© Boat City Yachts, Inc. June 22,, 2025
Palmer M60 & P60 Raw Water Pumps
Palmer 60 engines used a variety of raw water pumps over the years, all of
which are now obsolete. The most common pump was the Sherwood E20
which can be found on most P60’s. The earlier M60’s can be found with
Jabsco AL41 pumps or Oberdorfer gear drive pumps.
Sherwood E20 Pumps
These pumps were the best application for the
Palmer 60’s, mounting directly to the distributor drive
housing. They use a rubber bladed impeller with
good suction and discharge capabilities.
Other Options
Electric drive water pumps are available in the
market, but care must be taken to make sure the
pump is turned off when the engine is not running.
They do not respond to differing RPM demands for
cooling like engine driven pumps.
Oberdorfer Gear Drive Pumps
These pumps were similar to the engine oil pumps,
using two spinning, toothed gears to push water
through the engine. They only work for installations
where the engine is mounted below water level in the
boat, as their suction or “lift” capabilities are very
limited.
Jabsco AL41 Pumps
These pumps suffered from several design problems.
They used an extension shaft to drive the impeller,
and a cast steel mount extension for the pump. They
also did not provide enough water flow.