bilge pump in zodiac?

[D44boy]

Hey guys,
I'm rather new to the zodiac/boating world, and I have a 11 foot Avon, with 6hp Johnson. My question is about about automatic bilge pumps. When I take my zodi out on the ocean, I usually get alot of spray into the boat and the water gathers quickly. I've been using a hand pump right now, but was thinking about an automatic bilge like a Rule. My interpretation is that they have to hook up to the boat battery. What if I have a pull start motor and no battery on board? Any options? I saw the solar battery bilges, but that seems a little iffy. I don't want to carry a full size battery on board.

 

[CapeAnn]

Re: bilge pump in zodiac?

I use a hand held pump myself. I also periodically use the one-way drain at the transom to dump water when I don't have a full load of passengers. Having a heavy lead battery on board, running cable, placing a bilge pump and get hoses to transfer it over the side seems more work than just having someone on board periodically dump collected water? That said - electric bilge pumps sure are nice, but as crowded as it gets in the inflatable I have never had a situation where the manual pump didn't fit the bill.

 

[likalar]

Re: bilge pump in zodiac?

I agree with CapeAnn about the hassles of a battery pump system. I would try to re-distribute the load so you get less spray coming into the boat. Also, experiment with bilge sponges that maybe easier to handle, while underway, than a pump. Also, you maybe able to adjust your speed and "angle of attack" into the chop in order to reduce the amount of splash coming aboard. But sometimes, it's just unavoidable. Good luck.

Larry

 

[D44boy]

Re: bilge pump in zodiac?

thanks for the input guys. Guess I'll stick with the hand pump, or maybe even cut a milk jug! Happy boating!

 

[smallboatlover]

Re: bilge pump in zodiac?

This might be a good thing for you easy and automatic nothing permant. i plan on getting one of these this year for my sailboat so i don't have to use a hang pump every rain storm.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: bilge pump in zodiac?

While throttling enough your engine to achieve and maintain sib's bow up condition, remove water valve rear cap to drain/exit all splashed inside water, replace cap once done, dry leftovers with cup, sponge, small towel.

Happy Boating

 

[D44boy]

Re: bilge pump in zodiac?

While throttling enough your engine to achieve and maintain sib's bow up condition, remove water valve rear cap to drain/exit all splashed inside water, replace cap once done, dry leftovers with cup, sponge, small towel.

Happy Boating

No can do, im running just a 6 hp on my zodi so i dont believe i go fast enough to do that

 

[jacoboregon]

Re: bilge pump in zodiac?

No can do, im running just a 6 hp on my zodi so i dont believe i go fast enough to do that

Any forward motion should help drain water from the hull with the plug out.

Does you avon have self-bailer plugs? If so, leave the plugs out and water going in will come out with forward motion.

 

[CapeAnn]

Re: bilge pump in zodiac?

No can do, im running just a 6 hp on my zodi so i dont believe i go fast enough to do that

With a Tohatsu 6 HP and zero passengers we occasionally ran the inflatable to clear out water via the transom one-way valves. With a load - it's substantially harder to exit water. BTW - I had forgotten all about the cut milk jug thing! I'll have to get some milk, or find a bleach bucket!

Cheers,

CapeAnn

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: bilge pump in zodiac?

No can do, im running just a 6 hp on my zodi so i dont believe i go fast enough to do that

It's not a matter of going fast as to plane that sib, it's a matter of maintaining bow up long enough at throttle to exit water through one way valve. Once most water is out, replace cap while sib is at motion, valve diaphragms don't seal that tight and water will tend to flood deck again if replacing cap at a stop position. If sibbing with just 2 mates, move towards transom to help achieve a bow up position.

Happy Boating

 

[mudslinging79]

Re: bilge pump in zodiac?

I have run a cheapie in line fresh water pump with a switch hooked up to a heavy duty motorcycle battery. just ran intake hose between tube and bottom in a gap in the floor sections, and just toss the outflow over the back. hit the switch once in a while to drain water.

 

[CapeAnn]

Re: bilge pump in zodiac?

I have run a cheapie in line fresh water pump with a switch hooked up to a heavy duty motorcycle battery. just ran intake hose between tube and bottom in a gap in the floor sections, and just toss the outflow over the back. hit the switch once in a while to drain water.

Very interesting. It wouldn't be too difficult to cobble-together a self-contained bailing unit that has impeller, sealed lead battery and discharge tube into one convenient package. It could be hoisted on and off on every trip and could have a have port which attaches to a solar panel for trickle charge during outings. If designed - I foresee it wouldn't be bigger than a toaster oven and housed in some polyethylene case. The lynchpin would be the capacity to handle a LOT of water (multiple times) before the SLA gives out and you have to resort to redundant bailing systems like the milk jug. Could be a West Marine exclusive product!

 

[mudslinging79]

Re: bilge pump in zodiac?

exactly, started off with a generic in line fuel pump mounted low on the transom, under the front of the motor clamps, and a high tech switch consisting of 2 alligator clips. upgrated to water pump and a toggle switch. hose is run through a notch and pickup is at lowest point by the transom. only compomment actually installed is the pump. had a solar trickle charger, worked great till it jumped off the shelf in the garage.

 

[jondavies]

Re: bilge pump in zodiac?

Very interesting. It wouldn't be too difficult to cobble-together a self-contained bailing unit that has impeller, sealed lead battery and discharge tube into one convenient package. It could be hoisted on and off on every trip and could have a have port which attaches to a solar panel for trickle charge during outings. If designed - I foresee it wouldn't be bigger than a toaster oven and housed in some polyethylene case. The lynchpin would be the capacity to handle a LOT of water (multiple times) before the SLA gives out and you have to resort to redundant bailing systems like the milk jug. Could be a West Marine exclusive product!

Kind of like this one? It claims a battery life of "up to" 5 hours on D cells. I haven't tried one.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/...SPG-3-GOOGLE&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cse

 

[CapeAnn]

Re: bilge pump in zodiac?

Kind of like this one? It claims a battery life of "up to" 5 hours on D cells. I haven't tried one.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/...SPG-3-GOOGLE&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cse

Cool! Something like that fer' sure. That said - I highly doubt it can withstand the rigors of a real world test? However, for pulling water out of a small aquarium I bet it's pretty handy.

I was thinking more along the lines of a 10-14 AMP 12 volt SLA with with a potted sump pump with impeller built into the unit. Something like that would probably cost around $ 70.00 US + and weighs about 15 pounds / 7 kg. I'm sure no one has marketed one because it costs too much, and a hand held pump can move a load of water faster and cheaper than a beefier unit???

Cheers,

CapeAnn

 

[mudslinging79]

Re: bilge pump in zodiac?

the solar panel I had was bout 1 foot by 3 foot and almost ran the fishfinder by itself. I would go out for roughly 6 hours and had no problems with the battery going flat. course I used a heavy duty motorcycle battery, origonally intended just for the fishfinder. I would top off the battery the night before putting in, when trolling I would hook up the panel. the pump was run every once in a while long enough to drain the boat. with the imprpvements in the solar panels today, it wouldnt be too hard to do. I paid 40 for the fuel pump, hose was an old compressor line, forgot what I paid for the panel, and bout 50 for the battery, new. I could take out the battery and panel and still roll up the sib with the pump attached to the stern? (brain fart)j