Catalina 350 International Association

When we got to the boat this morning, the bilge pump was running, and judging by it's temperature, I think it had been running a long time. There was more water than usual in the bilge, probably due to the heavy rains we've had lately. Though the bilge pump was running, it was not pumping any water. The pump itself seems to be fine, and I can't figure out how any sort of real obstruction would get into the hose that runs from the electric pump to the point that it joins the manual pumpline before going overboard at the stern. Somebody on Sailnet suggested it could be a stuck checkvalve on the electric pump line that's causing the problem. Is there a check valve on this line? If there is, where is it? Strangely, I looked through all the owner's manual materials, and there's no mention of the electric bilge pump anywhere.

Check near your bilge pump.It should be on the hose running to the overboard discharge. Mine was a brass check valve that I replaced last summer.

Frank

Ah...so that's what the brass thing is. It doens't look like any of the pictures of check valves I found online, but that's okay. What kind should I replace it with?

I replaced mine with a brass check valve, I'm not sure if there was a plastic one available at the time. I don't think it matters much. West Marine had a check valve in stock so I bought it.

Frank

I did the same. $25 in parts from West Marine. Pretty easy fix. Pump works fine now.