moving. I didn't want to add a thru-hull big enough for the 3/4" line, so I bent a piece of 1/2" SS rod into a tight "U" at one end to clip over the transom. The other end of the rod extends down the outside of the transom and has the pickup tube strapped to it with tyraps. There is just a short run of hose visible in the motor well, and the pickup tube is right next to the motor bracket, so it doesn't look bad at all.

The pressure side has a short hose, which coils and hangs on a SS bracket I fabbed. There is also a hand washing spigot I made out of 3/8" stainless tube and valve, mounted in a teflon block. The spigot stows completely inside the boat when not in use, and slides up through the teflon mount and rotates over the side when in use. There are pictures of the thing both stowed and in use in the details album. The pictures also show the hose and a little bit of the mounted pump. One thing that was added after the pictures were taken is a clear plastic shield that covers the valve when stowed. It only took a couple times bumping it with my leg and filling my shoe with water to figure that one out.

The pump is wired to a switch at the helm station, and it is usually left on while the boat is in use. The pump has its own pressure switch built in, and cycles the pump on/off when either the hose nozzle or spigot valve is opened/closed.

It works well for cleaning fish, and does a decent job of rinsing the deck. Shurflo now makes a dual head pump that delivers 5.6 gpm (albeit at a higher amp draw). I think if and when I need to replace the pump I have, I will go with the bigger one. If it never wears out, though, it will be just fine. It does a good job of cleaning up the fresh blood from the cockpit floor and sides (fish blood rinses off easier than mine, I have discovered a couple of times). After landing the big feller and bonking him in the head, I turn on the manual bilge pump and hose down the deck. The hose also works good for rinsing off weeds, scales and bird poop before they dry on the gelcoat surfaces. Or, when the dog pees on the back deck, the hose and bilge pump help him survive the rest of the trip.

Geez - that was a long story for a simple little water pump.