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Re routing Bilge discharge

john Gonzalez

john Gonzalez

Member
My current bilge hose from the bilge pump discharges the water into the torpedo tube manifold. I was thinking of rerouting it to the port side . I don't know how high the thru hull fitting should go above the water line. My plan it to have the hose go under the sink along the fuel hose and up behind the cabinet about the location of the above the galley counter top height. I do not want to risk sea water backing into the bilge while n a heeling.

Any thoughts? should I leave it alone? I want to simplify the drain manifold under the cockpit for the two cockpit drains and the two deck drains only. Your input is appreciated.
 
Years ago I was convinced that the YRA rules for offshore racing demanded shut offs or plugs for all through hulls. With that notion I abandoned (i.e glassed over) the torpedo tubes in favor of individual drains. My manual bilge, automatic bilge pump and the exhaust exit the transom where they can be seen. I like to observe the wet exhaust and sample the temperature with my hand. When the bilge pump goes off I can see the discharge. Each deck drain exits about a foot above the water line and the cockpit drains have their own thru hulls as well. I blocked off the ice box drain as I prefer to drain the swamp manually which forces me to take stock of the decaying inventory of leftovers. The 3 (exhaust & 2-bilge) went up from their original locations over lazarette bulkhead and down to transom. When sailing in a high following sea, the exhaust thru hull is closed. "a hole saw and a 1/2" drill motor is my best friend"
 
My 384 came with 2 bilge pumps one discharged Port under the cap rail 8 inches 4 inches back from the stern still on the port side. The starboard side pump discharges same place on the Other side. So when im at the wheel I can't miss the stream either side. The only change i made was Using 12 dollar check valves one on each hose they were made for Lawn sprinkler
pumps ( black plastic and rubber ) They really work ! They are 1 1/4 as i remember. The water used to shoot out the side than dribble down the hull leaving a stain. So i used a piece of white Pex pipe a inch longer and glued it inside the thru hull. So it sticks out of the drain hole 2 inches. Now the water clears the hull by 2 1/2 feet !
 
john english said:
Years ago I was convinced that the YRA rules for offshore racing demanded shut offs or plugs for all through hulls. With that notion I abandoned (i.e glassed over) the torpedo tubes in favor of individual drains. My manual bilge, automatic bilge pump and the exhaust exit the transom where they can be seen. I like to observe the wet exhaust and sample the temperature with my hand. When the bilge pump goes off I can see the discharge. Each deck drain exits about a foot above the water line and the cockpit drains have their own thru hulls as well. I blocked off the ice box drain as I prefer to drain the swamp manually which forces me to take stock of the decaying inventory of leftovers. The 3 (exhaust & 2-bilge) went up from their original locations over lazarette bulkhead and down to transom. When sailing in a high following sea, the exhaust thru hull is closed. "a hole saw and a 1/2" drill motor is my best friend"
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Do you have any close up photos of the exit areas? And the glassed over areas where the tubes used to exit?
 
My tubes used to exit thru the Torpedo tube. I can get a photo of how they are now . Tomorrow at the boat ill take I phone pix o
 
I would like to get rid of only the icebox drain and the bilge drain into the manifold going into the torpedo tube. Every thing else would stay as designed. I know modern boats do not have this construction any longer but I have not heard of a torpedo failure in this blog. Does any one know of one? Or leaks? Would changing out the rubber hoses from the manifold to the tubes be a good idea? Those are the only hoses that look good in my boat. They are still pliable and look rather new.

So I am not planning on glassing over the tubes unless something out there tells me I should.
 
John/wild382,
I will take a camera to the boat and try to snap some pics.
Not too much can be seen on the hull where the tubes used to exit.
 
john english said:
John/wild382,
I will take a camera to the boat and try to snap some pics.
Not too much can be seen on the hull where the tubes used to exit.
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Thanks John...I kind of like the idea of what you did. The “tubes” are not vulnerable from the outside unless of course a piece of hard flotsam jammed into them just at the right angle it could break a piece or crack it.
I’ve never heard of any failures but leaks yes. Anywhere there is a “hole in the boat” it’s possible.
I know when we are heeled at 15-20 degrees the hole is causing drag! Lol.
Pictures of what you did would be great. Even just estethically how the outside area looks without the holes.
 
If I put my bilge drain thru hull a foot and half below the cap rail, just under the blue hull line, would that be high enough to keep water from entering the boat into the bilge while on a heel?
 
john Gonzalez said:
If I put my bilge drain thru hull a foot and half below the cap rail, just under the blue hull line, would that be high enough to keep water from entering the boat into the bilge while on a heel?
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We have easily had waves water at the cap rail when heeling.
 
I have mine about 1/2 way between the blue line and the waterline and I don’t get water in the bilge while heeling.
 
tfrere said:
I have mine about 1/2 way between the blue line and the waterline and I don’t get water in the bilge while heeling.
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Maybe as long as there is more pressure resistance from smaller opening it doesn’t go in? Like holding your finger over a straw and dipping in a glass of water. Guess if it works and doesn’t cause drag. Maybe where it is just doesn’t get water over the hole? Any pictures?
 
E431B393-1AEE-4A84-BCA8-B37E4079CFE3.png Actually, after reviewing the photo, it is closer to the waterline than I thought. There are two through hulls (bronze lower and plastic uppper). The lower one is no longer used. I’m not really sure what it was used for as it has a closed valve in the hull.
I have never gotten water into the bilge and the bilge discharge is often underwater.
 
Wouldn't a simple check valve in the bilge pump discharge hose to the through hull prevent water from siphoning back into the bilge when heeled over?

Jim
 
i have the pix on my I phone of a water stream 3 feet going out. Today is boat show day so after i get back Ill post it !
 
tfrere said:
View attachment 7125 Actually, after reviewing the photo, it is closer to the waterline than I thought. There are two through hulls (bronze lower and plastic uppper). The lower one is no longer used. I’m not really sure what it was used for as it has a closed valve in the hull.
I have never gotten water into the bilge and the bilge discharge is often underwater.
Click to expand...
Thanks...appreciate the photo
 
IMG_1446.jpg IMG_1445.jpg Here are my pix as promised This is port side bilge water exit. . There is one just like this on the starboard side. When they both go on at the same time there is no missing it ! The thru hull fitting used to let the water dribble down the hull and if there was any oil it looked awful , so a small piece of 1/2 tubing and some silicone and jammed it inside the fitting ,now water clears the hull. ! And i have 2 check valves in my bilge one for each pump . WindRose 1983 384
 
In my experience, the only problem/issue with the torpedo tube is a lack of maintenance where the tube exists the hull. That seal, which is designed to be flexible,needs to be maintained and inspected to prevent seawater entering the boat, I can speak from experience! Any pump should meet lift specs if you plan to exit any discharge above the waterline.
Jim
 
Of course, but I was mentioning the torpedo tube and it’s attachment/sealing to the hull. The bilge and waste are protected by a siphon break and are not discharged into the torpedo tube.
 
A siphon break would have been a good thing on my Pearson's bilge pump. When motoring the stern would squat submerging the bilge pump through hull drain. One time we were motoring 30 miles off shore at night, at 3AM i went below and turned the bilge pump on for a minute. A short while later the boat felt "sloggy". Went below and found water in the bilge almost to the floor boards. Didn't know what the h was happening so spent quite an uneasy night at sea. Noticed the same thing one other time motoring through the cape cod canal - which has a strong current with only one direction you can go in a sailboat. I finally figured out why my boat was sinking!
 
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