Bilge pump for a 22

[Johnd]

I am a new CD 22 owner. Is there a real need for an electric bilge pump, or should I just stay with the manual pump? With the bridge I can't see much water getting into the cabin, but you never know.

Thanks in advance,

John d

[rtbates]

The electric auto bilge pump comes into it's own when a leak occurs in your absence.. The manual pump will discharge much more water per minute than any electric bilge pump that will fit in your bilge.. As long as you continue to pump..


Different pumps for different reasons...Both valid..

[Steve Laume]

The electric auto bilge pump comes into it's own when a leak occurs in your absence..


Different pumps for different reasons...Both valid..

Until the battery goes dead.

I sailed Raven for years with only the manual and a board mounted back up.

Last year I installed an emergency electric bilge pump with only a manual switch. My thinking on this was that if I were to have some failure below the water line while I was aboard I could turn on the electric pump. This would free me up to deal with the problem while searching for and dealing with the problem. It also gives me a back up for the manual or increased capacity if both were to be used.

An automatic electric bilge pump can also mask minor leaks that occur while you are gone.

One of the first things I do when I get aboard the boat is check the bilge. With an automatic pump there would be no indication of problems unless a cycle counter was also incorporated into the system.

Different pumps for different reasons for different people. All valid, Steve.

[Johnd]

I definitely need a longer hose to drain my manual pump. I think it was just used to drain the cooler into the cockpit. Important for sure, but insufficient for draining a bilge.

John d

[Carl Thunberg]

I have to confess I've never been inside a CD22, but I used to own a CD25. Because the ballast was glassed over completely, the bilge was really just the underwater curvature of the hull below the cockpit sole. Assuming the CD22 bilge is similar, the bilge is very wide relative to its depth. In order to get enough water depth to kick the float switch on, you'd need an awful lot of water in the bilge. Even if you left the boat unattended for a month, you may not get enough water to activate the bilge pump even once. A manual bilge pump is probably sufficient for this boat. When I say manual, what I mean is a Whale Gusher diaphragm pump. I don't mean the piston type that you buy at West Marine for pumping out a dinghy.

[rtbates]

The electric auto bilge pump comes into it's own when a leak occurs in your absence..


Different pumps for different reasons...Both valid..

Until the battery goes dead.

I sailed Raven for years with only the manual and a board mounted back up.

Last year I installed an emergency electric bilge pump with only a manual switch. My thinking on this was that if I were to have some failure below the water line while I was aboard I could turn on the electric pump. This would free me up to deal with the problem while searching for and dealing with the problem. It also gives me a back up for the manual or increased capacity if both were to be used.

An automatic electric bilge pump can also mask minor leaks that occur while you are gone.

One of the first things I do when I get aboard the boat is check the bilge. With an automatic pump there would be no indication of problems unless a cycle counter was also incorporated into the system.

Different pumps for different reasons for different people. All valid, Steve.

As the primary purpose of our electric auto pump is security while we're gone the boat stays plugged into shore power with a constant charge to both batteries. The charger can keep up with both batteries even if the the pump is running 24/7.

as for hiding a leak. The pump leaves a 1/2 of water in our otherwise bone dry bilge...

[Jack Carr]

I would recommend an automatic bilge pump as it's needed when you're not there. When you're there you can use anything including an inverted hat.

I found it very handy the year my stuffing box was leaking like a sieve.