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(no email)
Date: Tue Aug 23 2005 - 11:21:43 EDT
Hi, Everybody!
Two weeks ago, I took the engine and transmission out of Candide. I’d been thinking about doing this for a while, and the time was finally right. I’m now going to take the next several weeks and re-wire / re-hose the engine room.
Currently, there is one automatic bilge pump on the boat. I learned not to trust float switches some time ago, so I installed an electrical (non-mechanical) automatic switch on the port side of the bilge. It’s worked like a charm for years. However, there is an inherent flaw with the way I have it set up. If the boat is on a port tack, it is conceivable that a LOT of water would have to enter the bilge before there’s enough to trigger the switch. What I’d like to do is have another switch mounted on the starboard side of the bilge to correct this problem (yes, I suppose that I could mount the switch closer to the center of the bilge…but there’s not a convenient spot).
But now I’m thinking that it would be really good to have TWO separate automatic bilge pumps…one on the starboard side (a bit forward), and the other on the port side (a bit aft) with SEPARATE wiring to the control panel. This way, I would have two automatic pumps that are completely independent of each other (at least electrically). This would bring the total number of pumps on board to 4 (the two automatics, plus the BIG electric pump that I have to throw a switch for, and then the find-God-as-you-pump manual one).
Here’s the problem. It’s easy for me to wire an entirely new pump…I’m worried about how best to attach the hose. Right now, the automatic bilge pump is connected to a single hose that eventually connects to a through-hull right above the waterline (more or less “under” the canoe stern). I don’t think that I want to drill a new hole in the boat for the new bilge pump. My philosophy is to have as few through-hulls as necessary.
I’d like to figure out a safe way to attach both of the automatic bilge pump hoses to the one existing through-hull. I realize that there is a weak point in such a design in that should something clog the through-hull, neither pump will be able to work. I think I can live with this (especially with the other pump alternatives). But I’d still like your thoughts on the best way to hook things up. Any thoughts would be appreciated!
-Robert Doty
s/v Candide
38’ Hans Christian Traditional
www.SleepingWithOars.com
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