Columbia 36 Shower

tomperanteau · #1 (**permalink**) 05-08-2011

On my C36 the shower drains directly into the bilge. BAD idea. I recently cleaned and painted the bilge, and it drives me crazy that it fills back up if we shower aboard. I have taken some pictures from underneath and I can see where the drain comes out and it appears that there is a small pipe just like the one that comes off the sink in the head. I measured it to be 1" OD (for 1" ID hose).

Has anyone else tried to fit their 36 with a sump and pump to keep the bilge dry? I know I also need to plumb the ice box to the sump, too.

Faster · #2 (**permalink**) 05-08-2011

Not a C36 owner, but could you glass a dam into your bilge where the shower drain enters and add a separate bilge pump in the new section created? That would keep the shower waste from the general bilge.

As far as the icebox drain goes... this can really become a noxious smelly bit of drainage - since you need a trap and inevitably foodstuff gets into the bottom the stuff that 'sits' there can get quite gross. Putting that into your bilge can be another problem. On one of our last boats we simply drained the icebox into a bottle that we emptied periodically and that seemed not too onerous a task. To lighten the load we used contained ice when we could (frozen in milk cartons, for example).

SlowButSteady · #3 (**permalink**) 05-08-2011

Using containers of frozen water, rather than loose ice, also has the advantage that it leaves you with bottles of ice-water for drinking. Also, I take all the items that can stand freezing and throw them into my home deep freeze a couple of days before a long trip, and keep everything out of the icebox that doesn't absolutely need to be in there (fruit, eggs, et cetera). That way, there is actually a lot more ice in the box at the start of a trip (in the bottles of ice AND in the frozen food), and relatively warm stuff that doesn't need to be kept cold for a few days doesn't add energy (heat) to the box.

tomperanteau · #4 (**permalink**) 05-09-2011

Great ideas, and thanks! I'll probably install a small sump tank in the bilge and connect it to the shower drain. The ideas about the ice box are priceless, though.

gon2sea · #5 (**permalink**) 05-12-2011

Tom,

just find any tupperware that will fit into the bilge, buy a cheap 500gph pump and a separate float to control it and mount both in the tupperware and have the shower sump discharge in it, the float will automatically pump it out. you dont want to let the shower discharge in the bilge, the soap, oils, hair, scum, all in time will make a stinky mess... you can always place the pump assembly in the next bilge area aft and simply drill a hole for the shower hose to run thru if the bilge next to the head is too small.
make sure the "tupperware" is deep enough so water doesnt spill when healing. another advantage of placing the pumping station a bit aft is that you can now let the ice box drain into it as well.

Eric

tomperanteau · #6 (**permalink**) 05-12-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by gon2sea

Tom,

just find any tupperware that will fit into the bilge, buy a cheap 500gph pump and a separate float to control it and mount both in the tupperware and have the shower sump discharge in it, the float will automatically pump it out. you dont want to let the shower discharge in the bilge, the soap, oils, hair, scum, all in time will make a stinky mess... you can always place the pump assembly in the next bilge area aft and simply drill a hole for the shower hose to run thru if the bilge next to the head is too small.
make sure the "tupperware" is deep enough so water doesnt spill when healing. another advantage of placing the pumping station a bit aft is that you can now let the ice box drain into it as well.

Eric

Ya know, I have looked into the same thing while I was thinking of how the sumps are designed and how I could do it myself. All you need is a small container that you can mount a small bilge pump in. When I priced the individual parts out, the price was close to the shower sump that West Marine sells. Yea, I know. Their prices are generally MUCH higher than what you find on the Net or what you can do yourself, but sometimes they have decent prices on some things.

SVPrairieRose · #7 (**permalink**) 05-12-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomperanteau

Ya know, I have looked into the same thing while I was thinking of how the sumps are designed and how I could do it myself. All you need is a small container that you can mount a small bilge pump in. When I priced the individual parts out, the price was close to the shower sump that West Marine sells. Yea, I know. Their prices are generally MUCH higher than what you find on the Net or what you can do yourself, but sometimes they have decent prices on some things.

All of the people can be part right some of the time...

tomperanteau · #8 (**permalink**) 05-16-2011

In the end I bought a shower sump and installed it in the bilge. The shower drain had a place where a 1" ID hose could be clamped onto it, and then led, via a drilled hole, to the sump. I plumed the output to the galley sink and that took care of that. Now all I have is to plumb the ice box to the sump and I'll be done with it.

I also have a conversion planned for the ice box. I'll use the Norcold conversion kit for that one.