"Vic Smith" wrote in message
...
http://www.boattest.com/Resources/vi...px?NewsID=3766

Not much to do about the whales, but the diverter valves to the bilge
are sure a good idea.
Never heard of that before and never even thought about it.
Seems I should have, since I was damage control (HT) when I did a USNR
stint.
But even my can in the regular Navy didn't have diverters on the
fireroom steam fire pumps (I knew about every square inch of the
bilges, and all piping runs/valving.) Would make a huge difference in
dewatering.
A strainer and minimal maintenance are a requirement.
Fast access to the diverter valve is another requirement.
Anybody have diverters to suck the bilge on their engine and genset
water intakes?

--Vic

This facility is available on some small boat inlet strainers that I have
seen but I think it is a bad idea as you do not want to put dirty bilge
water through your engine, as a modern engine has very small cooling water
passages and any blockage there means big trouble..
Moreover, the capacity of an engine cooling pump is pretty small in
comparison with a decent bilge pump, which is another reason against such an
arrangement.
If you want to use the engine to pump your bilge, rig a belt driven high
capacity low head pump that will really shift some water.