Repairing our Automatic Bilge Pump // Living on a Sailboat in Canada Ep. 2 

Clean the bilge with a soft brush and biodegradable disinfectant and don't forget to wash your hands really well and wear gloves, replacing the wiring use color-coded tinned marine wire with heat shrink covered connectors to reduce corrosion, ensure you have a manual hand pump and second backup or override powered bilge pump off another battery source, best of luck!

Also glad to see you working on the boat yourself! But...Playing with electricity with your rings on is not a good idea. Find that video online where they put a ring on a hot dog and short it to 12 volts. It's not pretty. Wear rubber gloves or remove the rings!

I'd suggest using waterproof shrink connections for that application, especially because your dealing with potentially submerged wires. Also, when a boat starts to sink, it rarely will go down horizontally, so its a good idea to have a pump forward and aft.

Way to go Jillian! Great trouble shooting and dealing with a complex electrical problem. A few tips, you should have a hand operated emergency bilge pump as well. The reason for that is you may loose power if you are taking on water, most boats are equipped with this already. You also need to have multiple batteries that are separate "systems" because you can run your battery down pumping water and then not be able to start your engine with just one battery. One of the batteries should be reserved for the engine, you may already have this as well. The bilge needs to be cleaned, there are specially made cleaners for this purpose available at marine supply stores. It would be good to have an automatic bilge pump switch that lets you choose to have the pump in automatic mode or to turn it on manually, that is what I have on my boat. Ben S/V DAWN

I CAME ACROSS THIS VIDEO TO LEARN ABOUT REPLACING A BILGE PUMP ON A SAILBOAT AND WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO SEE THE OPENING CLIP MAKING COFFEE WITH THE SAME FRENCH PRESS I USE WHILE OUT CAR CAMPING. ON THE BOAT I HAVE BEEN USING A POUROVER BUT NOW I REALIZE I REALLY NEED THAT FRENCH PRESS ON THE SAILBOAT. also sorry for the all caps i typed 90 percent of this while watching the video and never even looked at my hands. to realize my lock was on. 😅

You did great. They do have special butt connectors made for marine applications but the automotive type solved the immediate issue. Just be sure to keep any butt connector above the possible water level, especially in the bildge. Have fun, keep learning and don't be afraid to try. You are right that condensation can be part of the issue with the water in your bilge but it may not be the only source. Most boats have a packing gland around the prop shift where it exits the rear of your boat. These things are designed to drip, ideally so many drops per minute possibly a bit more when the engine is running and the transmission is in gear. Mine drips enough that my bildge pump kicks off occasionally. Find yours and make a mental note on how often it drips and check it occasionally to see if it increases. The adjustment or fix are easy when the time comes - its part of your standard boat maintenance.

Your bilge pump positive should be wired to the house battery (with a fuse) not the start battery. Should also use heat shirnk on the splices and fasten the wires so the splice is usually above - out of the water. Probably not from condensation, but from rain and your stuffing box. Check how often your stuffing box is dripping. Normal is about 1-2 drops every 10 seconds while running

You did a great job troubleshooting and repairing the problem. I am going to suggest that when you have the chance, to replace the butt connectors with ones that have heat shrinking over them. When installed and shrunk the corrosion problem you had won't be a problem for many years. I am a marine electrician living on the North of Vancouver Island and know exactly what our climate does to our boat wiring. I'll be following the channel cheers

Ahh couple of points. Remove the grounds when doing electrical work. All wire connections should be heat shrink covered, particularly for anything near moisture, Those unprotected butt joints will not last very long near a bilge. Bilge pumps should have an alarm in the circuit so you hear them when they run. If you are doing electrical work a multi meter is a good thing to have , you can diagnose electrical problems more easily. Also a copy of Nigel Calder's Boat Maintenance book will be a valuable tool for you to have . Cheers

A word of wisdom for you. If one wire has corroded and broke ( in this case the hot or live wire), the other wire is probably in just as bad of condition. ( the black ground wire). When doing repairs always repair or replace both at the same time so then you are certain that the circuit isn’t going to fail again in the near future. Your confidence is assuring that you have a good understanding of the situation. Cheers

