25D: Plumbing of the Sink Drain in the Head

[Bruce Barber]

On my 1982 25D, the forward sink drains through about ten feet of hose to the bilge. For that reason I don't use it much, although it's the only sink on the boat where you can brush your teeth (i.e., spit) without risking serious damage to your skull! I'm thinking of installing a 1/2" seacock directly below the sink to make it more acceptable. The space looks adequate, with access through an opening cut in the liner.

Among the drawbacks that I see are 1) yes, another hole in the hull, 2) sure, a tiny bit of drag, 3) a place where shower water may accumulate, and 4) possible flooding of the sink on starboard tack if the valve isn't closed. This last bothers me the most.

If any of you 25D owners have gone this route, I'd sure like to hear what your experience has been with the results.

Bruce Barber
25D #77 NANCY DAWSON



bbarber38@aol.com

[Bob Luby]

I've got a 25D, and I understand your concerns, but I think they're a bit overdone.

As I see it, you want to spit directly overboard, rather than have the bilge serve as intermediary, and finally flush your spit overboard at the discretion of your bilge pump switch. The sink drain is small enough and the stopper has a screen to catch things that might clog your bilge pump. These might also clog the 10 ft ???? hose to the bilge, rather than the bilge pump strainer. ( Microsoft would call this a feature.)

Also, where would you put an anti-siphon loop?

On my boat, shower water goes right into the bilge.

You might want to reconsider this.

YMMV, IMHO, etc.



Rluby@aol.com

[Don S]

Bruce,
On my 25D, the previous owner put a tee fitting on the bottom of the galley sink drain hose (right at the seacock)and ran the head sink hose to it. It works fine unless you've forgotten to open the seacock when you use the head sink. The shower drains into the bilge, though, and there's not much you can do about that.
Don Sargeant
~~COQUINA~~
CD25D #189

I've got a 25D, and I understand your concerns, but I think they're a bit overdone.

As I see it, you want to spit directly overboard, rather than have the bilge serve as intermediary, and finally flush your spit overboard at the discretion of your bilge pump switch. The sink drain is small enough and the stopper has a screen to catch things that might clog your bilge pump. These might also clog the 10 ft ???? hose to the bilge, rather than the bilge pump strainer. ( Microsoft would call this a feature.)

Also, where would you put an anti-siphon loop?

On my boat, shower water goes right into the bilge.

You might want to reconsider this.

YMMV, IMHO, etc.

don@cliggott.com

[Neil Gordon]

>>...it's the only sink on the boat where you can brush your teeth ...<<

Brush your teeth in the cockpit and spit over the (leeward) side.

>>I'm thinking of installing a 1/2" seacock directly below the sink ...<<

I prefer the notion of tying into the galley sink so there's no new hole in the boat. Is the sink below the waterline when heeled??? If so, I'd let it drain into the bilge.


Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167



neil@nrgordon.com

[Dan VanWinkle]

Hi Guys,

I have yet another arrangement on my '82 25D. I have a bilge pump plumbed into my galley sink drain hose. The theory was, I guess, that the sink drain would act as a anti-siphon loop since the bilge pump (electric) is much lower than the sink through-hull. Wrong! the boat has flooded twice because of back siphoning while underway and heald. Ofcourse, I can prevent this by closing the through-hull and rendering the bilge pump useless. I going to add a dedicated through-hull with an anti-siphon loop, hopefully, this season.

My head sink drain and shower go directly to the bilge. This gray water does'nt bother me in the bilge because it can be pumped out and with some care the bilge can be keep reasonable clean. It's the hair that can block the lines and foul the bilge pump. Am thinking of making a "sreen" of netting that can be velcroed into the shower sump to prevent this. The idea of plumbing the head sink to the galley drain sounds good. Will investigate. Thanks for the forum. dvw

Bruce,
On my 25D, the previous owner put a tee fitting on the bottom of the galley sink drain hose (right at the seacock)and ran the head sink hose to it. It works fine unless you've forgotten to open the seacock when you use the head sink. The shower drains into the bilge, though, and there's not much you can do about that.
Don Sargeant
~~COQUINA~~
CD25D #189

I've got a 25D, and I understand your concerns, but I think they're a bit overdone.

As I see it, you want to spit directly overboard, rather than have the bilge serve as intermediary, and finally flush your spit overboard at the discretion of your bilge pump switch. The sink drain is small enough and the stopper has a screen to catch things that might clog your bilge pump. These might also clog the 10 ft ???? hose to the bilge, rather than the bilge pump strainer. ( Microsoft would call this a feature.)

Also, where would you put an anti-siphon loop?

On my boat, shower water goes right into the bilge.

You might want to reconsider this.

YMMV, IMHO, etc.

dwinvan@aol.com

[SteveZ]

I don't like grey water in the bilge and I use a low tech solution. I have tee to tie the head sink into the line that drains icebox into the bilge. The single hose then goes into 1 gal. plastic milk jug placed in the bilge (small slit at the top of the handle is used for a vent). The hose fits snugly into the jug mouth and keeps the jug upright in the bilge. Given the small volume of water used in the head sink and the small volume of meltwater from icebox, I usually only empty the jug overboard once per day (twice if there is heavy use of the sink or lots of ice in the icebox). I rarely take a shower on the boat so my bilge is always dry.