Shower is set up to Drain into Bilge (YUCK)

[cal 39 guy]

Im wondering the best way to set up my shower water drain so that water doesn't drain to bilge. I know they have the rule shower units, but i don't think that it will fit under my drain. I also have a pump that i think can run dry.
the inspection hole picture is what is below drain.
2nd pic is shower drain. the underside of drain doesn't seem to have a barb for a hose.

[daddle]

Glass over the drain. Pump it out directly from the basin with an appropriate pump. The user can push the ON button as appropriate.

[rwidman]

I'm going to assume your shower floor is below the water line.

You have two choices:

1) Install a shower sump with a pump and flow switch. Connect to a thruhull fitting.

2) Install a run dry pump plumbed to the shower drain. This is turned on as needed while showering. Again, connect to a thruhull fitting

My boat has #2 and it works fine. Perhaps better than a sump because you never have stale water in a box.

[skipmac]

If you can reach the underside of the shower it should not be too difficult to replace the old drain with one that has a hose bard. A plastic thru-hull fitting will work just fine.

Connect a hose and pump. Simplest installation just use a manual switch to the pump and run it until the shower is dry. If you want to get fancy install some variety of automatic switch. You can run the output to the sink drain, cockpit drain or whatever is close.

[DubeJ]

Newbie question (me not you!)...so what is the issue with draining into the bilge? I mean your post says (YUCK), so what is the yuck?
I think that is what mine does too, not sure, but will be tracing all plumbing next weekend and posting pics for help, so just wondering why this is no good, and if it is no good, why the heck our boats have it??? haha

[Zoef]

In the bilge we have a 12" deep sump which houses the bilge pump and float switch. The shower drains directly into the sump via a strainer (for hairs and tooth picks). As we use the shower regularly there is never (we have the boat 13 years now) stale water/funny smells.
Added advantage is that we know for sure the bilge pump functions if we ever need it to get rid of seawater.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by DubeJ

Newbie question (me not you!)...so what is the issue with draining into the bilge? I mean your post says (YUCK), so what is the yuck?
I think that is what mine does too, not sure, but will be tracing all plumbing next weekend and posting pics for help, so just wondering why this is no good, and if it is no good, why the heck our boats have it??? haha

The issue is smell and the possibility (probability) of the bilge pump becoming clogged with soap scum and/or hair. A dedicated shower sump or pumping directly overboard is much cleaner and better.

Some boats have a naturally dry bilge. Mine does. I feel more comfortable with all the water on the outside of the boat.

[barnakiel]

A neat combo is the pump on a hose at the bottom of the sump and a delay float. Such a tank is then pumped dry. No bad water, no bad smells.

BTW one nice way to get rid of any smells is too flush the system now and then. Salt water flush does the trick very well.

b.

[svHyLyte]

Don't make a mountain out of a mole hill. Ideally your shower should drain to a dedicated collection box with a small automatic bilge pump that can/will discharge overboard. An in-line filter between the shower base and shower sump that you can access to remove debris would be wise. Periodically one can put a few squirts of bilge cleaner in the shower drain to keep things clean and functional. On the other hand our showers both discharge to the bilge. We have diaphragm style bilge pumps that suck the water out of the bilge easily. The end of the hoses are fitted with a large strum box to prevent obstruction and an in-line filter is included on the pump used routinely. Again, we add a cup of citrus based bilge cleaner and a cup of lemon juice concentrate to the bilge sump periodically and have never had any difficulty or unpleasant odors with our system.

[Viking Sailor]

Originally Posted by Zoef

In the bilge we have a 12" deep sump which houses the bilge pump and float switch. The shower drains directly into the sump via a strainer (for hairs and tooth picks). As we use the shower regularly there is never (we have the boat 13 years now) stale water/funny smells.
Added advantage is that we know for sure the bilge pump functions if we ever need it to get rid of seawater.

+1. Our shower strainer is located for easy access and monthly cleaning.

[IdoraKeeper]

Make a 24 inch long manifold/sump from 2 inch PVC pipe and as many t fittings as you need. Drill a hole in the end cap of the PVC manifold and install a mini float switch that is connected to a whale pump. You can connect the Galley sink and the head sink as well. The small diameter of the PVC pipe will cause the pump to run soon after the shower is in use. Finally, install a check valve in the overboard line to prevent pump cycling caused by back flow as the manifold is pumped dry. The PVC parts are dirt cheap...the whale pump will tolerate hair and other flotsam. All grey water is either trapped in the line by the check valve or overboard when the pump is running. Absolutely no stink, no fuss. You can size the manifold to fit your space.

Todd

[Cheechako]

Fit a fitting to the drain and hose going to a small screen/strainer, then to a pump located anywhere convenient. Exit thru hull above waterline. Have a switch in the shower you can turn on. works great.

[Shanaly]

you can discharge thru a below waterline THF, either using a loop, or direct to it and remembering to turn the stopcock off after each shower. you don't ned a sump but you could include a small one and place a bilge pump in it, which is connected to the THF. bilge pumps are very tolerant of dry running , and debris. but to be sure you can wrap it in fibregasll insect mesh or stainless steel mesh, as well as a fine filter over your shower floor rose.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by DubeJ

Newbie question (me not you!)...so what is the issue with draining into the bilge? I mean your post says (YUCK), so what is the yuck?
I think that is what mine does too, not sure, but will be tracing all plumbing next weekend and posting pics for help, so just wondering why this is no good, and if it is no good, why the heck our boats have it??? haha

Because you're washing all your body dirt into the bilge, and eventually it can get stinky.

I have a friend who controls this by periodically putting fresh water into the bilge -- along with a small amount of dish detergent. Then he takes the boat out and lets it slosh around really well, and pumps it out with more fresh water.

I haven't tried it. I live on my boat and I don't want to have a stinky bilge to begin with.

[sartorst]

Another reason that I like shower sump pumps is that it is a secondary bilge pump. I felt like between the bilge pump, engine sump pump,2 manual pumps,shower pump and a bucket we could remove a good bit of water!