Bilge Pump Funny Story

[Prophammer]

My Wife & Kid And me were going along a lake channel one pretty day, I said to my wife "do you smell smoke?" She said "yes". I replied " it must be coming from shore"! long story short; threw bilge pump overboard due to it was melting inside and would not stop smoking. It was the type of pump that could not be run dry for very long!

 

[Engine344]

Re: Bilge Pump Funny Story

Sounds farmiliar....I have a 4 year old that loves switchs!

 

[BigBabyLou]

Re: Bilge Pump Funny Story

Good call on dunking the pump.

That's why I installed lit switches on the dash to be informed and stay informed. Especially a bilge pump light would put me on high alert (got float switches attached), I sure would like to know about water coming into my bilge.

Lou

 

[BosnBill]

Re: Bilge Pump Funny Story

Parlay, doesn't your bilge pump have an automatic shut off when the water level drops? I don't think I'd like to be on the water very long without one...you replaced it right? ; )

 

[dvandsm64]

Re: Bilge Pump Funny Story

Good call on dunking the pump.

That's why I installed lit switches on the dash to be informed and stay informed. Especially a bilge pump light would put me on high alert (got float switches attached), I sure would like to know about water coming into my bilge.

Lou

the light switches on our boat are next to impossible to see in the daylight, but they are a great idea.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Bilge Pump Funny Story

Parlay, doesn't your bilge pump have an automatic shut off when the water level drops? I don't think I'd like to be on the water very long without one...you replaced it right? ; )

I wouldn't be on the water in a boat that didn't have a bilge pump I could turn on manually! Float switches jam all the time, and if you can't override it from the cockpit you are in trouble...

I've got 4 bilge pumps in my 17' boat. One driven off engine suction, 2 for the bilge (one of which is float, one is manual), and one for the cockpit area, which is on the same switch as the manual bilge.

 

[Prophammer]

Re: Bilge Pump Funny Story

Parlay, doesn't your bilge pump have an automatic shut off when the water level drops? I don't think I'd like to be on the water very long without one...you replaced it right? ; )

It did not have a float switch, the new one was a Rule automatic!

 

[Prophammer]

Re: Bilge Pump Funny Story

I wouldn't be on the water in a boat that didn't have a bilge pump I could turn on manually! Float switches jam all the time, and if you can't override it from the cockpit you are in trouble...

I've got 4 bilge pumps in my 17' boat. One driven off engine suction, 2 for the bilge (one of which is float, one is manual), and one for the cockpit area, which is on the same switch as the manual bilge.

One of my boats has 2, 2 have one, 3 have none, but I carry a manual pump for those and a hand bailer for 1! I'm confused already!

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: Bilge Pump Funny Story

One of my boats has 2, 2 have one, 3 have none, but I carry a manual pump for those and a hand bailer for 1! I'm confused already!

Well you are certainly prepared....

 

[Prophammer]

Re: Bilge Pump Funny Story

A self bailing deck would be nice if a I could rig that up!

 

[5150abf]

Re: Bilge Pump Funny Story

I have 2 pumps, a 500 for rain water and an 1100 for real problems, they are both automatic and the small one is also switched.

The larger one also has an alarm on it and sits slightly higher in the bilge so if it fires I get a peircing alarm and know immediately there is a problem, this comes from a "forgot the plug" moment that almost sunk me.

 

[04whitetb]

Re: Bilge Pump Funny Story

i just bought a nice 2nd hand 16ft openbow,the bilge pump barely makes any sound ,i havent had the boat in the water yet,but i think i should replace it for safety sake,just in case.

 

[Prophammer]

Re: Bilge Pump Funny Story

Please pour some water into your hull and see if it will pump it out.

 

[SWTobias]

Re: Bilge Pump Funny Story

Two pumps are a good idea. I just bought a new, larger pump for my 21' Larson. I think I'll put the old one back in (still works fine) as a back-up. The only time I forgot to put my plug in, the bilge pump decided not to work & we darn near lost the boat. I check it constantly now, as I'm paranoid. Also, 5150abf, how did you hook up that alarm?