Removing Whale Gusher 8 from CD27

[Warren Kaplan]

You CD27 owners who have replaced/repaired the Whale Gusher 8 mounted in the port cockpit locker, how tough was it taking it off and then remounting it??

The lower main bolts that hold the pump to the lazarette front have easy enough access (for a boat project) but the bolts that hold the bellows and pump handle access are trouble, at least for me. The screw driver access at the front is simple but I can't get my hands, or even fingers in to the nuts holding the bolts inside the lazarette. They seem to be in an area of the pump housing that unless you have open straight access its tough to handle. Bending my hands around, I can't get a grip on those nuts and I wonder if I'll be able to get a socket wrench in there (extension or not) especially when reassembling.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!!

[Kilgore]

I replaced the torn through deck gasket with a flapper door on my cd25 and feel your pain.
If I recall, the best I could do for the 2 hardest bolts was lock an open end wrench on the nuts from the inside and turn the screws from the outside. Fitting a socket wrench was a no-go, if memory serves.

[Joe Myerson]

Warren,

I, too share your pain.

Removing the Gusher 8 from its position on the aft bulkhead of my 25D's cockpit was difficult, but not impossible. Replacing the valves and the exterior rubber piece (all available from Defender) was not too hard, either.

But it proved simply impossible for me to line up all the bolts and tighten them myself. I was able to persuade my very reluctant first mate to insert the bolts from the cockpit while I lay on my back in the depths of the port locker, holding the pump in place.

It was simply not a job for singlehanding, even when the boat is on the hard.

Good luck.

--Joe

[Warren Kaplan]

Warren,

I, too share your pain.

Removing the Gusher 8 from its position on the aft bulkhead of my 25D's cockpit was difficult, but not impossible. Replacing the valves and the exterior rubber piece (all available from Defender) was not too hard, either.

But it proved simply impossible for me to line up all the bolts and tighten them myself. I was able to persuade my very reluctant first mate to insert the bolts from the cockpit while I lay on my back in the depths of the port locker, holding the pump in place.

It was simply not a job for singlehanding, even when the boat is on the hard.

Good luck.

--Joe

Uh oh! I was afraid of that. I don't see myself easily getting into the coockpit locker. I'll have to line up some help. That's for sure!

[Joe Myerson]

Warren,

Be sure to tie the locker OPEN before climbing in there!

--Joe

[Warren Kaplan]

Warren,

Be sure to tie the locker OPEN before climbing in there!

--Joe

I usually take my cellphone, VHF and EPIRB along with me also!!!!!!

[Carter Brey]

Warren,

When I replaced mine on my Sabre, I did it alone but had to climb into the cockpit locker.

Just take your Advil like a man and get on in there, dammit.

But do tie that lid open.

Carter

[Ron Churgin]

Warren,

I did that twice last season. You do not have to get into the locker, it can be done from the cockpit. You need a box wrench to hold the nut and a screw driver. Open the locker lid, look in there with a light, but then you have to do it by feel. It will take a few times, a lot of cursing, some dropped nuts, but you can do it. The frustrating thing is putting the new rubber gasket together without any instructions. I put it in wrong and had to do the whole painful thing over again.

The only benefit is that the more you do it the better you get at it.

Courage.

[tartansailor]

Get a "deep draw" 7/16th inch socket and ratchet wrench.
Why? because the bolts extends about an inch and a half below the tightened nut, easily accommodated by the deep draw socket. Yes getting a box wrench in there is difficult.

Now I'm claustrophobic, and before I learned the above, all
220# of me went in head first, and I was terrorized.
Now I replaced the rebuilt pump as above and with only one knee in the well.

Dick

[Steve Laume]

A man could make a lot of money with a little trained monkey around a boat yard in the spring, Steve.

[Warren Kaplan]

Warren,

I did that twice last season. You do not have to get into the locker, it can be done from the cockpit. You need a box wrench to hold the nut and a screw driver. Open the locker lid, look in there with a light, but then you have to do it by feel. It will take a few times, a lot of cursing, some dropped nuts, but you can do it. The frustrating thing is putting the new rubber gasket together without any instructions. I put it in wrong and had to do the whole painful thing over again.

The only benefit is that the more you do it the better you get at it.

Courage.

Ron,

I think I'll go get a set of box wrenches today (I need them anyway). I'm also gonna take my little digital camera. When I start to take the pump guts apart (if I get that far) I'll photograph every step of the way. When I go to put it back together again at least I'll have a photo of the way things should look and in what order it should be done. Since there are no instructions with the repair kit, it might help.

[Steve Laume]

At least there are none of those annoying springs in there that go flying off into the bilge before you can figure out where they came from. The pump itself is pretty logical, Steve.

[Warren Kaplan]

I'm working at it. First order of the day was PB Blaster on the everything from the hose clamps to the nuts on the mounting bolts. All of them are pretty frozen but it looks like they'll give in. Even with the box wrenches which fit nicely on some of the bolts, I can see that access to the others may be a bear!!! Stay tuned!

[Oswego John]

Even with the box wrenches which fit nicely on some of the bolts, I can see that access to the others may be a bear!!! Stay tuned!

Warren and all,

Something more to look at to reduce the influx of grey hair and frown lines on the temple.

You say that the box wrenches fit nicely on SOME of the bolts. Sometimes those sneaky boat builders throw us curve balls with the use of both SAE and Metric hardware.

There is a trick I sometimes use in one of those "When All Else Fails" situations. When I have to resort to the Braille system to remove one of the nuts that I cant see but can only feel, I whip out a handy kind of wrench.

It is a box wrench with a built in ratchet in its head. Once you get it positioned over the nut, you just crank away. No need to remove it to reposition it for continuous removal. Just flip the button on the head to reverse the ratcheting action.

http://www.stanleytools.com/showPic.asp ... midres.jpg

http://www.stanleytools.com/default.asp ... Y=91%2D617

BTW, you can buy them separately or by the entire kit.



It is just my personal feeling, but to undo a screw head with a nut on the other end, I try to just hold back on the screw head whether it is slot or Phillips head. I apply the torque to the nut. I find it better doing it this way, you use less force to hold the screw head than trying to turn it. Friction helps some in preventing the screw from turning. This method also helps prevent stripping the screw head beyond use.

Apply anti-seize on the threads when making up the unit.

Good luck. I've been in your shoes before.

O J

[Dick Kobayashi]

My 25D has a Whale pump that presumably was installed in 83 when the boat was built. I have never touched it. Should I do Preventative maint on it/replace it. A couple of years ago I replaced the head, as it wasn't that much more expensive than replacing the pump and involved a lot less labor. Recommendations for replacement?