need advice on raw water washdown pump & installation

B

beradon

New member
I plan on installing a raw water washdown system on a 19' C-Dory and I'd like to get some opinions from those that have been there-done that. When installing the pick up is there any practical way to avoid drilling thru the hull, below the waterline? I won't be using it while underway so thats not a concern.

Also I'll need a pump with decent pressure; the pump on my last boat just sort of trickled and was pretty much worthless and it continually clogged-Does anyone make one with a strainer set up?

Are washdown pumps generally self priming? I'm thinking about using a reinforced hose for a P/U and just tossing it over the transom when I want to use the pump-I know its not the cleanest or most practical install but it should be effective. Of course the pump would have to draw vertically so it would have to be self priming and have enough "head" pressure to draw 30" or so-Appreciate any suggestions / Thanks in advance
 
On the TomCat, the wash down pump is about 20 inches (estimate w/o looking) above the thru-hull intake. Most pumps have several feet of head. If too high, you could put a oneway valve in and prime by dunking up and down. They have little 'cannister' strainers you could put on the end of a hose for the overboard pickup. 'Sounds like you have a great idea!

John
 
I went through this last spring and installed a Shurflo Extreme Pro-Blaster (or something like that...). It's a great, high-pressure, high-volume pump, and we added an in-line strainer. It's one of the best additions we've made to our boat; we use it all the time for a multitude of reasons. I too looked at all kinds of bizarre methods of intake to avoid drilling a hole through the transom below the waterline, but in the end did just that. It makes for a so much cleaner and more straightforward intallation, in my opinion. Installed with a generous amount of 5200, I have no fear that the throughhull will leak. And just inboard is a substantial seacock. And if that fails, there's always a cork from a wine bottle laying around.
Al
 
Another option is to plumb it into your freshwater tank, if the 19 has one. That's what I did, since I don't use much of the fresh water most days and often fish in my boat. I have yet to go through probably even a third in a hard day of fishing. I had a raw water wash on my last boat and it got clogged a couple times with sea weed etc. And was a pain to unclog on the water. Anyway, just a thought. Depends on your uses, but another idea in the arsenal.

Sark
 
Peter,

No I had the factory do it, I knew I wanted a fresh water wash before I got my boat so had them do it when they were building it. Pretty simple istallation though. It has a T right off the main water line under the sink that runs to the back corner where the batteries are. And that's where the outlet is. The pump is under the sink as well. I actually wanted the outlet somewhere else but they had already done it, so I just left it where it is. But I would probably want it inside the cockpit pocket up against the bulkhead instead. Shorter run for the water line, and more out of the way. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again, or do it myself. If you need I can take some pics to show the installation.

Sark
 
Sark,

Thanks for the explanation. No rush but if you can pm me some pictures, that would be great. Maybe I'll see you this weekend at the factory party?

Peter
 
When I needed a washdown pump for the anchor (we were in the Chesapeake Bay, and it's MUDDY,) I just got a water puppy pump and fixed it up as follows:
Put a hose fitting on the inlet with ~ 3ft of braided nylon hose, and a strainer at the inlet. It needed some weight to go down, so I attached a bronze tee at the hose inlet.
For the outlet, I put on a regular water hose connection, and used 25' of plastic hose with a shutoff nozzle.
Attached a cigarette lighter plug with 15' of wire.

It's been working on different boats for 5 years. No holes in any boat, suction up to 3', and just throw it into a locker when you're done. Once in a while, I have to tighten up the inlet fittings or it sucks air, instead of water.

Boris
 
A lot of good ideas. Yup, without a doubt a raw water washdown is handy. The Wife & I & dog will probably overnight once and a while and since mine is(will be) a 19', at least we'll be able to shower and its a great to give the dog a bath.
 
I also want to install a fresh water washdown. I have a couple questions that someone may be able to answer.

I would like to mount a switch/hose outlet on the bulkhead...I have a difficult time finding the switch/hose outlets listed on any sight to mail order them.

The second question..is the water pressure. Since living on the coast of FLorida....hot and humid....the washdown will also be heavily used to shower....how much psi might be too much? any insight would greatly be appreciated.
 
Bob and Nancy...
I've seen washdown kits, just saw one at West Marine in Galveston. I think Fisheries Supply, Boat US and others ought to have one too. The switches are not a part of the plumbing fittings, though.

John
 
We used both a sun shower and an insectside sprayer on the CD 22. You want to put in a fresh water pump, not a raw water wash down system.

Any of the pumps are fine--they have pressure switches built in. I like to use a sink sprayer for a cold water wash down on the transom. (long flexiable hose, with the valve in the nozzel, like to wash vegitables).

You will "T" into the water tank hose--and put a pump in--or you can pressurize the sink water also--only problem is that you tend to use more water. You don't really have to have high pressure--15 to 25 PSI is enough for a shower off. Many of the "blaster pumps" have pressure switches up to 70 PSI--too much.

Jabsco makes a 3/8" pump, low pressure 35-740-1118. We used this to pressurize the sink in the C Dory 22. Any of the smaller shurflo with built in switches will work. You can put the switch for the power to the pump any place you want. For example the Shurflo 2901-0213 is 30 PSI and 2 gallons a minute--the item you would want for the application you have.

We prefer to put a deck shower (fresh water wash down) near the transom--or engine well--with the cockpit of the CD 22, not being self bailing, we showered off on the swim step or in the motor well. You can put the hose under the motor well--the pump will go inside of the cabin. I probably would run the hose aft under the deck, rather than putting it thru the aft bulkhead--as the raw water wash down systems are in the new boats.
 
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