Bilge Pumps

I am still going through all the systems on our newly acquired Albin 43 Sundeck. I was checking the bilge pumps and have only found one bilge and pump. There is a sump pit with it's own pump that serves the two showers on board. if this pump fails it would over flow to the main bilge that is served by a pump and alarmed. I tested both pumps and alarms and they all checked out.
My question for those that have Albin 43's should there be at least another bilge sump equipped with a pump? I have been from one end to another and cannot find another bilge or pump. The bilge I did find was just aft of the forward stateroom. I checked the engine room and could not find a bilge pit although it has drainage that appears to drain forward or aft. I checked the master aft stateroom however with the water tanks under the bed I can't see anything there nor can I imagine they would have located it there due to accessibility.
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I have one just forward of the engine in the middle of the engine room (lowest point in bilge...then there is another in under the access between the down galley and forward head...this is also a low spot (I think many Albins are trimmed down by the bow a bit)..and it has a shallow sump area...but only a 1/2 inch or so.

I have a 40 foot hull not unlike an albin. The bulkheads fore and aft of the engines are water tight up to about 6 inches above the engine stringers. I have a bilge pump in each of the three compartments. forward, engine room and aft. I have the shower sumps as well. I have high water alarms and carry a 2" portable electric pump as well. You should have more than one bilge pump. You should always have a plan B.

I have three bilge pumps: two electric (one manual switch activated and one automatic directly wired to a battery) and a "guzzler" large volume manual pump. The handle of my manual pump is accessible when I open the engine hatch (i.e., I don't need to go down into the bowels of my engine room during an emergency to use it). I believe it is very important to have a manual pump in case of an electrical failure. I've tested the manual and it is quite effective.

Vashon_Trawler said:

.............. I believe it is very important to have a manual pump in case of an electrical failure. I've tested the manual and it is quite effective.

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I have a manual pump as well as the electric ones. It's one of the long plastic portable ones and I've used it to clean up after changing the coolant or cleaning the bilge.

Yes, those are indeed helpful as well but a high volume diaphragm pump gives me a little peace of mind. Here is a photo of the installation of my permanently mounted manual pump (this was before the installation was finished so there are no SS clamps at this point). I simply open my engine room hatch and reach around to grab the handle. The intake is a bronze strainer installed in the bilge; water exits out a 5/8" through hull. I plan to install a fourth pump (electric) in the forward bilge after the water tight bulk head.

What seems a bit odd on my boat is, my bilge is divided into three compartments, Forward aft, and directly under the engine. The forward and aft compartments have bilge pumps but not the compartment directly under the engine. This compartment is about six inches deep and only if the water exceeds that depth will it overflow into the aft compartment and be pumped out.

I can only guess that the purpose of this design is to contain any oil from an engine problem.

I've had an issue with one of my 2k Johnson bilge pumps that might be of interest.

On the first of each month I test all three bilge pumps. For the Johnson duo (I have two of the 2200/2000gph pumps)
#1) switch from auto to manual (listen for pump to turn on)
#2) with pumps on automatic, raise the float valve on each to make sure they turn on.

Always, on the first of the month these two checks are placed on my big pumps. They are high and dry.

Never an issue.

HOWEVER in an effort to spend more money on this blasted engine swap, the two exhausts were tee-d together temporarily. Water (each pipe 3")came in and flooded the bilge. Although one of my Johnson's worked perfectly the other ran but did not pump water.

I'd never checked that they would work-work, only that the motor ran.

Thus, in your spare time be smarter than I was. Verify that the pump will actually do more than turn on. In my opinion, of course.

janice142 said:

......... Verify that the pump will actually do more than turn on...........

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Yep. It's funny how many people swear they would never leave the dock without a radio check (on channel 16 of course) but never check to see that their bilge pumps will actually empty the bilge.

I had one fail like yours. Motor ran but no pumping. The plastic impeller broke and came off the motor shaft.

Like rwidman said ,Check your pumps.Over the years I have seen many Rul- pumps (1500-2000-3700) fail with electrolysis at the stainless motor shaft and the impeller. Check your impeller shaft.Believe me, they can eat away.

Our 37 Albin Sundeck has two bilge pumps. One is between the two fuel tanks in the engine room. The other is in the forward stateroom in what must the same location as on your boat. the engine room pump has an over ride switch on the electrical panel that when switched on causes the pump to run constantly. the forward pump is straight wired directly from the panel and is only activated by the float switch. it took me a while to figure out. hope this helps.

I have three. 1 x Forward, 1 x Mid and 1 x Aft.


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On my 40 I have one pump just forward of the genset (which is forward of the engine). I added a second there, plus the shower sump will activate should water get to that level.
There is also a manual pump that leads to that same area. The pump itself is inside the step next to the helm.
I check all pumps several times during the season (except the manual pump).

The lowest point of the bilge in my Californian 42 is in the bow. At that location I have a Rule 2000 mounted low and a Johnson 4000 mounted higher. They both have separate Johnson electronic switches. These pumps can move a lot of water. I find that I need to keep any oily residue off of the switch eyes to keep the system working as it should. Every once in a while I put the dock hose in the bilge to check the pumps in a real situation. I have to put my thumb over the discharge thru hull of the 2000 to get the 4000 to turn on at all. I am considering a similar system in the stern just in case there are problems while under way. Bilge pumps are the cheapest insurance you can buy but they are only as good as your battery bank/charger.

rwidman said:

I can only guess that the purpose of this design is to contain any oil from an engine problem.

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That is exactly what they are for. To contain any fluid leaks so they can be cleaned up before they get to the bilge.

db2 said:

Bilge pumps are the cheapest insurance you can buy but they are only as good as your battery bank/charger.

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High water alarms are cheaper insurance.