Icebox Sump
Like most people, we don't like a wet bilge. Unfortunately, if you use ice for refrigeration, the melt off on a Mariner 28 drains to the bilge. To eliminate this problem, an ice box sump can be installed. These are commercially available but are generally too large for installation in any suitable location (below the bottom of the icebox) in the Mariner 28. To solve this problem, we built a custom sump system using a bilge pump and float switch installed in a small plastic container. Because of its small size, this box can fit on a shelf between the front of the engine mounting blocks and the cockpit sole. The output from this pump is connected to a fitting on the starboard side of the stainless steel galley sink - thus no additional holes in the hull! By installing a manual switch, it was possible to prevent the possibility of water being pumped unexpectedly while using the sink - we just run the pump first. It is also a good source of a small quantity of warm water after the engine has been running for a while. Our cat is still startled when water suddenly appears in the sink, apparently by magic!
This page last modified on Thursday, August 23, 2001