Bilge pump in the step...
 

I see that the 37s without a liner there is an access under the carpet on one of the 2 steps entering in the cabin. I also understand that when the "cabin" switch is on located on the helm panel the pump cycles.

I have a 2009 37 with a liner, here are my questions:

1- how do I access the pump?
2- is the operation of how the pump works as I described above?
3- where does the floor drain in the head drain to?
4- is there anything else that drains in this area that the pump would need to pump out?

I appreciate the help!

If you peel up the Lonseal on your top step entering the cabin, you will see an access port to get to the pump. Do this on a hot day, and/or have heat gun to soften the adhesive. It should go right back down when done.
It is a auto sensing pump that turns on every couple minutes, and turns off if no water is detected. It is wired to the Cabin Power switch on the dash.
The shower does drain into the step-bilge. So would any overflow/condensation from your A/C unit.

Hi Brian,

Thanks!

I have carpet on both steps, same principle though, I get it.

I did feel around the carpet and didn't feel any access, then I searched here and saw the Boats with no liner had the access but didn't see any with a liner.

So, to be clear, the top step...the first step you touch entering the cabin? Is it mounted on something higher? Seems like a long way down to the bottom of the step from the top step in the cabin?

Is this a PIA job?

It's not a big deal to access it. Are you certain it's not working? It will turn on for about 3-5 seconds every 2 minutes. It's very quiet. It is of this design, because a float switch would not work down there on all several complex angles.

No, I am not certain, just haven't heard any sound and never heard any water discharge and want to be sure it is functioning as designed and if not I'll replace it.

Do you know what pump it is so I can read about it?

I think this is it:
http://www.wholesalemarine.com/rule-...HfrxoCyubw_wcB

Sooooo funny that this should come up...I was wondering the exact same thing today. We had the boat covered and the a/c on all day yesterday...when we came back, it smelled pretty funky down there. I did some searching, and found that a beer at the bottom of a case in my head had burst...so the case itself was wet, and most of the beer (warm and probably quickly stale) went down the drain. We ran the boat back to the ramp, and when we came off plane, there was a horrible smell coming out of the cabin...I'm guessing all that funky condensation and stale beer combined with whatever other nasty water was in that area of the boat was all mixing together. I knew there was a bilge down there, but couldn't remember how to activate it...now I know!

Mike, you will need to flush it out. Because of the complex angles down there, the bilge pump doesn't drain every last drop.

Do this:
Keep the Cabin Power switch turned off.
Take a shop vac, pull the hard plastic nozzle off the end of it, so you have only the flexible hose at the end. Hold the flexible hose over the end of through-hull fitting (of the step bilge pump). This will suck just about everything out from that area. I would take about 2 gallons of fresh water maybe with some good-smelly-stuff mixed in it (well diluted household cleanser or something), and pour it down the shower drain. Then go turn the shop vacuum on, and suck it out again.
"Rinse & Repeat" if necessary.

Turn on the switch at the galley panel that says "water pump". Dump some water in the shower and let me know how it goes.

I'll try that, Pat, thanks for tip!

It'll be next weekend before I can report the findings back.

Ok, I need to educate myself on this too! Does the bilge pump have it's own thru hull out the side of the boat? I've never gotten any water in there that I know of, I guess you'ld have to run the air for more than 10 minutes to collect anything from the condensate. So the switch in the galley for the pressurized water system also activates the bilge, correcto?

You are assuming the fresh water tank is fresh though. Come on Pat. :lolhit: You usually think of all possible scenarios!

Sort of correcto.

Yes, the bilge pump has it's own through hull. You normally can't T-these lines without some one-way valves in the mix. You don't want your bilge water shooting out of the sink drain like a slum-lord's apartment complex.
:party-smiley-004:

Your water pump switch will not turn on unless the Cabin Power switch is turned on.

There is an automatic rule pump in there that cycles. If it detects water it pumps. The shower drains into the bilge. The bilge hose goes to a thru hull on the port side. There is no real reason for it to come on unless you run the shower. However since it is automatic it cycles and makes a noise. People sleeping on the boat complain they can hear the 'click' so we wired it to the water pump to be able to shut it off.

They don't go bad but since you don't see water coming out of it or hear it running all the time you assume it is bad.

Thanks guys!

Is there one on the 33?

There should be.

How do you get to the transducer for the depth gauge in a non liner 37 boat? I dont see any access panel anywhere and was wondering if the steps going down into the cabin would need to be removed to get to that area?

IIRC, your boat has Corian steps doesn't it John? I believe the top step would have to be pulled up.

Or, do you have an access panel in the head that faces the entry steps? A few boats had these.

My pump and transducer were both under the drain in the head/shower floor. Peel the floor pack where the drain is and there was an access hole there. I had to replace my bilge pump in there after 4 yrs.

Yes, it has the Corian steps. There is no access panel in head that faces the steps...only the panel to behind the helm and to the holding tank.

I think you are going to have to pull up the top step. Pat should confirm.

Whatever you do.....Don't leave the bilge pump switch on.....:whistle: :party-smiley-004:

Hello Pat,

Well, what happened was the bilge pump started pumping out the water......I appreciate your help educating me on how it worked!

Thank you!

Son of a beach. I get it right every now and then.......

Mine did the SAME DAMN THING! Wow!

Mike I noticed water getting pumped out the side by the step while at the races yesterday. You wouldn't have this issue if you just stuck to Sailor Jerry's!

Hey ICE, I notice your boat is listed as a 38 flat deck but your avatar looks like the 42 DDeck pleasure version. Confused ?!? :whistle:

Actually, I was running the water pump and emptying my water tank in the shower...so what you saw WAS, in fact, the bilge pump in discussion on this thread! The condensation from my a/c unit is leaving a funky smell (like sulfur or rotting eggs) in the cabin when I run the boat after the a/c has been on all night. I was basically flushing out the whole area under the step, but I'm thinking my a/c unit has a nasty filter or something that might have to get changed.

The condensation from a A/C unit is clean water... different than the lake water the A/C uses to cool down the condenser (probably knew that) Id say there might be something in the step that its mixing with to cause that water to smell. Ive used some fresh smelling apple dishwashing detergent from the dollar store to make my bilge smell pretty , throw a bottle in the shower!

Cool, my post helped us both! I think also, the water just gets a bit stale down there and probably makes sense to flush it every now and then.

Glad I now know how it works.

That sounds like a great idea, you'll be pumping out bubbles at the marina all weekend! Kinda like Lawrence Welk (Pat's favorite Saturday evening show)

Back to this topic. I just hosed out my bathroom/shower and it is backing up with nothing kicking on. I can see the bilge pump under the shower drain. Should it kick on automatically with both the cabin switch on the dash in the ON position and the water pump switch on the breaker panel in the on position?

Yes, it should work that way. Sounds like it may have died. In the mean time, you can use a shop vac on the outside of the boat and pull the water out of the thru-hull/hose/pump.

Bilge pump in the step
 

I am not certain that my Bilge pump is working. When I turn the switch to on I dont hear anything also when I turn on the blower the same I dont hear it making any noise. Could it be as simple as a blown fuse for both?

Not going to be same fuse, but yes you could have blown fuses. What boat do you have?
Take a look at your fuse panel under the dash, and see if you have any corrosion inside the fuse block.

Mines working, I didn't have one of the switches in the correct position!!