CD 27 Whale Gusher Bilge Pump

RMeigel · Post by **RMeigel** » Mar 25th, '08, 08:27

Ahoy CD 27 owners -

Does anyone know the exact make/model of the manual bilge pump on our boats? I think the Whale Gusher Universal Mk5 would work as a replacement but not sure: see: www.whale.ltd.uk

Robin

Ray Garcia · Post by **Ray Garcia** » Mar 25th, '08, 14:45

For my 1981 CD27 it is a Whale Gusher 8 MK III. I know this because I just removed the pump for service. The outer boot developed a tear. I have contacted Whale by email with no response yet. I'll give it a little more time before I call. I also plan on replacing the hose while I am at it. The corrugated stuff just fell apart from age.

I am going to try to fix it before buying a new one. They are not cheap to purchase!

http://www.whalepumps.com/marine/product_list/7/

Whale Water Systems Inc
91 Manchester Valley Road,
P.O. Box 1788,
Manchester Center, VT 05255,
U.S.A.

Tel: +1 802 367 1091
Fax: +1 802 367 1095

rtbates · Post by **rtbates** » Mar 25th, '08, 17:11

Dog Watch Ray wrote:For my 1981 CD27 it is a Whale Gusher 8 MK III. I know this because I just removed the pump for service. The outer boot developed a tear. I have contacted Whale by email with no response yet. I'll give it a little more time before I call. I also plan on replacing the hose while I am at it. The corrugated stuff just fell apart from age.

I am going to try to fix it before buying a new one. They are not cheap to purchase!

http://www.whalepumps.com/marine/product_list/7/

Whale Water Systems Inc
91 Manchester Valley Road,
P.O. Box 1788,
Manchester Center, VT 05255,
U.S.A.

Tel: +1 802 367 1091
Fax: +1 802 367 1095

Once a year smear silicone grease on the rubber. Keeps it supple and prevents cracking and tearing as it dries out.. While you're at it you might want to smear silicone grease on all your boat's rubber, especially the port gaskets..

Bob Owens · Post by **Bob Owens** » Mar 25th, '08, 19:12

Robin,
The manual bilge pump in my 1977 CD27 also is a Whale Gusher 8, Mark III. I just bought a rebuild kit for it from West Marine on-line.
Bob Owens

RMeigel · Post by **RMeigel** » Mar 25th, '08, 22:15

Thanks, everyone. I was at the boat today and checked - mine is the 8 MKIII as well. I ordered a rebuild kit from Defenders on line for $24.99 - we'll see if that does the trick.

Meanwhile, the cover is off, the seacocks are done and some teak touch up was accomplished today.

Another question - I've heard tell of a "retainer" gizmo that extends the jib halyard forward so that it doesn't get wrapped around the furler foil. Does anyone out there have one? Anything to know about regarding them?

Sea Hunt · Post by **Sea Hunt** » Mar 25th, '08, 22:29

I am not very good with copying and posting websites. If I did it correctly, this is a website link to a Harken manual on installing one of their roller furlers:

http://www.harken.com/pdf/4414.pdf

At pages 20 and 21 of 28, there is a good discussion about methods and techniques for preventing halyard wrap. Presumably, these methods would work as well on roller furlers other Harken.

Hope this is what you were asking about. Sorry if not.

RMeigel · Post by **RMeigel** » Mar 25th, '08, 22:38

What a fast response! That is the first time I've seen a picture
of a restrainer. Just what I need - hopefully this season will be furler headache-free.

Ray Garcia · Post by **Ray Garcia** » Mar 25th, '08, 22:40

What exactly does the rebuild kit include? Does it include the external trim gasket that attaches to the removeable handle insert?

RMeigel · Post by **RMeigel** » Mar 25th, '08, 22:44

The pump rebuild kit does NOT include the rubber piece(s) that encircle the handle - I know that because I replaced mine when I bought the boat. There are actually two rubber pieces associated with the exterior handle - a harder rubber frame piece, and the flexible inner "moving" piece. I was able to order what I needed at the time.

RMeigel · Post by **RMeigel** » Mar 25th, '08, 22:56

On the Catalina owners board there is discussion of the Whale Gusher 8 - the report there is that the pump was discontinued in 1989. But I was successful in contacting Whale directly in the UK in 1997 to get the flexible rubber piece that encircles the handle.

On the same Catalina board one owner mentioned using a shift lever boot piece from AutoZone and it worked fine. It's function is to keep the cockpit locker dry - it is not a functional part of the pump operation which is a diaphram operation with check valves on each side. If one or both of the check valves stops functioning, the pump does not work.

The Patriot · Post by **The Patriot** » Mar 26th, '08, 06:15

Dog Watch Ray wrote:What exactly does the rebuild kit include? Does it include the external trim gasket that attaches to the removeable handle insert?

The typical pump rebuild kit includes the diaphragm and seals, and the flapper valves that direct the flow in only one direction. It does not include pump frame components, the handle, the lever arm (which is a weak part on this design), nor does it include the thru-bulkhead parts. These are separate and usually include a rubber disk seal and a frame to hold the seal against the bulkhead.

I think one person mentioned that the Whale Gusher 8 was discontinued a while aback. It was replaced in this size range by the Whale Titan which is quite similar although it uses a different rebuild kit. The next step up, and it's a significant one, is the Gusher 10 which is all metal and much more robust. Also much more pricey, of course. Big pumps are good pumps.

Ed Haley · Post by **Ed Haley** » Mar 26th, '08, 07:47

When I used the Whale Gusher bilge pump kit to rebuild my pump it came with flappers that were of different sizes to ensure that one pair of flappers would fit my pump. The hard part of doing the rebuild was loosening the 2 bolts that held each flapper. I used a small pair of vice grippers to finally loosen the bolts after spraying many times with a penetrating fluid. The rebuild worked fine.

John Ring · Post by **John Ring** » Mar 26th, '08, 09:06

How close to the Gusher 8 is the new Titan? Has anyone upgraded from the Gusher 8 to the Titan, rather than rebuild the Gusher 8? They look very similar.

The Gusher 8 was fitted on many Cape Dorys, and is no longer being sold. Will the Titan fit the same mounting holes? This might be a nice easy modern upgrade for many CDs.

Has anyone done this?

Link to Titan at Defender: http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pat ... &id=155329

John Ring
CD28 Tantalus, with tired old Gusher 8.

Ray Garcia · Post by **Ray Garcia** » Mar 26th, '08, 10:18

John Ring

How close to the Gusher 8 is the new Titan? Has anyone upgraded from the Gusher 8 to the Titan, rather than rebuild the Gusher 8? They look very similar.

This model looks very similar! Anyone have measurements between mounting holes? I tried looking on the website.

John Ring · Post by **John Ring** » Mar 26th, '08, 20:01

I just ordered the Whale Titan - should be here in a week or so. I'll report back how (if) it fits.

Cheers,
John Ring
CD28 Tantalus

The Cape Dory Board

CD 27 Whale Gusher Bilge Pump

CD 27 Whale Gusher Bilge Pump

to prevent tearing of the boot

Pump

Whale Gusher 8 MKIII - followup with furler question.

Restrainer - just the thing

Gusher 8 Rebuild Kit

Shift Lever Boot

Whale Gusher 8

How close to the Gusher 8 is the new Titan?

We'll see if the Titan fits...