Remote Bilge Water Extraction Device (Casual)

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

For some reason, rainwater enters my port side outboard bilge from the rod holders; their bottoms are outside the cockpit. I don't know if this is OEM or someone along the way did a modification. But, rainwater accumulates on that side only, and it's an exception to a dry bilge boat. The hitherto standard method of removal was climbing over the top of the generator and sliding a shop vac between the overhead lights. A PIA going in and worse getting it out with four gallons or so in the bucket. And, unless you kept up with it in the rainy season, a few trips.

With some spare time and some hose and pipe scraps on hand, I addressed the problem a while back with success. What I did was route 1" PVC pipe behind the generator enclosure. I terminated the outboard end as shown.

Here is the end in the engine room. I transitioned down to 3/4" PVC to be compatible with my vac hose.

And, here it is in action.

So, we had 2-3" of rain this week in Charleston. Without having to climb around anything, I just slid on the wet-vac hose and removed 3+ gallons in a jiffy.

Hopefully, none of you have this problem. But if you do, here is one way to address it.

 

[Phasma2128]

Why not add a bilge pump with float switch or am I misunderstanding the problem?

 

[Jammin']

I'm guessing 3 or 4 gallons of water in that area would not be enough to trigger a float switch.

 

[rwaldrop13]

This comes down to "elegant solution to head-scratching problem". I'd say you have a good resolution other than the need to shop-vac. When I had a condensation issue in the FB console where the salon forward AC evaporator sat in a container, I ended up installing a small bilge pump with a manual off-on switch so I could run it as needed. Of course, 2 weeks later that AC unit's compressor seized. Last original AC on the boat, now replaced.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

I'm guessing 3 or 4 gallons of water in that area would not be enough to trigger a float switch.

Precisely. The water spreads out longitudinally against the outboard stringer. An excessive amount of water would eventually find its way to the ER bilge sump and be pumped. Or underway with the bow up, the water would head aft and eventually get pumped from the aft center bilge.

 

[Hat52MY]

I’m with you about keeping a dry bilge! If you are certain the source is the rod holders, an alternative option might be to plumb the bottoms of the rod holders to a self draining area. Our center console has the bottoms of the rod holders plumbed with lines that self bail overboard and bypass the bilge altogether.

 

[Pascal]

I ve been thinking about installing a shop vac in one of the ER, next to the sea chest, and run some hoses to various bilges connecting to a manifold at the shop Vac inlet. When the bucket is full, it could be drained overboard thru the sea chest with a valve. Easy. One day ...

 

[Briankinley2004]

Interesting post. I have the same issue on the same vintage boat but mines on the starboard side and does work its way into the bilge under the engines. I have a tower and only one generator so my weight distribution is probably different. I am blaming the rod holders as they are the only place I have found the water can get in. I dont see water standing under the cockpit area but it winds up under the engine. As stated above the pump won't get it all out due to triggering the float switch. I have been manually pumping out with a small water hose pump after a heavy rain. If it rains alot the port side will get it as well. I am thinking of putting some plumbing under the rod holders to route the water onto the cockpit deck end not into the bilge to see if that fixes it.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

I’m with you about keeping a dry bilge! If you are certain the source is the rod holders, an alternative option might be to plumb the bottoms of the rod holders to a self draining area. Our center console has the bottoms of the rod holders plumbed with lines that self bail overboard and bypass the bilge altogether.

That was my first thought. The rod holders bottom out right over the cockpit’s inner wall top—centered. You can’t get a finger, let alone a hose, in there.

 

[Briankinley2004]

Mine fall center of the wall but I think there is room to possibly split a hose of some type and pipe clamp it. I plan to pursue further as it is our rainy season and I am pumping out at least twice a week. I hate a wet bilge.

 

[rustybucket]

I've been assembling the pieces to install a dry-bilge system similar to several commercially available.

Here is the video to the design I'm sorta following. The concept is to have a diaphram pump that cycles 2 or 4 times a day for a minute or so. The diaphram pump sucks from a manifold of smaller surgical style tubing that runs to the various 'problem areas' that always seem to pool water. The idea is that when the pump cycles automatically a few times a day it keeps these areas dry.

I've already got the pump, still looking for an appropriate manifold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEFCPYiqdbg

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

I've been assembling the pieces to install a dry-bilge system similar to several commercially available.

