Using homestyle sump pump as a bilge pump

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WASP18
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Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
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Using homestyle sump pump as a bilge pump

Post by WASP18 »

My 26X has been inactive for nearly two years. Discovered water in the bilges reaching up to the battery compartment. Bought a Flotec household utility pump (sump pump) which pumps over 1,300 gallons per minute. Plugged into a heavy duty outdoor extension cord (house power) and whoosh! Emptyed out in no time. I used a 25 foot garden-type hose designed for RV's and boats. I did have to crawl into the back to transfer sponged water from the extreme right and left bilge compartments into the emptyed center compartments where the pump fits nicely.

I bought a 1000 watt CAT inverter to hook up to the battery and as a plug-in power supply for the pump at sea. My plan is to run this if ever we're caught in heavy rain and the bilges start to fill. I can also plug into our yacht club's shore power with a heavy duty 14 gauge extension cord.

Here's the pump selling on Amazon for $15 less than Home Depot. The inverter is also $15 less on Amazon compared to Home Depot's price.
http://www.amazon.com/Flotec-FP0S1300X- ... MYM513FDZ9

Here's the inverter.
http://www.amazon.com/CAT-CPI1000-1000W ... 3D6D4C344K
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Russ
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Re: Using homestyle sump pump as a bilge pump

Post by Russ »

I would recommend closing the hatches when it rains. :D
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WASP18
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Re: Using homestyle sump pump as a bilge pump

Post by WASP18 »

i believe most of the water came from my initial wash-down after I removed the tarp. :(

The pump, by the way, is amazingly fast. It's like having a spare tire if we get blasted with water.
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Russ
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Re: Using homestyle sump pump as a bilge pump

Post by Russ »

Where is all that water coming in? Did you hose the INSIDE.

After a few weeks of storms, we might get a half cup of water in there. Sponge works great.
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WASP18
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Re: Using homestyle sump pump as a bilge pump

Post by WASP18 »

Good question. The water didn't have a stale odor from age or salt water, so I'm guessing it came from my recent wash-down.

When I parked the boat 1 1/2 years ago, water appeared at the small dime-size hole at the bottom of the stairs and started to soak part of the rug. I removed probably a quart or so with a needle-pointed turkey baster. I recently read in the owner's manual (or on this forum) a recommendation to check the bilges often in the stern area, especially when finding water in the dime-size hole.

Next, I looked in the battery compartment and found some water, maybe an inch, in this area. I then pulled all of my stored stuff from the rear for an unobstructed view and had a holy-cow moment! The rear cushions were submerged about a few feet from the stern. I pulled them out, placed in a sunny spot and ran off to Home Depot to buy the pump.

Back when I was hauling out the boat at end-of-season, and maneuvering to an approach position, I gently bumped into some rocks near the rear of the hull (starboard rear quarter). I mentioned this to the marina folks to look for damage and who then did a scrape and paint shortly thereafter. They didn't see anything. I thought if there was a hole or crack, the water would have seeped out while the boat was parked in a sloped, slightly bow-high position.

Previously, the only leaks I ever saw appeared as tablespoon-sized in the head and that was after purchasing the boat and trailering it to my back yard. The boat was thoroughly surveyed before purchase and I assisted the surveyor. We used the boat for six weeks and moored it with a dodger and bimini always up.
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Highlander
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Re: Using homestyle sump pump as a bilge pump

Post by Highlander »

check under ur sliding hatch I had 3 small holes in the gell coat there u would not believe how much water would come in these little holes , would not leak when I had my dodger up !! :?
soo took a while to figure it out :) all,s well now

J 8)
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WASP18
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Re: Using homestyle sump pump as a bilge pump

Post by WASP18 »

Highlander wrote:check under ur sliding hatch I had 3 small holes in the gell coat there u would not believe how much water would come in these little holes , would not leak when I had my dodger up !! :?
soo took a while to figure it out :) all,s well now

J 8)
Thanks Highlander!! :) Someone describing their experience is exactly what I was looking for. :D I once played drums in a bagpipe band for seven years, BTW. Always enjoyed the Canadian bands who visited the Highland Games in New Hampshire.
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Cougar
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Re: Using homestyle sump pump as a bilge pump

Post by Cougar »

It may be my simple view on things, but aren't the bilge compartments connected? I have to pump out some bilge water from the starboard side occasionally. The port side is always dry. To me it's not more than logical that water from a space which is difficult to access (if accesible at all) can freely flow to a part which is easy to access. Or does the :macx: effectively have two bilges, separated by the ballast tank? I guess I should get myself an endoscope... :?
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Re: Using homestyle sump pump as a bilge pump

Post by Catigale »

There are many unconnected parts of a Mac bilge. I have three pumps on Catigale which provides some redundancy ( my idea when I put them in) but since then I've learned that bilge pumps don't help you save the boat in case of damage.
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WASP18
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Re: Using homestyle sump pump as a bilge pump

Post by WASP18 »

Cougar wrote:It may be my simple view on things, but aren't the bilge compartments connected? I have to pump out some bilge water from the starboard side occasionally. The port side is always dry. To me it's not more than logical that water from a space which is difficult to access (if accesible at all) can freely flow to a part which is easy to access. Or does the :macx: effectively have two bilges, separated by the ballast tank? I guess I should get myself an endoscope... :?
I had to lie down on my stomach and inch my way to the extreme rear to set up the bilge pump which I placed close to the ballast tank structure. After the water was rapidly pumped out, I sponged water from the neighboring bilge into the spot where the pump was placed. The pump is a little too wide to fit in the other rear bilge compartments. I then washed the rear area with a bleach and water mixture to kill bacteria. An added bonus was a bright hot and sunny day. Everything was bone dry the next day and sparkling clean.
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dlandersson
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Re: Using homestyle sump pump as a bilge pump

Post by dlandersson »

Thank you 8)
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