Riviera bilge question

[bud37]

How much water do you think you got out.....just curious. I know out our way we have been getting some serious rain.....try putting down some dry rolled up towels in different directions then check which ones get wet and hold back water.....that will give you an idea of what direction it is coming from.....good luck man.

[SunsetSteve]

I estimate 2.5 gallons. A lot of rain for sure, but that water level has been there since before the heavy rains this past weeks - in fact, since we filled the tanks and took our first outing. When we then discovered the water tanks had fully drained to empty and the A/C pump was gushing water into the bilge. The water I removed was what remained = that the bilge pumps failed to remove.

[Petemait]

Once you get the wiring in place, a bilge pump is actually pretty easy to install. There are plenty of youtube videos to help.
Good luck finding the leak. I have fixed water hose leaks with 1/2" pex which is also easier than it sounds.
Best,

[SunsetSteve]

I am not concerned about installing a pump and float switch. The difficult bit to my mind (other than getting wires somehow into the bilge from the panel or more accurately, from the battery) is to hook up a hose and lead it to a through-hull that spills it overboard. None of the Youtube videos so far address that phase.

[Petemait]

In my riviera, the foreward bilge pump, pumps overboard just underneath the port side v-berth, just forward of the hanging locker. Maybe see if there is a thru hull fitting there already that is plugged.
This is just above the water line so it may be difficult to do in the water if there is no existing thru hull.

[Uncle Mike]

On my Riviera, there is also small amount of water in the fdw bilge, just enough water not to have the pump to start. The fwd pump is right there under the table. I will be at my boat tonight and provide photos if needed.

I haven't check for the fwd pump but the master one (mid bilge pump) is connected directly to the battery, no switch or breaker is needed.

I was lucky to get all the original documents and technical sheets (wiring plan, etc...) with my new to me Carver Riviera 1989, let me know if I can provide you information;)

[km1125]

Source of the post I am not concerned about installing a pump and float switch. The difficult bit to my mind (other than getting wires somehow into the bilge from the panel or more accurately, from the battery) is to hook up a hose and lead it to a through-hull that spills it overboard. None of the Youtube videos so far address that phase.

The trickiest part is knowing exactly where you want to drill, so that you don't drill into anything. This is a "measure more times than you think would be every practical, and THEN measure again before you drill" exercise. If the thru-hull is going to be on the forward half of the hull, you need to make sure it is well clear of any bow wave you create moving forward so you don't risk allowing water into the boat. Most pumps are rated for a three foot lift so you can be well above the water line but you don't want to go TOO high because you'll just lose pumping capability. Once you find the right spot, the actual installation is pretty straight-forward... you just drill the right size, caulk the fitting and install from the outside and tighten on the inside and connect the hose.

[bud37]

Another hack for locating from one side of a hull to the other is magnets.....tape strong magnet on one side then find it on the other with a piece of metal, nail /screwdriver etc.

[SunsetSteve]

Thanks, good info here. I hope to find an existing through-hull. After all, there must have I been a pump there at one time from the factory, according to the manual, anyway. I am going out of town to see my brand new grandson this weekend but hope to get down to the boat mid-week. If the phone will stop ringing at the office and the clients eff right off for a while! Don't they know it's summer?

[km1125]

The thru-hull may not be in the forward half of the boat. On mine, even though the fwd pump was ahead of the main bulkhead, they ran the discharge hose back into the engine room and to a thru-hull right next to the engine room bilge discharge.

If you haven't already, I would go all the way around the hull on the outside and identify any thru-hulls, and then match those to their usage. I had one that combined the galley sink and the fwd shower sump before it exited at one thru-hull.