CD27 Icebox drain

[skipsmagic]

It is cold up here but trying to get my boat ready for an early launch. Was able to service the Spartan seacock for the raw water intake and also the intake for the head. The rw one was in very good shape and just needed a good greasing, the one for the head need a lot of lapping, tough location.

While poking around and getting my brain wrapped around all the systems it appears the ice box hose just drains into the bilge. Is this correct and has anyone done anything different, maybe T it into another hose such as the sink drain, or added another through-hull (no more holes!)? I am trying to keep the bilge as dry as possible without having to use the bilge pumps.

Also the W13 hasn't been run in 10 years and I put a large socket on the crankshaft pulley nut and I turned it slowly. It isn't seized, and in fact turned easier than expected, which is a little concerning as I expected it to take more effort. No weird noises just turned smoothly and with not much resistance. Did I not turn it far enough to reach compression stroke?


Thanks,
Skip

[Northstar1014]

I believe the ice box drain into the bilge set-up was standard, as it isthe same on mine. It is such a minimal amount of water, I have never given it much thought -- just takes a few hand pumps at the end of the day. For me, not worth the effort of another hole in the boat, or the complexity of figuring out a T-fitting into the sink drain.

Before you try to fire that W13, call the guys at Hansen Marine Engineering in Marblehead. I've called before and chatted about my questions. They are Westerbeke experts and someone there will be able to give you the best advice.

[tjr818]

I believe that the recommended way to drain an ice box is to route the drain into the sink drain, you do not want any food particles living in the bilge.

[robh]

My CD28 drains the same way, it annoys me to no end. (I also hate how the sink in the head also drains into the bilge.) The icebox drain in the CD28 (or at least mine) also is just a small bronze grill, no hose (or hose barb that I could see) to affix to.

When I re=power, and have more working room for a short while in that area without an engine in it, I plan to replace the drain with a proper one (that can take a stopper and has a barb to join a hose) and plumb it into the galley sink drain. As tjs818 pointed out, it tends to be the recommended drain method, and keeps stuff out of the bilge.

[Carl Thunberg]

Now if they could just find a way to keep bolts, nuts, washers, sockets, and wrenches out of the bilge, that would be awesome!

[sgbernd]

My CD28 ice box is the same set up. I would leave it alone for the following reasons...

1) The bottom of the ice box is significantly lower than the bottom of your sink, nearer and likely below the waterline. If you T it into the sink drain, I could imagine on a tack, in a good wind, you would get salt water flowing up into the ice box.

2) If you are worried about a ice melt in the bilge, keep the ice in closed containers. For example, get some square Cranberry juice bottles (about 1.7 litres), soda bottles (2 l), or whatever, fill with water (leave some expansion space at the top) and freeze at home. After they thaw, you can drink them. But all you ever have to worry about draining into the bilge is a bit of condensation which is minor. And if a bottle ever gets lost or leaks, they are really cheap to replace. I also buy beer in cans and freeze most of them, saving a few for near term consumption. Occasionally, (about 1 in 25 cans) will burst, but it is not really a big deal as it just drains into the bilge and gets pumped out. When the beer thaws, you drink it without ill effect (to the beer that is).

3) Like you , I keep a dry bilge. Bone dry. But when cruising (and using the ice box), the the bilge gets some water in it. Lots of sources to blame, wet anchor chain/rode, shaft seal, leaks in fresh water system, etc. The amount added by melting ice is not alarming and there is already water to pump out so it really isn't much of a big deal. My boat drains the head sink overboard, but allowing that to drain into the bilge seems like a bigger problem to me than the ice because it is likely to contain soap, shaving foam, hair, etc. while the ice box is mostly just melted fresh water.

S. G. Bernd

[skipsmagic]

Thank you for the tips. I think I'm going to leave it alone. I have plenty of other stuff to keep me busy.

[John Stone]

I installed a separate 8 gallon grey water tank in the bilge. The sitz tub, icebox, and head sink all drain into it. Then, I pump it over the side with my manual bilge pump that has a selector gate—one way to pump the bilge and the other way to pump the greywater tank.

[Steve Laume]

The hose on the ice box drain on Raven has a dip in it before it drains into the bilge. This forms a trap that holds water and keeps the cold from draining out of the ice box. This arrangement doesn't come into play with my system.

I keep a closed cell foam plug in the drain so no cold can leak out. I never put ice directly into the box, either. When I start a trip, I freeze as much food as possible, but never my IPA. I use frozen milk jugs full of water that can be used after it has melted. When I need to add more ice on an extended cruise, it all goes into dry bags so it never drains into the box. The most I get is a bit of condensation that can be absorbed with a sponge or a couple of paper towels.

There is nothing worse than having a bunch of water sloshing around in the ice box, Steve.

[John Stone]

Good point Steve. I failed to mention I have “P” trap in my icebox drain as well—just below the box—to keep the cold air from leaking out of the box and down the drain tube.

[Neil Gordon]

Bladders from boxed wine make for great block ice. I keep a good supply at home, then use them to keep whatever I'm transporting cold, then into the box. They don't waste either the cold or the water. Then also came in handy two weeks ago when we lost power for two days. Whatever was in the freezer was thawing (it wasn't much and I cooked what was there), but the ice blocks transferred nicely to the fridge, where they kept all that was in there cold.

Bladders are easy to rinse and fill if you hold them under the faucet. Just squeeze to get the air out.

[John Stone]

Neil, great idea. Very clever.

[Steve Laume]

I knew some folks that used to do a lot of canoe camping. They used the wine bladders for water. They went one step further by sewing up canvas bags to hold the wine bladders. I might have to switch over from milk jugs, Steve.

[Neil Gordon]

I knew some folks that used to do a lot of canoe camping. They used the wine bladders for water. They went one step further by sewing up canvas bags to hold the wine bladders. I might have to switch over from milk jugs, Steve.

That would, of course, require you to drink less milk and more...

[North Branch]

My CD 27 ice box drain hose connects to a second hand-operated faucet that pumps into the sink. A nice way to keep the bilge clean and provide recycled fresh water for wiping down the cockpit and brightwork.