Bilge Pump

Nunya · Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 11:02 am Post subject: Bilge Pump

Seems I read somewhere on the forum about wether the area where the bilge pump is mounted in a 25 CD, was solid fiberglass or cored. My pump froze up on my last outing and while changing it out, I discovered that the area is cored. The four SS screws holding the base down were not sealed and there was a dab of sealant underneath the base?? I drilled out holes and potted with epoxy. This area seems to always have standing water, even after re-enforcing the deck hatches. I suggest everyone check this area out and make sure the screws are at least sealed.

Jack in Alaska · Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 3:43 am Post subject:

I was just looking at my bilge pump today and wondering how well it was sealed up when it was screwed to the bottom of the boat hull. Will investigate that tomorrow.

Two battery boxes, in the same compartment, were screwed down that way also but I removed them to a higher compartment. Those holes were sealed with a dab of 5200 under the boxes. I put 5200 amply into the holes with a toothpick and around the holes and then put the screws back in. That is not up to Dr. Bob's standards but is good for now.

Has anyone just glued the bilge pump down with 5200 or 4200 with any success.???

Good news today.........I drilled into the outside of the transom near the bottom to mount a piece of starboard for a transducer mount. I was concerned on what I would find in the wood. Well it was nice clean,dry wood. No water or sign of it. Those 3 small holes were sealed extremely well. Very Happy

matt_unique · Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 7:42 am Post subject: Bilge

I think we might have the same issue with Tomcat's. It's already on my list for a winter project.

Captains Cat · Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:39 am Post subject: Re: Bilge

Noreaster · Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 5:28 pm Post subject:

I replaced my bilge pump this spring with Devcon 5 minute epoxy smeared on the bottom and it is holding just fine. I really only installed it that way because the factory had installed the origional pump the same way. I just roughed up the area and the base of the pump with some 60 grit sand -paper , cleaned up the bottom of the pump and the bilge area with some isopropyl and it has been in ther solid since early April.

Jack in Alaska · Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:11 am Post subject:

Today I unscrewed the bilge pump from the hull bottom. As I suspected it had been installed by a total "nimrod" that did not have a clue.
Little or no sealant under the base and an unused screw hole under it also.
I sealed it all up and reset the pump using the same holes.
The wiring to it was also relocated so as to keep them above the bilge water.
How can one prevent things like this from happening? Getting water into the hull bottom is not a pretty thing to deal with.

Captains Cat · Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 9:04 am Post subject:

matt_unique · Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 10:37 am Post subject: Seal

Nunya · Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 11:24 am Post subject:

Makes me wonder are there any other screw penetrations under the rear deck. My fresh water pump was also screwed down into hull with no sealant on the screws. I moved pump up along side battery and filled screw holes in hull with epoxy.
Has anyone removed their rear deck? How is the fuel tank held down?

matt_unique · Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 11:48 am Post subject: Sealing

designbug · Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 12:00 pm Post subject:

Hi All,

I'm concerned about this issue. My 2007 CD25 is in the water here in Annapolis all year and there is alway some water in the bilge area. Last summer I moved the water pump up onto the battery shelf - which has worked very well, but I left the mounting screws on the bilge floor. I had a lot of trouble getting to the mounting screws but I was able to tighten them down with the rubber footings in place. I am hoping the rubber footings would help prevent water from getting into the core.

My question is - do I have a potentially serious problem? I haven't even checked out under the bilge pump! I'm not that handy and feel very uncomfortable drilling out holes in the botton of the boat to fill with epoxy.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks, Dick

Doryman · Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 12:34 pm Post subject:

I thought -- but may well be wrong -- that the bottom of the hull is solid fiberglass but the vertical areas such as the transom are where they start using the core stuff. I do know they do not use core throughout the boats. I also know that the question of where the core is, precisely, can sometimes only be answered with a cross-section of the hull -- there are a couple of photos in the albums showing a hull cross-section from the factory. I have also heard that the location of core in a specific model varies from year to year, according to the design at that time.

Would appreciate confirmation of the above.

Warren

Nunya · Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:00 pm Post subject:

Designbug,
It's not a big deal to epoxy a screw hole closed. Just drill into it with a 1/4" bit about a 1/4 ~ 3/8 of an inch. Fill with epoxy and your done. All screw holes need to be filled. If you're going to put a screw back in, it will need to be potted a little deeper than the screw is long and undercut. This is easy to do, once you do one. There are instructions on the forum on how to do it. Do a search for "potting" should get you there. Boats that are stored in cold weather (freezing) definately do not want water in between the inner and outer hulls.

matt_unique · Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:32 pm Post subject: Epoxy

Catch 22 · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 4:16 am Post subject:

i made a thin aluminum bracket that i mounted the bilge pump plate to, then the bracket runs up the transom about a foot and screws in there, so the penetrations are not where water will ever be sitting, also with my transom box, it make for much easier access to the pump, since it sits about 4 inches below the bottom of the box....