I was getting what I thought was an inordinate amount of water into the forward bilge. I was concerned that I had a leak but when the boat (40' Kha Shing trawler) was hauled I noticed no water leaking out...so I pumped it out and discovered that the aft shower water was draining into the forward bilge. I assumed the shower would drain overboard, but no. Does anyone think this is as it should be? If not, what should I do?
shower water into the bilge??
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AlaskaProf
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A very common arrangement. Have you not heard the pump cycling while you're in the shower?
The only downside is that over time your interior can take on a soapy smell, but your local chandler certainly sells a liquid agent to cope with that.
'Prof
The only downside is that over time your interior can take on a soapy smell, but your local chandler certainly sells a liquid agent to cope with that.
'Prof
twistedtree
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I think the preferred arrangement is to drain the gray water into a contained sump and pump it overboard from there.
AusCan
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With the base of the shower below water level, its not going to drain overboard without getting pumped. I assume your forward bilge has its own bilge pump. If not, it should; -otherwise you'll soon be up to your knees in dirty shower water.
Pgitug
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This is the most common design. Get a grey water pump unit. It comes with the pump, float and tank.
It appears that you've just joined our merry little band...welcome aboard!
You'll only wish it were just a soapy smell! Shower water is full of soap scum, body oils, dirt and bacteria that can turn a wet bilge into a primordial soup that can make a whole boat smell like a swamp or even a sewer...and just pouring some kind of cleaning product into it and calling it done does about as much good as just pouring dish soap into a sinkfull of dirty dishwater and expecting to have a clean sink.
The solution: install a sump and sump pump to catch the shower water and send it overboard. If your central air conditioning condensate (assuming you have central heat/ac) also drains to the bilge, route it into the sump too. However...if your shower stall is above waterline, you can just route the drain to an above-waterline thru-hull and send it overboard. Do the same for your ac condensate drain.
Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein
You'll only wish it were just a soapy smell! Shower water is full of soap scum, body oils, dirt and bacteria that can turn a wet bilge into a primordial soup that can make a whole boat smell like a swamp or even a sewer...and just pouring some kind of cleaning product into it and calling it done does about as much good as just pouring dish soap into a sinkfull of dirty dishwater and expecting to have a clean sink.
The solution: install a sump and sump pump to catch the shower water and send it overboard. If your central air conditioning condensate (assuming you have central heat/ac) also drains to the bilge, route it into the sump too. However...if your shower stall is above waterline, you can just route the drain to an above-waterline thru-hull and send it overboard. Do the same for your ac condensate drain.
Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein
RT Firefly
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It definitely is the preferred arrangement, but my shower is also plumbed to empty into the bilge, and it works well. I have puzzled many times over how to set up a dedicated tank, float activated pump, and way to discharge it out through a dedicated through-hull, and it would be all just too complicated. Because, as with the nightmare I suffered installing a holding tank etc, my boat was never designed to work that way.
BruceK
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Chandlers sell a ready made prewired plastic box with inlets, filters to catch hair etc,a small 12v bilge pump with automatic switch (usually the flipper kind) and an outlet.
Unless you have an old IG where all grey water gets piped to an OEM box of similar design. You need one.
Unless you have an old IG where all grey water gets piped to an OEM box of similar design. You need one.
Comodave
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You definitely want a sump on the shower. The water from the shower can get smelling as bad as a holding tank over time.
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It definitely is the preferred arrangement, but my shower is also plumbed to empty into the bilge, and it works well. I have puzzled many times over how to set up a dedicated tank, float activated pump, and way to discharge it out through a dedicated through-hull, and it would be all just too complicated. Because, as with the nightmare I suffered installing a holding tank etc, my boat was never designed to work that way.
Here's your solution!
Whale Marine - Products
We had a sump system for the aft shower, and got sick and tired of the quarterly dive into the box to remove hair that was clogging the system. I removed the float switch sump system and installed the Whale pump system.
The sensor replaces the drain in the shower, and the rest is plug and play. No sump, direct discharge overboard, and zero clogs.
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Yes, thanks for that reminder. I was aware of the Whale Gulper type pumps, but this set-up has taken it a step further and made it a complete self-contained unit, and not needing a sump box means it would be quite easy to install by blanking off the existing drain to the bilge, siting it under the shower grid, and just routing the outlet into the sink drain, which is above the water line. If we used the boat more, overnighting and had more showers, (which we well might, as it refuses to sell), that would be the way to go, without a doubt.
Lou_tribal
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I have my shower dumping the water in the aft bilge and the bilge pump throwing it overboard and I just look forward to install a sump box with its own pump. It is a really dirty job to clean the bilge at the end of the season to winterize the pump. Moreover the pump itself become dirty and clogged with soap residues and scum. I sent more than 2h to remove the pump and tear it apart in pieces to clean it. I would prefer to keep it clean to be sure it will work in case of emergency instead of see it clogged with a hair ball the day I need it. My only concern is that it may be difficult to fit a sump box when space was not designed for it.
