Manual bilge pump

[luckydave215]

I removed the non functional (original I think) manual bilge pump from my pump room (center) bilge, and was going to pitch it and replace it with a modern one. Before I bought a new one, I took it home and dissassembled it, and all it needed to function was a new flapper valve. So I said "what the heck" and restored it instead. Except for the rubber top and bottom pieces, it's all brass, and I like having the original, it matches the boat.
The whole thing was covered in sloppy white paint, until I stripped it I didn't even know it was brass, it just looked like a corroded pile of "mystery material". After stripping the paint, I put the parts in the vibratory deburring machine I have at work. I fabbed new bushings out of delrin, polished the rod in a lathe, and used silicone rubber sheet for the new flapper "foot" valve. I painted and laquered all the parts before reassembly with new O rings and silicone O ring grease..
How do you like it?

 

[Boss Lady]

Looks cool! Just pray you never need it, they are hard work to operate. The lever type are much easier.

 

[Beckytek]

That's not a bilge pump, that's a work of art. Should be in a museum, great work Dave!

 

[yachtsmanbill]

I removed the non functional (original I think) manual bilge pump from my pump room (center) bilge, and was going to pitch it and replace it with a modern one. Before I bought a new one, I took it home and dissassembled it, and all it needed to function was a new flapper valve. So I said "what the heck" and restored it instead. Except for the rubber top and bottom pieces, it's all brass, and I like having the original, it matches the boat.
The whole thing was covered in sloppy white paint, until I stripped it I didn't even know it was brass, it just looked like a corroded pile of "mystery material". After stripping the paint, I put the parts in the vibratory deburring machine I have at work. I fabbed new bushings out of delrin, polished the rod in a lathe, and used silicone rubber sheet for the new flapper "foot" valve. I painted and laquered all the parts before reassembly with new O rings and silicone O ring grease..
How do you like it?

Hey Dave -- Does your boat have the "Y" valve to switch from port to starboard bilges? It took me a while to figure that one out. I cant believe in 1974 they used that crappy plastic corrugated hose on all the pumps too! Was the handle (red) plastic as well? Mines broken off to just a stub. The whole job looks nice and sanitary! ws

 

[luckydave215]

I have a portable lever type, and a "crash pump" mounted on the starboard engine, I just thought it looked cool. Plus, it's pickup is mounted right at the bottom of the bilge, so it will pick up the last litle bit of AC condensate the rule pump misses. I like a dry (and I mean dry) bilge, as I feel bilge water is the biggest source of "that Hatteras smell". My boat doesn't have it so far, and I aim to keep it that way.

 

[luckydave215]

The handle is cast pot metal.

 

[luckydave215]

Hey Dave -- Does your boat have the "Y" valve to switch from port to starboard bilges? It took me a while to figure that one out.

No, fortunately mine has just a center line bilge.

 

[Ross Macdonald]

Tore mine out... Other than a nice piece of jewelry, you're better off having a scared crew with a bucket. Even with 3-4 3500 GPH rule pumps, I'd say if you're sinking, you are going to sink. Crash pumps are great, but when you are under way and it's 120 degrees in the engine room, and you put that pump hose in the bilge, you better have capable crew running the boat so you can keep an eye on the pumping and determine where that much water is coming in. You are the gold standard for all of us Dave. Your boat is an absolute trophy. I work on mine every day and I'm not even in the same zip code. More pictures so we can have something to shoot for.....

 

[MikeP]

Our 53 had a pair of the chrome plated version of those. I removed them both and mounted "gushers" in there because the oem are, as mentioned, difficult to maintain pumping action for more than a very short period. The gushers also took less space in the engine room door opening. The oems kind of blocked the entry a bit.

I agree that they look cool but I relegated mine to a spot under a "free to good home" sign at our marina.

 

[luckydave215]

Thanks for the flowers Ross but we both know that trophy rightfully belongs to you.