Projects

Raw Water Pump/
One project we have undertaken is the rebuilding of the raw water pump. We noticed that there was a salt water leak, probably from the shaft seal. So we ordered a Sherwood refit kit.

The kit came in a nd we took off the raw water pump, cleaned and polished the housing inside and out. It is stunning in brass and bronze. Getting the old bearings off the impeller shaft was done by using sockets and a six inch C clamp. No problem!

Putting the new bearings on was a bitch. After several hours of trying to hammer and much intensive straining with a big vice and sockets, the bearings were only 1/4 of the way down the shaft. Then, I started calling every machine shop and boat engine repair place I could find. Unfortunately, it was a Sunday and no one was open. Sears was a wimp because they would not press the bearings due to liability. At last, we went to Advance Auto where there was a bigger vise and lots of enthusiastic help from employees to get those bearings down on the shaft. After much muscular work and a lot of energy expended, the bearings were now about one half inch from being seated. Nearly in defeat, we walked into Firestone and talked to a mechanic. He took the shaft with bearings to a hydraulic bearing press and within about a minute of preparation, the bearings were firmly seated.

Shower Sump
After much discussion, we decided to put a small bilge pump in the shower sump, tying it in with a t valve on the aft part of the hose from the manual bilge pump. This will enable the shower sump grey water to go overboard. And it will contribute to emergency pumping of bilges should that we necessary. There is a check valve on the manual bilge pump which theoretically should keep water from coming back into the boat.

There was not a clear way to solve the shower sump issue as Carl Alberg left this up to the owners. Because we did not want grey water from the head sink and shower going into the bilge, we decided to install a other pump directly in the sump.

A big shout out to Advance Auto and Firestone! After that it was a matter of getting the seal on and the keyway on, followed by the impeller. Lots of KY Jelly was put into impeller housing as recommended by a fellow at Ross Marine. Now we just have to crank up and see how the rebuild did.