L.
L.
That is correct. Another way is with a dedicated pump that is turned on when taking a shower and turned off when the shower pan is empty. That is what I have.
Draining shower water to the bilge is a bad idea and should be corrected. What happens when the soap scum and hair clogs the boat's primary bilge pump? It won't be pretty. And if your bilge is constantly wet, how will you notice if you have a "real" leak?
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Then one of these, which Pau Hana suggested above, would obviously be your answer also...as I have a similar issue to you.
Whale Marine - Products
Brisyboy
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And just adding to Bruce`s post,
The grey water sump on our IGs collect discharge from the basin and the shower. A panel switch allows it to be run on auto or manual. Auto is controlled by a float switch in the box. If you happen to be somewhere where you don`t want grey water to be pumped out, setting the switch to manual prevents any pump out till later. The box is large enough capacity to hold maybe a couple of quick showers. The ready made ones from the chandler (that I have seen) don`t have any holding capacity.
Steve
Guru
Google, "shower sump pump box" you will find many sizes, makers and prices.
We have two on our boat. The pump on the most used one failed after about 10 years. bought a replacement pump, now works fine.
The box under the fwd. shower also handles the water from the anchor locker drain.
We have two on our boat. The pump on the most used one failed after about 10 years. bought a replacement pump, now works fine.
The box under the fwd. shower also handles the water from the anchor locker drain.
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We have fine mesh drain plate on shower floor; stops hairs etc from getting to pump, needs full-on cleaning occasionally and hair removal off its top after most showers. Direct line dedicated pump for shower that activates by pull switch. No problems.
dhays
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That whale pump looks good. I don't have that, just a typical Rule pump in a shower sump box located in the bilge. We have only had the boat for a year but so far no problems with clogging. One thing I do is squirt a bit of Raritan CP into the shower drain after the last shower of the day. My thought is that CP helps keep the rather shallow drain line and shower sump from getting clogged up. So far it has worked and it worked great on my sailboat that had a shower sump in the floor of the shower with the same Rule type of pump.
Ski in NC
Technical Guru
The stink issue from showers draining into bilges is real. If you can install a shower sump, do it. Some boats it is just too difficult, depends on room and elevations.
If you can't install a shower sump, thoroughly rinse bilge before letting boat sit any length of time.
If you can't install a shower sump, thoroughly rinse bilge before letting boat sit any length of time.
I got the same boat and our aft & forward shower drains into a small holding tank in the bilge ( by / under the galley ) then it get's pumped overboard by it's pump. The sinks and vanities drain directly overboard.
Note: You may have a broken connection at the shower drain so it never makes it to the tank. ( ours was totally broken off when I got the boat )
Frank B.
HenryD
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You might want to consider the Whale Grey IC - I installed it on one of my shower sumps because we got real tired of cleaning out the smelly sump.
Whale Marine - Products
Whale Marine - Products
It sure is. We lost the shower sump pump and had to rely on the forward bilge pump for about a month. We were out cruising with no spare and at anchor. The forward stateroom, where we sleep stunk terribly. The bilge took a couple of days and lots of soap and water to clean the residual soap scum and detritus. We carry a spare pump now.
Lou_tribal
Guru
The only thing to notice is that this one is pretty expensive, around 450$ before taxes ouch!
L.
dfharris02
Member
I have a 1983 Kha Shing 40. The aft shower drains into a sump with a pump that discharges it overboard. However, this sump pump is a forward of the engines ( a long trip from the aft head). On my Kha Shing the pump is in the mid bilge just behind the engine room bulkhead. If the pump fails that water will overflow into the bilge.
Comodave
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Shower sumps can smell worse than a holding tank if you don't clean them every now and then. I wouldn't let the shower drain into the bilge.
What I don't understand is why a sump is necessary???
We have direct line from each shower pan draining to a dedicated bilge pump for each that simply pumps shower water overboard. The pumps each have a pull switch at the shower and can be on or off. When shower pan begins to get a full enough puddle we pull it on and when the pan is quickly empty we shut it off. This may happen a couple to three times per shower with a final complete flush and some clean water run through at the end. Works like a charm. Never had to pull apart for cleaning. Have occasionally run some diluted bleach into the lines and pump, then let that mix set inside there for up to days, just to make sure any schmeg film will be broken down.
"Simple is as Simple Does!"
We have direct line from each shower pan draining to a dedicated bilge pump for each that simply pumps shower water overboard. The pumps each have a pull switch at the shower and can be on or off. When shower pan begins to get a full enough puddle we pull it on and when the pan is quickly empty we shut it off. This may happen a couple to three times per shower with a final complete flush and some clean water run through at the end. Works like a charm. Never had to pull apart for cleaning. Have occasionally run some diluted bleach into the lines and pump, then let that mix set inside there for up to days, just to make sure any schmeg film will be broken down.
"Simple is as Simple Does!"
