Olson 34 Shower Sump Pump:

Cbuydos

Member I
Have any of the Olson 34 owners installed a proper shower sump pump in their boat? Currently the drain simply goes into the bilge, which is not a good option for multiple reasons. Due to our shallow bilge in our boats, a grey water box does not look to be an option. Curious to see if anyone has tackled this issue, before I start to experiment on my own.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
On the 32-3, with no shower stall, I put on an "extra long" handheld shower hose. It went out through the portlight, and I showered on deck--which didn't get the head all wet. Try to find one with an on/off in the shower head.

It worked for my purposes, which were, well, pretty basic....
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Good question. Not much room in the shallow bilge for installing or making a dedicated shower "sump". When we bought out boat the first thing I noticed about this was the switch panel on the bulkhead in the head compartment for (in theory) pumping out the shower water after it drained into the fancy teak grate.

Then I later pulled up the aft sole section when I wanted to split it into three sections, with a lift-out center panel. Nothing there for pumping out, and the hose and strum box for the remote Jabsco pump that was controlled by the switch inside the head was actually forward beneath the factory sole access panel behind the table.
What EY had done was install two separate bilge electric pumping systems, both $$$ Jabsco pumps. The other pump had its intake forward under the table under the lift-out panel under the table.
The good news that the boat has two electric pumping systems. Bad news was that this would allow hair and soap residue to move forward thru several bilge 'hat stringer' dividers. Ick.

None of this helps the problem found by the OP, tho. :(

I have imagined out a way to run a 3/4" hose under the sole to the drain hole in the head and glue it there. Then, so goes the theory, run that to a small pump under the aft sole. OR, run it to another remote mounted Jabsco pump and have yet one more exit thru hull in the transom.

Our solution has always been to visit a marina with coin-op showers every few days. Not the answer hoped for, unfortunately.
We used to carry a "solar shower" bag on deck for our former 26 footer, but it was a nuisance to deal with for showers in the cockpit.

Or.... just buy an Ericson 38 or E-35-3 ! :egrin:
(Just kidding, we love the Olson.)
 

Alan Gomes

Sustaining Partner
Our solution has always been to visit a marina with coin-op showers every few days. Not the answer hoped for, unfortunately.
We used to carry a "solar shower" bag on deck for our former 26 footer, but it was a nuisance to deal with for showers in the cockpit.
Or, for another option that actually works surprisingly well, try these.
 

peaman

Sustaining Member
My 32-3 is equipped with the smallest of the Rule bilge pumps and works well enough. The previous flapper-type float switch made things too crowded, so I replaced it with a Water Witch electronic switch. On the 32-3, rain water from the mast drains directly into the shower sump, and it is quite small.
 

Dan Petrin

New Member
I'm kinda with Loren here, I've used it once when to shower was "out of order" at the place we stopped and it was 100 degrees out. Took the opportunity to clean the bilge. As I race most of the time, I don't have the water capacity to hang in the shower for long anyway. If I did you is more I would likely put some kind of mesh or screen under the the teak drain to catch hair.
 
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