Great job doing diagnostics, it's the key to fixing a problem correctly. You should, use di- electronic grease on fittings, and heat shrink wrap on connections. By the look at your bilge, you have oil in it. I would assume you're engine doesn't have its own bilge tray to catch spilt oil/ diesel. Not a good thing to have a build up of oil/ fuel to build on the walls of the bilge, can be a fire Hazzard, plus fumes. Another safety concern, there care two too issues if danger con a boat. Taking on water, and fire, fire being the biggest danger. I see you keep your dinghy/ tender over your v berth hatch, not a good idea at all. That hatch us your only escape route during sleeping. If there is ever a fire on board that you can't get out to the companion way, then your stuck. Fires start from places you don't expect. A story big mine. I was woken during the night smelling plastic or rubber burning, when jumped up to check, I seen sparks jumping bout my 110 Volt plug, and my power bar had smoke from it. I unhooked my shore power cord immediately. My boat us impeccable, as is the wiring. I was lucky. My GFI plug, and power bar were melted. I was lucky. In the morning I did some checking, I new it was the fault of my boat or its wiring. I had the dock master, and myself look at the the doc power box. When we opened it the wire to my 30 amp plug was hanging by one wire strand. From the movement of the dock it was arching the the wires creating power surges into my boat. It did. Damage my 30 amp power cord and breakers. So an emergency exit is mandatory on boats, the reason why the are legislated to put escape hatchs that a body can fit through, there not designed just to let a breeze in or light. Be safe is the first priority bon a boat at dock or out. I see that you are novices. Great to see your enthusiasm for sailing,/ living abroad. Your man is a lucky guy in many ways. From a sailor for 45 year's and love it. .

Just found your channel. New favorite. I am a liveaboard in olympia, wa. I love to watch others troubleshoot boat life,as I do the same. Keep up the great work!

Yes as said earlier, get yourself some spools of tinned wire and proper connectors.

Keep up the good work. My wife and I are watching all your videos. I told her that you are required viewing. A lady working on her boat is so refreshing. Thank you.

Cute, capable and has mad troubleshooting skills. Love it. Way to go. :) 2nd bilge pump is a must IMO. I have 2 with remote (separate) float switches which I set at different heights so the pumps don't run together. The upper float only switches the 2nd pump when the lower pump can't keep up and the water level rises. Consider it a MUST have safety feature. 2 pumps. 1 main, 1 backup. (and 1 quick connect spare easily grabbable from a locker) Can't be too careful when your living in a floating home. :)

A high water alarm is also a good thing to have in your bilge, as well as a "secondary" bilge pump mounted higher than your main bilge pump. That way the secondary pump kicks in if the main does not. Thanks Michael

your float switch needed to be played with as while when water is gone ! Hey it might be time to get a new one! they are only 54 dallors new but simple playing with float switch will work ! the true fix was the wiring occurs!! Capt Wilkus Keep sailing my friend , it is all part of the course Remmeber you where on top of it! And that is all that count!! Capt Wilkus 1

Comment for the youtube algorithm! Keep on posting!!

Hi, you may want to water proof the connection close to the pump you just connected. Because if that ever goes under water it will short and pump will stop working .

Hi Guys, I didn't see this one originally. You can get a small pump for the shower so it doesn't go into the bilge -- that's one of the changes I'll be making to my Cat 30 in the head along with the composting toilet. There is a standard for marine wiring (ABYC ) so I would also suggest matching the wire colors. There's a download available called Boat Owner's Electrical Handbook. Brown is for pumps, blue is for cabin lights. Besides that -- Excellent Troubleshooting!

Oh, you also should look into water proof butt connectors to replace the ones you used to reconnect that wire. Otherwise it's just a matter of time before the wire corrodes and breaks again.

If you use a SPDT [Single Pole Double Throw switch with a "centre off" position, run your manual positive wire to one side then the other automatic positive side of the switch then you can simply select between auto-off- manual and strongly suggest you fit an external float switch instead of the one built into your present pump

Jillian you did amazing! Remember if you can't figure something out, process of elimination is always your best back up. Super impressed!

Just came across your channel and have subscribed and enjoying your videos. One comment about your repair is that I noticed the wing nut on the battery. That’s not approved by insurance companies, it should be replaced with a regular nut and tightened down with a wrench. Greetings from another Vancouver Island liveaboard couple!

