Bilge Pumps

I spent a bit of time on the last few days trying to improve my bilge pumps by replacing the electronic float switches and rewiring them.  I have the wire run to terminal blocks above the bilge and purchased new wire to make the connection to the main panel  This wire will be run below the ceiling inside of through the engine bay, or increase reliability.

Below is my lower bilge pump.  Note is it attached to a stainless steel piece of angle iron welded to a flat plate.  This "Laddle" type arrangement allows me to remove it for maintenance.  I originally had smooth hose for this bilge line, but swapped it for this type as the other type was too stiff to remove the bilge pumps easily.  Also this type of hose separates from the check valves located a few feet above these pumps.  The check valves are to stop cycling where the pump stops, water flows backwards starts the pump again which pushes the water up the hose but not out of the boat, and then the level drops, water flows back, etc, etc.  

The new non-floating type switch has not been installed.  It will go on the plate in front of the pump and below the hose.  I spent a lot of time cleaning this and the bilge, part of a never ending battle to keep the boat clean and the bilge as dry as possible.


The old capacitive water level switches did not hold up.  I am hoping this new type will prove more reliable.  I do not recommend this type. 


I also cleaned out the bilge as much as possible and retrieved some debris and a 1/2" wrench that fell down there this week.


Most of the deck fittings areas have been repaired and the lifeline stanchions, highfield lever and spinnaker pole shoes will be reinstalled this week.  The coaming around the companionway, got it's second coating of epoxy and it looking better and better.  I chose to make this bright instead of a matte Cetol look so that it will hold up in the long term better.  The matte Cetol doesn';t not last very long, perhaps a season or two.

Below ECHO bald of lifelines.

I purchased some new stanchion bases, and need to buy four more, or order them.  Some were in bad shape and it was easier to replace them than repair them.  Also, I want all of these to be stainless steel and not chromed bronze.  A few others were easily banged into shape.  The bow pulpit will be repaired in place this week, so I can work back to the pushpit.

I will need shade from the sun, and I'm debating building a hard Bimini and Dodge for the cockpit.  I also need a small dodger for the companionway area.  For now I will focus on the bow and stanchions and follow up with the pushpit and then ladders for the cockpit and companionway.

More Photos

My main sheet blocks.  The bearing do not look so good.  Time to replace them.

Some deck track removed. These holes were drilled out extra large and filled with epoxy and re-drilled for a more solid foundation.

Some new track installed.

Laying out some track to check the length.  Also shown is a pad for a spinnaker shoe.

 

 The plexiglass cover was a cheezy patch job for an old fuel tank fill or something.  This was recently removed and filled.  The messy looking thing underneath the plexiglass was an old stanchion base that had a wooden pad that was glassed over.  The pad was rotten and the extra holes were drilled to remove the wet core.  Here it is shown with some epoxy thickened with West Systems 403 filler.

A stanchion on the starboard side before removal and re-bedding.

This was the old diesel fill.  I am not sure if I will be using this, so it will remain filled for the moment.

This is a close up of the pad base for a spinnaker deck shoe.

A pair of chain plates wer removed.  This is one side, after being scooped out and filled.  The tape is to keep the filler for leaking out on the low side.

A chain plate which the cheezy caulk job removed, and taped up to prevent water from getting in.

These are two deck fills that were not being used, so they were filled.  I may reuse this location if I decide to add another water tank to the boat.  

Forward deck spinnaker shoe pad mount.

My Highfield Lever deck mount.  I removed to re-weld it, and that is complete.  I need to decide if I want to polish the aluminum or put it back as it was.

Bow pulpit removed.  I still need to modify the bow pulpit and reinstall it.

More pictures of stanchion base.

More pictures of stanchion base.  Note the new waste pumpout deck fitting.

Chainplate.

Bald bow.

Still More Plumbing

I have not taken many pictures because I've been working non stop, running around trying to find parts, making some progress, discovering the part I bought don't fit.  I have several odd ball plumbing fittings I still cannot find. 

So what have I gotten done?

I have the hot and cold water manifolds plumbed with PEX and crimped down.  These manifolds need to be secured to some study wood backing to make it 100% reliable, but for the time being I want to get the plumbing working and that can follow later.

While I have the head out-take plumbed, the intake as been a problem.  The inlet I want to use is 5/16. I have 3/8 and 1/2" parts and reduction fittings, but I don't have 5/16" and I may have to plug this and T off of the sink drain.  I finally have all the parts needed for the sink drain.  I had to buy a complete sink drain fitting and steal the bottom half to mate up to the Stainless Steel drain I alreayd have.  So it is a matter of 5 minutes work to install this drain, perhaps 10 minutes if I chose to T off of this to the head.  With some luck the head will be plumbed tomorrow.  I plan to use fresh water through the sink to flush the head, or what I more typically do is use the shower fixture to charge the head to flush it with fresh water when in shore, and switch to clean salt water when offshore.

All of the hot and cold water plumbing is done except for:

1) Cold water hook up in the galley--I have the part in hand for that.  5 minutes work.
2) Connection between the pressurized water side and the hot and cold water manifolds.  I have the parts in hand for this also.  10-15 minutes work.
3)  Aft head and sink is deferred until I can do some fiberglass work back there.
4)  The cockpit shower needs some sort of oddball fitting to mate up with the PEX serving that area.  I may have to remove the whole shower fixture to take it with me to a plumbing supply house.  Before I do that I need to inspect it and see what brand it is and look it up in the West Marine Catalog.  I think it is 1/2' British thread of some sort.  I will probably need to go to a plumbing supply house for the unions to mate that up to a standard size sink hoses for flexibility while securing the PEX under the deck to that area.  Time Reuired?  Hours for sure.

In any event, I will have the forward head and sink working tomorrow.  And I need to think about bedding the sink into the counter.  I'm leaning towards leaving it loose for now so I can remove it to work in that area.  I still need to build a holding tank and plumb that. 

Next I need to think about plumbing in the shower sump, or at least running a temporary drain to the bilge.  The sump would need some wiring, and I want to add a second sub-panel in the closet nearby--needed for some fan circuits in the forward part of the boat.

More Plumbing

I secured the cold water lines to the ceiling with cable ties.  The PEX hose is not flexible so it took more ties than I wanted.  I will need two more packages to finish off the hot water lines.

I picked up adapters to mate up the head discharge hoses.  I am modifying the head intake fittings to eliminate a 90 degree bend--That needs a torch and a vise to remove the old part.

The two manifolds for hot and cold water are installed.  I still need to shorten and connect the various lines.  This should go fast, but I'll need to secure the hoses to the hull first.

I have an adapter to mate up to the deck shower, but have not yet tested it to see if it will fit.  Once that is done, I can add pigtails to feed it and connect to the PEX serving that area. 

While I am getting close, step by step, it is a tedious process finding the parts I need.  For example I need to connect the sink drain and I can't find a part to connect to the large diameter sink drain.  I found a replacement part, but it is all plastic and I know it will fail or get scratched up quickly.  I'd rather make my stainless part mate up to something.