- Action: To Do List item A0037 – Obtain two (one spare) Whale AK3051 service kits for Gusher 30 bilge pump. ($58.49)
- Action: To Do List item A0038 – Install Whale AK3051 service kit in Gusher 30 bilge pump. ($12.56)
- Completed: 3 April 2017
- Cost: $71.05
On 29 March 2015, ordered a Whale Water Pump AK3051 Service Kit for the Whale Gusher 30 bilge pump from the Defender's website at a cost of $58.49. A spare kit was not ordered at this time. This item was shipped to our balikbayan box consolidator and forwarder Manila Forwarder in Los Angles, California and received there on 29 April 2015. We received them in Naga City, Cebu on 10 July 2015.
Prior to removing the Whale Gusher 30 bilge pump, attempted operation of the bilge pump to remove rain water that had accumulated in the bilge. The current installation in the aft cockpit seat area required the use of a stainless steel "C" type shaped bar handle that was inserted into a bronze lid to enable it to be unscrewed and removed from a bronze deck plate fixture made by Nicro Marina, San Leandro, California - no longer in business. Needed to find the "C" type shaped bar handle and bilge pump handle first - they were stowed in a pocket on the weather cloth port side. Removed the bronze lid and insert the bilge pump handle for operation of the bilge pump. Pumped and pumped, but no water was extracted from the bilge - something was wrong or broke.
A review of the manual suggested that debris might be in the hose or blocking internal value operation; or the hose might have an air leak. Further review of the manual highlighted the physical installation of the pump did not adhere to the manufacture's installation instructions to avoid installations that required a locker or hatch to be opened for access. A more safety minded and practical installation would have utilized the Whale AS3020 Deck Plate kit installation.
To prevent loss or misplacement of the current stainless steel "C" type shaped bar handle and bilge pump handle, a hole will be drilled through the handles and they will be stowed and attached to the cockpit coaming by steel wire lanyards.
Next we removed the Whale Gusher 30 bilge pump. It took over an hour to remove a mount screw that was not fully seated and stuck. Cause of the stuck screw was its pilot hole was not drilled deep enough into the fiber glassed area and its slotted head was distorted and mutilated.
Removal of the clamps securing the hoses to the bilge pump revealed corrosion had taken its toll. One clamp was corroded through on one side.
Successfully removed the Whale Gusher 30 bilge pump and noticed a standard nut (red circle in picture below) was used to replace a missing handwheel - the handwheel is the black knob shown on the right side of the bilge pump in the picture below.
The bilge pump was easy to disassemble and take apart.
During disassembly of the bilge pump discovered that the inlet valve was stuck open due to a jellied crystallized substance blocking it. This appeared to be the reason why the pump was inoperable.
Completely disassembled the bilge pump, removed all the very old rubber parts and seals, and washed it thoroughly.
Reassembled the bilge pump and installed all new rubber valves, diaphragms, and gasket seals included in the Whale AK3051 Service Kit.
The bilge pump was then reinstalled with new double clamps at each end. Used four new AWAB 316 Stainless Steel Marine Grade Hose Clamps at $3.14 each, total cost $12.56.
To Do List item A0039 - Replace manual bilge hoses and all corroded clamps; install double clamps at all hose ends; still remains to be accomplished as replacement hoses have yet to obtained.
Added to the To Do List:
- B0200 – Obtain spare Whale AK3051 service kit for Gusher 30 bilge pump.
- B0201 – Obtain Whale Gusher 30 bilge pump AS3016 Handwheel & Stud Kit and install missing handwheel.
- A0202 - Drill hole in deck plate and bilge pump handles, secure with lanyard, and stow on cockpit coaming.
