Bilge Pump for a CP16

[Citroen/Dave]

After that disparaging remark, did anyone realize that by "throwing that darn thing overboard" there is no head and therefore the pump runs at full capacity as soon as it primes?

This is an emergency maneuver because if the free end is underwater and the battery dies or the pump fails, my setup could siphon water back into the boat.

Therefore, the free end, thrown overboard, will be of a length to be just above the water line.

I do not leave my boat in the water and do not use the bilge pump to catch stray rain water.  It is the pump of last resort if I should hole the hull.

[skip1930]

Siphon back into the boat? That is why the electric bilge pump discharges it's water down stream of the Gusher Hand pump. Anything siphoned back will not make it through the manual double diaphragm Gusher Pump. It's a check valve.

If the hull is holed the skipper would be too busy trying to save the boat by bailing with a pale, or pumping like a mad freak, patching the hole either from the outside or the inside to worry about what the electric bilge pump is doing. The bilge pump turns on with the float switch and is forgotten about and pumps till the battery dies or the boat sinks.

skip.

[Pacman]

The main purpose of a bilge pump is to stay ahead of water entering slowly through prop shaft cutlass bearing seals and  rain water accumulation. 

Even a small hole below the waterline will allow water will enter too fast for all but the largest pumps to keep up with it.

It is said that a frightened sailor with a 5 Gallon bucket will move more water than most bilge pumps.

I keep a piece of clear vinyl sheet on board to be placed on the outside of the hull to cover the hole making a temporary seal. 

Water pressure will hold the vinyl sheet in place over the hole while it stops the water intrusion.

Then I can bail her mostly dry with my bucket and sail to safety.

[Citroen/Dave]

I just discovered that the three positions of the bilge pump switch in my CP 16 are "off", "automatic" (through the float switch), and "manual".  The "manual" position is spring loaded to return to "off"; its purpose is to test the pump, only!  Since I can reach the float switch to make a test of the automatic circuit, I will totally ignore the "manual" switch and its additional wire to the pump. There will be no mad dash into the cabin to turn on the pump with this "manual" switch should the automatic circuit fail . . .   [I may replace this switch in the future to include an actual second circuit "manual" not "test" position.]

My bilge pump switch is separate from the factory installed electric control panel switches. Even though the pump switch is by the same manufacturer as the control panel, I suspect that it was not installed at the ComPac factory, but added by a previous owner.

Skip, For me I will be grabbing my exit bag out of the aft lazaret along with the free end of the pump's output hose.  I am not going to further complicate the system with a through the hull fitting or tap into the cockpit drains. [ComPac 16.] If I can find an anti siphon valve that does not otherwise restrict the pump's flow, I will add it. On the exit bag will be attached my roll of industrial strength duck tape, (not the commercial variety).  It there is any possibility of slowing a leak from overboard, I will have that option in hand.

Dave

[mandolinut]

I came across this video which sheds light on how important a MANUAL pump and a bucket could be if you were out a ways.
If you watch the video, skip ahead to 15:30....that is when the boat gets holed in hitting a partially submerged boat at night. These guys pumped their butts off for hours to make it home.  My 2 cents, the bilge pump is good for rainwater intrusion while the boat sits on your trailer or afloat  in a marina. I saw a C16 for sale last summer that had filled with water on its trailer  because of poor tarp positioning.   Happy sailing.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g43rjLTh2OU

[Citroen/Dave]

Bilge pump installed:

I have a power cable (jumper cable) running from the cabin to the stern.  I have replaced the alligator clips with batter clamps, the kind with a hand tightening knurled nuts - no 'stumble-fumble' wrench needed.  I have attached a male 12v plug as the power-input to the control panel.  I have installed a female 12v receptacle at the cabin end of the power cable. I have a receptacle at the aft end of the power cable for the electric motor. I have installed 4 nylon tie straps to separated the loose ends of the power cable if the are not in use to prevent the loose ends from shorting. (When I power up I have to remove the battery-clamp bolts and release the tiedown straps.) Thus, I can run an aft battery, a forward battery, and/or both batteries, if I should choose to carry two deep cycle batteries on a cruise.  In addition I can run a light weight back up battery; one of the new jump start batteries that coincidentally has a female 12v receptacle.  Without a significant solar charger, I will have electric power for cruising adventures. 

The previous owner's three position bile pump switch belongs in a larger boat.  With its spring loaded "temporary on" or "test" position,  a skipper could try to get the last of the water out of a large bilge as it sloshes around.  This switch is totally useless in a CP16.  So is its location. 

My bilge pump is powered at the aft end of the power cable! (no power dip from running long wires from the cabin) When I power up the boat and I am ready to sail (or sleep), I connect the positive lead directly under the knurled nut on the positive aft power cable.  The bilge pump's negative lead is bolted to the negative aft end of the power cable.

The bilge pump and the float switch are mounted on a thin sheet of ply wood where it slides and tucks securely under the aft end of the cockpit's sole, easily reached to test the system by lifting the float.  The pump is easily removed from its filter base for inspection or cleaning.  The output end of the hose lays around the in the aft storage space easily grabbed in an emergency should the pump start or the hull be holed.

My in-line fuse for the bilge pump is located at the aft battery box. It is marine grade (covered by a rubber housing) and has an led light that comes on if the fuse is blown; self diagnosing should the circuit overload.  In the meantime I am looking for a 15 amp breaker, similar to the 50 amp breaker on my electric motor circuit also located on the battery box.

The next task is to replace the steaming light and the navigation lights with LEDs.  I am thinking of a plate mounted under the mast step that will mount a port/starboard LED light powered off the steaming light connection at the base of the mast.  Walmart has one for a +/- 5 degree maximum tilt application navigation light for about $25.  There is no other place other than the pulpit rail to mount a red/green light except separate lamps mounted adjacent to the mast and through the cabin. A ComPac 16 Mark II with the bow sprite severely limits the possibilities because the bow sprite is tilted.  A separate white LED will be hoisted on the main halyard for an anchor light.