Manual Bilge Pump instalation

[Peter T]

Hi all, does anyone out there have a manual Bilge pump fitted to their I563 similar to the one shown below ?
I would like to fit this as an extra to my electric pumps each side if the centreboard case. I thought that it would be best mounted on the inside of the companion way above the step on the vertical part of the front of the cockpit. However, the outlet pipe is blocked by the timber frame at the bottom of the companion way. I thought it would be good there as it then could be operated from either inside or outside.
Any ideas re the installation of this pump would be very much appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

[Geoff]

Hi Peter,

I think Ozzie mounted an aftermarket job where you are thinking.

On Timeless it is mounted in the starboard locker against the forward wall. The outlet skin fitting is mounted through the starboard transom so the outlet hose is a fairly straight run.

[no way]

Mine is mounted in the starboard cockpit locker against the cockpit side. The outlet is in the transom so the suction, which is in the bilge next to centreboard case, is inline with the pump and outlet. That's where it was when I bought it and I thought operation would be awkward but its fine

[Ozzie]

Hi Peter below is copy paste of my post on this topic


viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1069&p=5621&hilit=Bilge#p5621
...but I had a similar dilemma. I have the cockpit outlet as shown but a screw on weighted end hose made from caravan drain pipe I can put directly over the side if sailing in sus weather. I’ve never needed it yet but it’s there. I have a flexible internal draw pipe to suck from whichever “tray” of water I select but I really wonder if in an emergency situation just draining from the rear area would be sufficient for safety. The small amount of water held by the “dams” I considered would only be of nuisance value once I’d cleared any above that level and hopefully slopped a leak or sealed an open hatch that had allowed a wave in.

574674A1-1C3D-4202-B24E-F1A78D7D06E8.jpeg (37.06 KiB) Viewed 1763 times

Since then I have a small marine ply board mounted in the space above the step with plastic “C” clips to hold the removable handle in plain sight. I figured in an an emergency searching for it wouldn’t be an option . I printed a small label saying “RETURN PUMP HANDLE HERE AFTER USE…OR SINK” but never got around to laminating it or sticking it on.


As an afterthought when I read all that again I also remember thinking at the time that a length of suitable pvc pipe , the thick orange electrical one could be slipped over the top of the handle to give you standing operation if you were navigating with a tiller extension at the time and short handed. The throw of the the lever would be longer but the mechanical advantage from the lever would be in play. Just a thought.

[Peter T]

Hi Ozzie, and thanks Gents for your replies.
It now seems like I have a choice on my hands. When I saw the reply re the pump being mounted in the cockpit locker, I thought to myself that to be a good option as I also thought that I could kill two birds with one stone. My thoughts were, how about fitting a three way valve to the inlet of the pump. One inlet leading to a bilge area , probably above the rear lead in the keel and the other to the bottom of the cockpit itself. There has been much talk around the small size of the two drain tubes in the back corners of the cockpit and how one would cope if a big wave dumped into the cockpit and the time it would take for this to then drain out. So, if the lever of the 3 way valve was flicked to the other position, this would allow the pump to be used to help empty the cockpit as well as to be used as a bilge pump if required.
Then I wonder if a tidy 3 way valve and all its plumbing would end up too bulky for a small yacht or is it possible to buy one with the correct inlet sizes ?
Then, with Ozzie's set up, I wonder if it could be set up the same? Although Ozzie's looks like it pumps into the cockpit but could have a hose attached and thrown over the side ?
With the locker installation, there could easily be a permanent bilge exit out the stern. Decisions, decisions.
Will have to give it more thought and see where it leads.
Also, if I fit an autohelm, it would probably be mounted on the starboard locker lid and would then make it more difficult to get at the pump in there and if you were in a problem situation, the autohelm would be a godsend while the pump out actions were being attended to.
So, can the autohelm be mounted to the port side ? Or, can the pump be mounted in the port side locker.
All things to consider. Feedback / ideas appreciated. Cheers

[Geoff]

Hi Peter,

just to add some more brainpain into the mix. On Timeless the autohelm, an st1000, is anchored on the starboard gunwale and not the locker lid.

