Bilge Pump

[Nunya]

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]

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.

 

[matt_unique]

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

 

[Captains Cat]

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

In the meantime, you can let your arms grow about 18" and also sprout another hand on each one so you can reach them and handle tools way down there! :roll:

Then you can come do mine! :lol:

Charlie

 

[Noreaster]

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]

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]

How can one prevent things like this from happening? Getting water into the hull bottom is not a pretty thing to deal with.

Jack, one can prevent it by installing things that penetrate the FG into the core properly as described many times on this thread. Hopefully the new owners of C-Dory are watching closely, IMHO this is one of the best production changes they could make :idea as they manufacture their boats. I wonder how Sea Sports fasten their things into the hull... Anyone know? :?:

Charlie

 

[matt_unique]

How can one prevent things like this from happening? Getting water into the hull bottom is not a pretty thing to deal with.

Jack, one can prevent it by installing things that penetrate the FG into the core properly as described many times on this thread. Hopefully the new owners of C-Dory are watching closely, IMHO this is one of the best production changes they could make :idea as they manufacture their boats. I wonder how Sea Sports fasten their things into the hull... Anyone know? :?:

Charlie

I agree Charlie.

As we have learned, manufacturers (nor electronics installers) do this properly. It would definitely take more time and cost more, but well worth it.

 

[Nunya]

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]

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?

This topic can drive you nuts...stanchions, cleats, etc., etc. I think the greatest danger is of course where there may be standing water.

 

[designbug]

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]

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]

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]

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

Dr. Bob was kind enough to put together a great reference on how to do this:

http://www.commercialcaptains.com/Artic ... ealing.pdf

 

[Catch 22]

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....

 

[Jack in Alaska]

I have one Rule 1100 automatic bilge pump in my bilge. I am thinking that 2 would be better and supply redundancy.

Is it feasible to wire two pumps to one power feed and then to "Y" the discharges to the one already installed outlet hose.
I want 2 pumps in case one fails and not to double the output.

If only one pump came on would it just pump the discharge back through the inop pump making a big water "circle jerk" in my bilge.?? That would solve nothing. Maybe a check valve?? This is getting complicated.

One 1100 gph pump seems kind of whimpy in a 26' boat. I had two 2000 gph pumps on one float switch in my 22' CD and it worked fine but with individual outlets.

Ideas please. :?

 

[toyman]

Yep, 2 flapper type check valves would be needed. How are you planning on the wiring - run them both at the same time, or one auto and one in manual ? If you plan on running them both at the same time need to check wire size and maybe increase to size of the discharge after the 'Y'. JMOO.

http://tinyurl.com/lgj32l

 

[rogerbum]

I have one Rule 1100 automatic bilge pump in my bilge. I am thinking that 2 would be better and supply redundancy.

Is it feasible to wire two pumps to one power feed and then to "Y" the discharges to the one already installed outlet hose.
I want 2 pumps in case one fails and not to double the output.

Yes it's feasible to do so BUT I wouldn't recommend it. You can prevent the back flow of one pump into the other by putting check valves in the lines but those reduce the outflow capacity of the bilge pumps (and the bilge pump manufacturers specifically recommend against using them). Also, one of the most common modes of bilge pump failure is loss of power to the pump do to a blown fuse or a corroded connection. So, using the same power feed would partially defeat the redundancy you hope to seek.

If only one pump came on would it just pump the discharge back through the inop pump making a big water "circle jerk" in my bilge.?? That would solve nothing. Maybe a check valve?? This is getting complicated.

As I mentioned above, the check valves will work but they reduce flow. They can also get stuck and be another source of failure.

One 1100 gph pump seems kind of whimpy in a 26' boat. I had two 2000 gph pumps on one float switch in my 22' CD and it worked fine but with individual outlets.

Ideas please. :?

One 1100gph pump IS sort of wimpy. My 22 originally came with a single 550gph pump and I replaced that with two 1100's. If I were you, I'd put in a second pump wired separately and with it's own output, It's not that hard to do and a higher capacity pump requires a larger output hose to actually pump at capacity. The waters in Alaska are cold and more dangerous than those down here, you want the extra bilge capacity to work at it's best when you really need it.

 

[Jack in Alaska]

It is apparent to me that the old mind (mine)does not make good sense late at night.............
You are all correct in your replies.
A 2nd pump (maybe larger), separate wiring, switch and outlet is the way to go.
I was trying to eliminate running another outlet hose as I am running out of space to run another hose from the bilge to the side of the hull. Maybe greasing it up and jamming it up through the passageway is the answer.
Thanks for lining me out. No compromise in safety.

 

[Aurelia]

I was checking floats on my bilge pumps today and the good news is they both work. The bad news is the basket on the cockpit bilge felt loose and a light tug pulled out all four unsealed screws holding it down to the floor. I poked around with a sharp screwdriver and could push through the circular depression area that the bilge rests in. This boat has lived under cover and not had much use but there is water in that little pot some of the time and it seems to have found its way through the hasty factory install. I seems like others have found this mounting failure and just overdrilled the holes and epoxy fill/drill mounted the pump back in place. I will plan to just glue the basket down when I put it back in place. How should I approach fixing this area that is not very accessable? I am thinking whole saw and filler material but how thick is the hull in that little depressed area for the bilge pump? Do you think I have bigger issues that would require much more extensive repair? I am open to suggetions from those more experience. I really thought this was one place the factory must seal the mounting holes and actually put off checking because I thought it was built better than this.

See pic of area and holes in my album:

http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_ ... _photo.php