• Welcome to this website/forum for people interested in the Morgan 38 Sailboat. Many of our members are 'owners' of Morgan 38s, but you don't need to be an owner to Register/Join.

Bilge Pump Questions

Parallax

Member
I have a Charley Morgan 38, the one built from 1969 to 1971.

The bilge pump appears to not be working. Not sure why it went out. We're leery of taking it out without a replacement in hand. Does anyone know where it's located (I've not seen it -- could just hear it running). Also, how many cubic feet per minute should a new one pump? Thanks.
 
I think our "everyday pump" is a 2000 gph. I got rid of the short lived mercury float switch and went with an Air switch on the recommendation of others here. It has performed flawlessly for several years. The switching mechanism is not in the bilge water.
That said, this is only one of 4 on Sonata. 2 are manual pumps.
Mitchell
 
I think our "everyday pump" is a 2000 gph. I got rid of the short lived mercury float switch and went with an Air switch on the recommendation of others here. It has performed flawlessly for several years. The switching mechanism is not in the bilge water.
That said, this is only one of 4 on Sonata. 2 are manual pumps.
Mitchell
Thanks Mitchell. Is Sonata of the same 1969 to 1971 vintage Charley Morgan 38?
 
No, she is an '82 383. I can't help you in locating your pump, other than to say it must be in the bilge, down low. That is obviously an oversimplification. Pull floorboards and locate it.
I have never been aboard a boat like yours.

My view is that bilge pumps need to be reliable. And bigger is better. Therefore the redundancy too. Also a manual back up for when the "sh#$" hits the fan, and your battery bank fails, floods. The manual pump in the cabin of Sonata moves a gallon per stroke. The cockpit mounted pump is smaller. Overkill isn't really possible. Maybe I'm paranoid or ?

Mitchell
 
Having a secondary bilge pump and switch along with a high water alarm is considered prudent practice. Put a switch on the alarm so it can be turned off.
 
Hello,

I have a 1970 Charley Morgan 38. My boat has 2 bilge pumps, a manual one and a an automatic one. ( I can't remember the capacity, but it's fairly large.) The automatic one is located aft of the engine, down low in the bilge with a hose that drains out a through hull in the aft lazarette.
 
Back
Top