Here is the video to the design I'm sorta following. The concept is to have a diaphram pump that cycles 2 or 4 times a day for a minute or so. The diaphram pump sucks from a manifold of smaller surgical style tubing that runs to the various 'problem areas' that always seem to pool water. The idea is that when the pump cycles automatically a few times a day it keeps these areas dry.

I've already got the pump, still looking for an appropriate manifold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEFCPYiqdbg

Rusty, Are you doing while you're rebuilding that motor??? I like it. I was gonna ask about clogs but then saw the face plate sponge deal. Rednecks rule I guess. Had I more than one spot, I might bite. But that is a really cool solution! Thanks for sharing.

 

[rustybucket]

Rusty, Are you doing while you're rebuilding that motor??? I like it. I was gonna ask about clogs but then saw the face plate sponge deal. Rednecks rule I guess. Had I more than one spot, I might bite. But that is a really cool solution! Thanks for sharing.

lol, doubt I will get much movement on it until after the motor is back together.

 

[Guy Walters]

Robert, this is a timely discussion. I have doggedly tried to find my freshwater leak in the same areas for 2 years. Sometimes I go to the boat and it is completely dry and others there is water in the starboard ER bilge and some in the location where you assembled the remote pump out. I have looked everywhere for these leaks. I have the Siren Marine system so I know when any of the bilge pumps are pumping. I check the weather for Wrightsville and it is indeed raining hard. it seems to never happen in lighter rains. I have poured water all over that 55 and could never spot it. It never occurred to me that it might be the rod holders! I can easily test that.
Thanks
Guy

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Robert, this is a timely discussion. I have doggedly tried to find my freshwater leak in the same areas for 2 years. Sometimes I go to the boat and it is completely dry and others there is water in the starboard ER bilge and some in the location where you assembled the remote pump out. I have looked everywhere for these leaks. I have the Siren Marine system so I know when any of the bilge pumps are pumping. I check the weather for Wrightsville and it is indeed raining hard. it seems to never happen in lighter rains. I have poured water all over that 55 and could never spot it. It never occurred to me that it might be the rod holders! I can easily test that. ThanksGuy

Guy, kinda hard to understand how a self-bailing cockpit with all the drains would let this slide. Good luck with it.

 

[finatic]

How about a plug or cap for each rod holder, removed when in use?

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

How about a plug or cap for each rod holder, removed when in use?

A reasonable idea, for sure. A cover or cap would be a trip hazard in my case. Plus most of the water is running down the side decks from the foredeck. Water getting under a cover would then be the problem. As for plugs, I use the rod holders to secure dock lines not in use. Basically, a PVC pipe stub on which to hang lines so they can stay off the deck and dry. Stubs also help keep the shore power line and water hose in place as they snake around three sides of the combing. So plugging is a good idea, but not the best for me.

 

[Jammin']

I've been assembling the pieces to install a dry-bilge system similar to several commercially available.

Here is the video to the design I'm sorta following. The concept is to have a diaphram pump that cycles 2 or 4 times a day for a minute or so. The diaphram pump sucks from a manifold of smaller surgical style tubing that runs to the various 'problem areas' that always seem to pool water. The idea is that when the pump cycles automatically a few times a day it keeps these areas dry.

I've already got the pump, still looking for an appropriate manifold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEFCPYiqdbg

I like this idea. I just ordered the pump and timer and I will do the same. I have a mystery water accumulation on the starboard side forward of the engine. I just sucked it out for the first time in a couple of months and it was 5 or 6 gallons. It would please me greatly for it to be dry.

 

[brettportzer]

I like this idea. I just ordered the pump and timer and I will do the same. I have a mystery water accumulation on the starboard side forward of the engine. I just sucked it out for the first time in a couple of months and it was 5 or 6 gallons. It would please me greatly for it to be dry.

I have the same, it is from the shafts, in my case.

So strange that there are no pumps there.

I plan to add regular bilge pumps forward of both engines, and also, a dry bilge setup on each side.

 

[Cricket]

I cheated and went the easy route, put in 3 Seaflo dry bilge units mid July. Placed the pickups in the 3 bilge sumps, forward, mid and aft, made a huge difference in reducing odors, so far so good. Next step is to add some additional pickups with some Y's and tubing in a few problem spots we have, also thinking about putting one in our gray water sump to make sure that's dry most of the time as well.

https://www.seaflo.us/product/dry-bilge-system/