But when operational like you say in a crisis situation, it still blocks access to the pump. You raise a very valid think-through. Even if the autohelm is ambidextrous, it limits access to the locker it is mounted on or over while operational. Outboard fuel in port, manual pump in starboard. Hmmm.

[Peter T]

Hi Geoff. Yes indeed. I have only seen the ST1000 mounted on the Starboard side of any boat. This was how it was on my last yacht. If anyone has one mounted on the port side, I would be very interested to know. Must look up the on line manual for them to see if I can find out. If it is possible, it would have to push instead of pull to get the same result. Not sure if that can be done by programming or not ?
I suppose, that the fuel tank could be mounted in the starboard side locker with the fuel line crossing to the port side inside and behind the rear of the cockpit. Might just need a longer fuel line. This would in some way counter balance the weight of the outboard side to side. Then the pump could be mounted on the port side with the autohelm still on the starboard side ?
Only problem I see with that is that on the stern, there is much more room to mount the bilge outlet on the starboard side than on the port side where the motor is and it would start to get messy crossing that over to the starboard side as well and of course it would mean a longer hose run. The simpler the better really

[Peter T]

Hi all, just found out you can mount the ST 1000 or ST 2000 autohelm on either side of the boat. You just program it to steer the direction you want by pressing the +1 and -1 buttons at the same time for 5 seconds to reverse direction steered. See below.

This means that I could mount it on the port side and have the manual bilge pump in the starboard locker. This will then also get the autohelm away from the VHF aerial which is on the starboard side to minimise interference from that. The only other thing I wonder about is, would the autohelm then be mounted too close to the motor which could cause interference to the autohelm or would it be far enough away when being operated or not I wonder. When the motor is going, it is further back and lower and the autohelm is mounted 18 inches inboard of the rudder pintles.
What do you think ?

[Ozzie]

For anyone following this interesting thread note that the Easter RTM cattle dog has bilge pump plumbing kits on for $19.95

Usual disclaimers ..blah blah…

Actually it’s worth taking a look at the current catalogue. Some good buys . I’m getting the elongated double right angle flushing muffs as they will fit the long anti cav plate on the Tohey 5 on my little cat.

[Peter T]

Thanks Ozzie, that's a very good price. I just can not believe just how hard it is the get all the fittings that are needed. The amount of different sizes along with the lack of what is needed in some sizes has made it extremely difficult for me to get from the bilge, through a bulkhead with a 90 deg turn, through the manual pump and then the correct flexible hose as well as some 90 deg elbows as well as some straight pipe and the skin fitting which also had to be modified. What a nightmare. I have had to make up some bits with thin sleeves to make it all work as one with about 10 trips backwards and forwards to multiple outlets. Grrrrrr.
I ended up mounting the manual pump inside the starboard cockpit locker towards the front, just behind the bulkhead in the locker and then ran a length of hard prolly pipe to run from the elbow at the pump outlet along the top inside edge of the locker and then used a small piece of flexible from there to the skin fitting mounted in the transom. ( I had to fit a 90 deg elbow facing forward on the inlet of the pump at the bottom as well as one facing towards the stern at the top on the outlet to get the pump to fit in the locker height wise ) Another small piece of flexible from the inlet of the pump to the through bulkhead fitting which also had to be modified and flexible from the bunk side to the bilge. Much bigger job that you would think. I also ended up fitting skin fittings on the cockpit sides towards the top just inside the bunk bulkhead for the two electric bilge bumps mounted each side of the centreboard case, so they pump into the cockpit where it can be seen. The manual pump pumps the water out through the stern.
I am going to mount the auto helm on the port side and run the charging cable from the motor across the stern behind the rear panel of the cockpit, through the starboard locker with the VHF aerial wire aso the electrical switch panel is mounted to the starboard side behind the bulkhead of the companion way where the centreboard lift cable exits. I believe that this should be the best option to minimise electrical interference to the auto helm and will allow the auto helm to be used while I operate the bilge pump if I ever have to. I considered this a must as you wouldn't want to be having to control the rudder whilst trying to operate the pump at the same time. I decided that it would be too messy to fit a Y valve to the inlet to the manual pump to also be able to pump water out of the cockpit. Will carry a bucket for that purpose. Much easier.
Will,post photos when a bit further along with it all.