Re: catalina27-talk: Bilge Overflow

[jogrubbs]

Hi Phil,   To be honest I have never serviced the manual bulge pump. I don't know right off what the brand name is but I will going down to the boat Sat. morning and can check that out. You mention a rebuild kit, I assume that would be available from the manuf. I'll get back when I have the name. Thanks.   John Grubbs Dreamcatcher # 5796 Piedmont, South Carolina ----- Original Message ----- From: Phil Agur To: catalina27-talk@memberclicks.com Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2006 7:31 PM Subject: RE: catalina27-talk: Bilge Overflow Hi John,   Looking at the photo in your profile I see you own what I casually refer to as a new style inboard. Since you were motoring I’ll discount checking the head valves for the first go around and start by zeroing on the bilge pump itself.   Bilge pumps generally come in two types, centrifugal and diaphragm, and need to be installed according to type. Catalina prefers a diaphragm type but many owners and dealers install what they will. Essentially a diaphragm pump has two check valves separated by a chamber with a changeable volume.  When the pump is clean of debris, in good working order, and connected with fittings & hoses in good order water is stopped by redundant valves within the pump from flowing back into the bilge.   A centrifugal bilge pump has no valves and therefore alone is not suitable for installation in a sailboat where the outlet may often go below the surface of the water. Water can easily flood back into the boat when a centrifugal pump used unless an external check valve is added.   Since I expect from your model you have a diaphragm pump let’s talk about what can need replacement after so many years of good service. The simplest fault can be debris trapped in the holding the simple valves partially open however after twenty years the rubber itself has to be suspect. Warped, torn, or crumbling the rubber valve flaps won’t be seal tightly and water can flow back though the pump. The good news it there is an inexpensive rebuild kit for the Whale brand of pumps typically used by Catalina.   I found I sucked some new boat construction debris into my diaphragm bilge early on so I rebuilt mine about ten years ago. It was pretty simple and I was able to do our electric model in place.   Do you know what type of bilge pump you have and the last time it was inspected and serviced?   Phil Agur                    s/v Wing Tip Commodore,             Call Sign WCW3485 IC27/270A                   MMSI 366901790 www.catalina27.org      Vessel Doc# 1039809 -----Original Message----- From: catalina27-talk@memberclicks.com [mailto:catalina27-talk@memberclicks.com] On Behalf Of jogrubbs Sent: Sunday, March 19, 2006 8:06 AM To: catalina27-talk@memberclicks.com Subject: catalina27-talk: Bilge Overflow   The question I have has been discussed before if I remember correctly, problem is remembering anything these days. In any event while motoring on the lake the other day water started to overflow from the bilge. Speed we were traveling was at 3.5 to 4 knots most of the time. It started to get cold and I bumped up to about 5 knots. That's when a friend told me we were taking on water. I checked the engine compartment and could not see any problems also checked the transom and both the exhaust and bilge drain was under water at speed. I reduced speed and manually pumped the bilge and that took care of the problem. Question is what caused the problem in the first place. Could water possibly have siphoned back to the bilge ? If anyone has had a similar experience or information on this it would be greatly appreciated.   Thanks,   John Grubbs Dreamcatcher # 5796 Piedmont, South Carolina