Don't go with a smaller gauge wire...as a rule of thumb.

Second all comments on a manual bilge pump. You should acquire and install one of those before getting a spare electric one. The manual pump is a must even with a perfectly functioning electric one.

You probably already know this, but. If your prop drive shaft goes through the bottom, and I assume it doesin that vessel. it will always leak some around the seal.

A bilge alarm is easy to install. I have a float switch going to a buzzer. Install the alarm float switch 8 inches above the bilge switch

Nice catch. Very handy

I used to have a C-30, loved it. Watching you brought back great memories. We installed an instant hot water propane heater which worked extremely well. On our boat now we have a sump with a pump in it to drain our shower water.

Excellent job well done I have to repair my front one as it is not coming on automatically. We have a 27.5 chaparral it’s been a good boat . Thanks again

Agree with others the bilge pump should be attached to house battery not starting battery, wired through a battery switch connected through a fused 12v panel. Not a big issue at the dock but it is a big problem underway under sail; if bilge pump turns on and drains the starting battery, then you cannot start the engine. That’s why a separate starting battery and house battery through a battery isolation switch are quite important, safety feature.

Also gunk clogs float switches.

Amazing woman!!

Thank you for explaining what the different wires on the pump are for.

Great diagnosing the problem and fix; good explanation. I love that you’re the sailor and he’s learning. I hope your condensation is better. Insulating the walls with 3/4” neoprene mats (Home Depot) and adding a spacer under your mattress should help.

Let me get this right here , you were cleaning the bathroom , and you noticed the shower drain was full of water , yeah . And this was before you lifted the floorboards , right . Well if i've got that right , my next question has got to be , where does the shower drain too . Basically , from what i think your saying , it sounds like your shower drains directly into the bilge , so the bilge pump can put it over the side . It's not the first time i've heard of this kind of system , actually it's quite common , but to my eyes not very clever . However , if you have this set up , chances are your not taking water on board , it's your shower filling the bilge . The bad news , and the reason i don't like it , is you will end up with smelly bilges , and it's not good for the fibreglass either .

Questions: 1. What do you do with the coffee grounds? Compost or overboard? 2. Is the shower hot (with water heater) or refreshingly cold showers?

Suggest you put a filter on the shower drain hole. Not sure you want the bilge pump to cope with hairs and assorted gunge.

Oh wow!! How do you know how to do that??? Good on you, Gillian!! I am so impressed! ( I am catching up on all of your videos right now and thoroughly enjoying them!).

Nothing as permanent, as a temporary fix :)

Great to see you doing it DIY, but I'm assuming that Catalina never had a survey done? Soldering is not allowed in a boat per ABYC regulation. When you doing a boat project, you want it done right! Automotive crimp butt splicer and non tinted marine grade wire is big No No...use the proper marine grade crimp & shrink connectors & wires. No wing nuts on that battery post!

Great job on fix and on video. 👍

If you think MY coffee tastes like MUD...you'd be right. It was GROUND this morning.

the world could use more women with your mindset............good shit ma

Time to buy a soldering iron Gillian!

OMG that is a nasty looking bilge. Better get that cleaned up. Unless of course you like to live with a nasty stinking bilge. Good job on getting the bilge pump working but it wont work for long if you don't have a filter to catch the hair coming from the shower. However I agree with Mickey when he says draining the shower to the bilge isn't very clever. It really should go to a small catch tank and then overboard or to a larger gray water tank.

When does the project to clean out the bilge start? Looks like it's growing down there.

Is rain water leaking into the bilge?

A manual bilge pump would be a more reliable redundant system for clearing the bilges. Just make a habit of pumping it every day.

No need to worry, it's only 12V right; ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-VwK6rCaEVL8.html

Please, for the love of god, call me and i'll clean your bilge like it was new FOR FREE. My OCD demands it!

Jesus Christ, the shit in that bilge. You're lucky you haven't got cholera, if your shower drains into the bilge it will be full of soap, hair, skin and literally dried shit from years of use (including from the previous owners) . I would get that cleaned out properly pretty damned quick, also the reason the float on the bilge isn't working properly is because its bummed up with soap and hair.