pleasant experience with replacing bilge pump diaphragm

[Run Aground Again]

Hi,

A few months ago I inspected a 1984 CD22d in order to sell the boat for a family member. The boat had been on her trailer for 2 years, so there were a few of the usual storage issues.

The boat was in generally very good shape, but the original diaphragm on the original manual bilge pump had decayed. I was afraid to let any buyer splash the boat without a functioning bilge pump, so I decided to fix the pump before the sale.

I took out the bilge pump and saw that it had no markings on it with respect to the model number. It did have the "Whale logo" on the pump.

I checked at the local West Marine and they had no suggestions for parts.

I called the Whale pump company directly http://www.whalepumps.com/contact_us/
and they connected me to a fellow who was very knowledgeable and who asked very good questions about the size and shape of the pump and various fittings. He determined that the model of Whale pump on this CD22d was a "Whale Gusher Urchin" and that the service kit number is AK9003.

He recommended ordering the service kit from Defender http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pat ... &id=155458
The kit was quite inexpensive and arrived soon. The new diaphragm and valves fit perfectly and the pump was easy to replace.

Wow, I have rarely had a repair project go so smoothly. I included this story just in case anyone else needs to replace the diaphragm on the bilge pump of their CD22d and needs the part numbers.

Happy sailing,
- jc

[Joe Myerson]

A while back, there was a thread about trying to find the exterior rubber seal for a cockpit-mounted bilge pump.

I wasn't sure what model I had, but when I finally determined it, I called Defender. They knew which part I needed, and they sent me the diaphram rebuild kit to go with it, too.

It was also a pleasant experience, and my bilge pump hasn't worked this well since I bought the boat in 2003.

--Joe