R27 Bilge pump? New to Tugnuts

[Tml]

New to Tugnuts and the Ranger Tug World. We purchased an R27 (2015) and in the process of winterizing it. Thank you for all the winterization hints. Can’t seem to get the 2nd bulge pump to expel any antifreeze, not for the lack of trying or antifreeze. Any suggestions? Thanks for all your help.

 

[GaylesFaerie]

Here is some advice I got on a similar question recently: "As far as winterizing the forward pump if it never pumped water there shouldn’t be any water in it. You could pull the fuse on the rear pump and fill the bilge with antifreeze but that seems like a waste. You could pump antifreeze in the through hull as long as there isn’t a check valve in the pump discharge hose."

GF

 

[CaspersCruiser]

I winterized my 2012 R27 10 days ago. There is not a check valve in the the forward bilge pump discharge line on my boat. I don’t know about the 2015 model.

To winterize the forward bilge pump, I pour pink anti-freeze through it via its thru hull fitting using a long neck funnel inserted into a piece of heater hose that is pushed into the thru hull. The outside diameter (OD) of the heater hose fits the thru hull perfectly. I bought it at Lowe’s in their plumbing section.

I winterize the forward bilge pump before the aft because the anti-freeze put through the forward bilge pump ends up at the aft bilge pump and can then be used to winterize the that bilge pump. The aft bilge pump DOES have a check valve. If you are winterizing the boat out of the water, and want to capture the anti-freeze used on the forward bilge pump, have the drain plug in place. Otherwise, it runs out of the bilge through the open drain.

If you attempt to use this technique and anti-freeze stops flowing when pouring it into the forward thru hull, then there is a check valve in place.

 

[GaylesFaerie]

Thanks CasperCruiser, I was wondering about having a check valve in my 2012. In the following picture, I don't see one at the pump end of the discharge hose:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qNVAQXQ95scMSboZ9

My aft bilge pump has a check valve within a foot or so of the pump so I assume my tug also doesn't have one in the forward pump unless it is out of view - so hard to see things in these boats sometimes - grab phone, turn on camera, shove arm into dark cramped space, fumble to click shutter button, hope I don't drop phone.

GF