bilge pumps

I have a 36 ft Rhodes designed cutter with a raised house and two level interior. The first 6 ft. of the cabin is over the engine which has a deep bilge, about 40 in. accessed by hatch doors over the engine.
The lower level is down two steps and has virtually no bilge other than a shallow sole access hatch about 8 in. deep. This lower portion of the boat amounts to at least half the interior of the boat.
My concern is that if I were ever holed in this forward portion of the boat there is no way for the water to move to the deep bilge where the pump is located. Water would have to rise 18 in. before it would begin to spill into the deep bilge. Not good.
My boat has two unused but dedicated fittings near the sole in the lower section, one in the head and one in the galley which seem to have been designed to address this issue. They have a flange that has the word Whale written on it, but they connect to nothing like it was an option or something that the original owner didn't order.
Below the lower forward sole is as I said a shallow well about 8 in. deep and under that is a glassed in water tank so a drain is not an option.
Any one know what the Whale system might have been or how I might address this situation. Thanks, Sealander

 

Whale is a brand of bilge pump I know - I know the name best from the manual hand operated gusher pumps; they also make electric bilge pumps. I'd be most worried if there were any a little bit of accidental water ending up in that non-draining compartment that would sit there forever. If you're ever holed, you will have to deal with a lot of water coming in.

 

I too am familiar with the Whale pumps but I've never seen a set up like the ones on my boat. Your right about being holed and a lot of water. Of course there are holes and then there are a HOLES. Also leaks from the head or thru-hulls or..... These made me think they were designed to be linked together somehow with a master pump at a different location???

 

Pictures?

 

pictures a good idea I'll get some manana... no really. thanks