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Adding a sump

2K views 11 replies 9 participants last post by  RichH 
#1 ·
I have a 1986 303 Pearson and both the AC and the boat cooler (ice chest) drain to the bilge.
My plan is to drill out a hole 4x6x5inches deep 3 inches behind the mast epoxy it and install a sump pump.
My effort is to keep the bilge and the mast connection dry.
What is under the bilge fiberglass. Steel plate, aluminum plate, wood, or lead.
Thanks
 
#2 ·
It would be a lot easier and safer to just buy a premade sump box w/pump. You are still going to have to plumb in the drain lines and the overboard discharge, so you'll still have plenty of work to do.
I don't know your boat at all, but even on my 53 footer I don't think I could drill out a hole 4x6x5inches deep 3 inches in the boat around the mast w/o compromising its structural integrity.
 
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#4 ·
The cooler already drains to the aft part of the bilge. How about damming that off with a divider slightly less high than the total height of the bilge well, and installing a second bilge pump ? Then have your A/C drain to the same area ?

We live in Florida an the cooler doesn't really melt all that fast.

If it's a built in A/C that should really be installed so the discharge is going directly out, not through the bilge though anyway.

In either case, I think drilling holes in the bilge floor is a bad idea.
 
#5 ·
under the mast step will be very, very thick layup of glass and under that would be the lead keel. you have a deep enough bulge to place a small container to drain the A/C and cooler into and place a small automatic bilge pump in the container to pump overboard. or pipe the A/C and cooler condensate to the sink drain seacock, above the waterline is best.
 
#6 ·
On the 303 the sink drain is to a below the waterline seacock.

The cooler is also deep enough that it would be problematic for an above waterline drain. TBH in FL, the cooler melt rate isn't a problem - 40 lbs of ice lasts a few days, and water doesn't reach the mast step from the melt as the cooler drains much further aft than the step on the 303.

I suspect most of his water is coming from his A/C and that should be drained to an above water line drain seacock.

Knowing more about the a/c install might be helpful.
 
#7 ·
My icebox drain is connected to a manual pump at the galley sink. A minute or so of pumping is all it takes to get rid of a days ice melt. I like that no potentially smelly stuff gets into the bilge. Do this and run the AC drain overboard and problem solved.
 
#10 ·
Good solution, I considered that and depending on use its the way to go. Im not on my Boat every day so by the time I get back usually its all water. I put a 3 way valve at the pump inlet so I can choose Ice box or water tank and use the electric pump, just flip it back to clear the line. I wont use the hot faucet so its not pulling that water through the heater. The OP had it drain to the bilge and mine is so flat their was always way too much water since the pump couldn't remove it all.

Now the only nuisance water if from the keel stepped mast. if I had $900 with no where else to spend it I would look at the Vacuum bilge stripper pumps and I could stay dry all the time. My next Boat will have some kind of a Bilge sump, I miss washing down with a water hose, just not practical now.
 
#8 ·
Thank all, looks like my first idea o adding a sump was not a good one.
Just got the boat so will do more line tracing.
The AC built in with a raw water pump to the unit exiting above the waterline.
I like the idea of adding a sump box with both lines going into it.
Thanks again
 
#9 ·
A fully enclosed box is a good idea, if it will always have standing water inside waiting to get high enough to trip the float switch of a typical bilge pump.

Another option is to use the DryBilge system, which claims to remove all water. I just bought one to evacuate the water that enters via the mast. I haven't installed it yet, so I can't give a good reference. Another product is the Arid Bilge system, but those are silly expensive.
 
#11 ·
I have never seen an A/C condensation drain that goes directly overboard. They either drain into a sump or the bilge. I sure wouldn't try to plumb that into a thruhull.
Something like this should handle all your problems; Whale GW0500 Shower Sump System.
 
#12 · (Edited)
The problem with Pearsons of this size range is the 'bilge' is only a few inches deep.
Connecting the 'fridge', shower drain, or AC condensate drain to an isolated 'sump' is a damn good idea - simply because of the fermenting and decaying bacterial STINK that comes from such drainage.
The difficulty is that such an isolated 'sump' can't block the long and very shallow bilges in these boats .... so Id build any sump 'off center' from the already shallow bilge so that the original bilge can still drain any errant leaks that occur; and, use a very small float switched 'micro-pump' that discharges directly to a 'suction break loop' and then through the stern and overboard. Alternately such an aux. sump can be on the centerline but with an isolated 'tube' connection between the OEM bilge sections.
Such aux. sump being isolated is easier to control and disinfect the usual boat-STINK that comes from these microorganism 'growth generators'.

Any such aux. sump containing such bacterials, etc. 'should' be completely contained and sealed with an easily removable cover - to enable the absolutely needed occasional 'cleaning' and removal of 'hair balls', etc. The use of a sealed aux. sump will prevent such odiferous 'evil-soup' from sloshing all over the undersides of the floor pan, especially when the boat is heeled over.
 
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