Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:03am

Hi, The shower cubical I am considering installing into a new sailaway is to have a 5ft 9in high shower door, a 4in high shower tray, on a 4in high base, thus requiring 6ft 5in headroom. The reason for wanting the tray on a raised base is so I can drain the shower waste over winter and easily check for leaks at any time! The system would be 3/4in tubing to a Whale Gulper pump and out through a skin fitting. Although the boat builder was prepared to provide 6ft 5in headroom (at additional cost), he suggested I put the tray directly on the floor with the waste routed through the bilge and up through the floor to the pump, therefore only requiring the normal 6ft 2in headroom. Is it advisable to have the shower waste passing through the dry bilge?

Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:00am

Dear Barry, As long as your hose and connections are in good order I can see no reason not to. Personally I would try to site the pump on the floor, say in the under basin cupboard or under a bed but thats for ease of inspection and access. If you do it in the way he suggested it will be similar to almost all the other boats on the system. Many boats also have at least some of their domestic water system below floor level - not that I approve of that on the grounds of maintenance and access. Tony Brooks

Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 11:53pm

Thank you Tony.