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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Bilge and Bilge Pump

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rustynbigd
1st Mate

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31 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/10/2010 : 16:48:50

OK, so I bought this boat about 5 years ago and though I have sailed a few times, I haven't really become very knowledgable about the boat, yet. I have a question and I know it'll sound pretty dumb to most of you.

I have a 1980 C25 standard rig and it has been a very dry boat. However, last time I visited the boat there was quite a bit of water and I figure that I didn't dog the fore hatch down tightly enough. The water pooled. I have an electric bilge, and I toggled it on, and some water shot out like I figure it is supposed to. Then, nothing, but there was water in the area below the floor. Actually there are three areas - a small area under the table next to the seat, a small area under the table more in the middle of the floor, and that seems to connect to a well of some kind that extends a ways aft.

So, the question - where the heck is the bilge and where's the pump? I can't any kind of tool or pump down in the area that extends aft. Also, the pump handle for the manual bilge doesn't fit in the hole where the manual pump is in the cockpit. The pump handle diameter is greater than the hole. I have looked that manual, I have looked at the technical references, and I just can't seem to figure it out.

Well, if the question isn't too dumb I would really appreciate an answer.

Rusty
1980 SKSR #2039
Lindesfarne

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 03/10/2010 : 17:13:32

Those areas below the floor are the bilge. I understand that in some years, all the sections do not communicate with one another. There may be several reasons your pump cycled on but didn't empty the bilge. My first though it that the uptake hose may be at such an angle as to not get to the bottom of the bilge. Another is that it may have emptied the area that it is in but not the others since there are no connections between them. Remember, water will always seek the lowest level of the boat so, if those other areas were to fill and overflow, it's likely that the overflow will run to the bilge section that the pump is in. Did the pump empty the section it was in?

Have you figured out where the water came from. The usual suspects (if you find that the forward hatch wasn't the culprit) are the ports and the through-bolts for the stanchions, etc. After 30 years, they may need to be re-bedded. If that's the case, search the archives of the forum. It's been discussed a lot.

Edited by - John Russell on 03/10/2010 17:15:19

skrenz
Captain

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USA
351 Posts

Response Posted - 03/10/2010 : 17:25:00

I suspect that your bilge pump intake is in the area under the quarter birth right behind the cockpit ladder. That's where the manual bilge pump intake is on my '75 model and from earlier discussions on many other models also.
I've had the same question: Why put the bilge pump intake here? It won't do anything to drain the areas under the floor and it certainly won't do anything to drain the salon floor itself. So what's the idea? In an earlier discussion last season I posited drilling a hole from this area where the pump intake is now to the areas under the floor so as to be able to have them drain also. I was told at the time by several seasoned owners that this was not a good idea. Why this isn't a good idea or how I would pump out the salon from say a wave breaking into the cockpit and going below, I have never figured out.

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 03/10/2010 : 18:29:54

Factory Bilge pump is a joke on this boat. No bilge pump will empty ALL the water out, expect a inch or two to remain. I clean the last little bit out with a shop vac.

My factory hand pump intake hose is in the actual keel well under the table (fin keel, pedestal table interior).

I installed an electric pump in the same area.

Its a super dry boat, there never should be water inside. I get water when I clean my knotmeter.

Others have lots of window and deck leaks when it rains. I think I've found and fixed all of those - for now.

I cover the companion way door, if you don't when it rains you can get a lot of water on the floor by the galley sink.

Edited by - on

Windhover
1st Mate

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USA
35 Posts

Response Posted - 03/14/2010 : 14:47:46

I also have an '80 FK/SR, and haven't been able to get the factory manual pump to work. I've never hade enough water in the bilge to use it, so have tried sticking the intake in a gallon jug for test purposes. The most I've pumped it is 20x or so and it doesn't seem to prime itself. I've noticed on other older boats it can take 10-20X for the manual pump to begin to draw water to the discharge. Any thoughts? I have an electric pump that will fit in the bilge, however, Murphy states Windhover would probably lose electric power in an extreme situation.

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 03/14/2010 : 15:41:29

You may need to rebuild the pump. The diaphragm and flap valves harden and crack with age; kits are available and it is an easy job. Take the pump apart to check the condition and check for clogs, then put it back together with new parts and enough smooth wall hose to reach the lowest point in the bilge.

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glen
Captain

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359 Posts

Response Posted - 03/15/2010 : 08:22:54

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave5041
 You may need to rebuild the pump. The diaphragm and flap valves harden and crack with age; kits are available and it is an easy job. Take the pump apart to check the condition and check for clogs, then put it back together with new parts and enough smooth wall hose to reach the lowest point in the bilge.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">The diaphragm on our hand pump was shot. I replaced it and now it works fine. As for an electric pump, I installed one with a float switch, so now we have both. I don’t like to take “Murphy” for granted.

Edited by - on

DanM
Captain

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USA
256 Posts

Response Posted - 03/26/2010 : 07:44:17

Mine didn't have a handle when I acquired her, so I made one from an old hockey stick. I tried pumping water from a bail bucket, gave up after 10x with no results. I bought a piston pump, just in case. But, so far I have not needed it - had only a few spongefulls, ever, in the bilge.
Investigating and overhauling the manual pump sounds like a good tech tips article.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.