I want a DRY BILGE

B

Bill3558

New member
Greetings Brats,

Has anyone come up with an ingenues design to pump out the last bit of water left behind in the bilge pump well? My bilge is a disgusting green mess because it leaves just enough water a after a pump cycle to cover the flat in front of the well so my gas tanks and battery box sit it green slime with the hot weather we are having here in Savannah.

Its probably just the nature of the beast but thought I'd ask. Maybe a check valve in the pump line would help but I don't think the pump will pick up enough.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
 
Bill3558-

Add a diaphragm type pump to the system!

Most all bilge pumps are centrifugal in nature. The impeller pumps a great amount of water volume, but can't get the last quart or so out of the boat.

Diaphragm pumps have several advantages:

1. They have check valves built into their design,

2. They are self-priming,

3. They can pick up and remove the last bit of water, since air does not
destroy their prime, and

4. They can be run dry, enabling the last little bit to be sucked out.

However, their volume is limited because of their design, so you'll probably want to keep the centrifugal pump as well to handle the large volume situations.

They are also expensive (~$190 & up ), and require service periodically. Moreover, they must also be mounted up away from the bilge water itself. (Drive belts, non-waterproof motors)

Jim Gibson, (Pounder), the leader of our Delta Extravaganza and Catalina
Adventures, installed one such pump inside the cabin under the galley years ago to get ride of the rainwater accumulation up next to the cabin.

You may also want to look into the Whale Super Sub Pumps and the Jabsco Water Puppy pumps for a possible solution.

Hope this helps!

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Also, throw a couple of caps full of clorox into the well once in awhile. It won't keep it dry but will keep it clear, non slimy and smelling.... well like clorox, which is pungent but not stinky.. :wink:

Charlie
 
Chester":34e7st4z said:
A large sponge?
Click to expand...

That's what I use also, works great. However, I sense that you leave your vessel out in the elements with the cockpit uncovered when you are not on board....that being said, I'll defer to the ideas of others.
 
Have found the shamwow towels to be effective in absorbing water from the bilge. They work better than a sponge and are reasonably durable.
Just shove them into the bilge collection area for a few minutes and pull them out and wring out the water. John
 
I understand how frustrating that last bit of water is.....If you hate it that much, but a good cover for the back to keep the elements out. Then, bring a towel or something to remove any water that is left (cheap and easy). As others have noted some bleach is good to kill the stink if you still have some. I'm sure a diaphram pump will work too, but I have better things to spend that money on.....
 
I have regular centrifugal pumps in Napoleon and there is always a little bit of water. For this reason I recommend routing and filling (aka Dr. Bob Approved Method) such that you don't have to worry about water intrusion to the balsa core.

With that being said I was very pleased to discover nothing but fiberglass when I completed this project on Napoleon. I was already in there face first so to speak so I decided to complete the project for good measure.

Make sure you do not drill through the skin!

Here is the link to my description/experience with the process:

http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t= ... ight=bilge
 
Thank you all for the suggestions. I think I have a weekend Pluto project coming up. The Whale 650 automatic pump might be the easiest solution.

To those suggesting a good sponge I cant tell you how many times I have dried it out that way and only a few minutes later I will spill something, or track mud that needs hosing off and I am back to square one.

Keeping the boat in the water at the marina has its challenges, but the First Mate likes the Marina scene so we keep it there. Now if I can only figure out how to keep the bottom clean in 88 degree water.....

Thanks again
 
The tiny 12v pump went through some testing last night and it just doesn't self prime well enough to do the job for that last little bit of pumping I want. It seems like I really just need a handheld wetvac. Hmmmmm?

I already have one of these that I hated and replaced with a handheld dustbuster.

http://www.onlinediscountmart.com/06-13061.html?c=19

I have not tried it for wet cleanup but maybe it would do the trick. testing soon
 
Heres an update. I did install the Whale 650. Used the bait well thru hull fitting to discharge the water. I left the 1100 pump as is.

It works well, only leaves about 1/4 inch in the pump well. What I did not realize until now is the flat part of the well area, where I have my battery, is sloped slightly forward. So when the boat is docked I still have water present in the area that does not pump out.

Its never easy.
 
While siphoning gas out of my portable gas tanks today I remembered this thread. I use a fuel squeezebulb and fuel line to siphon gas out of the portable tanks and into my truck so the gas doesn't sit all winter. The squeezebulb siphon sucks every last drop of fuel out of my tanks. This method could also be used to suck the last bit of water out of the bilge.

Al
 
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