bilge pump

[limitout]

Re: bilge pump

if you are talking about a 16ft boat then you don't have the room in there to try and be mounting dual pumps and it makes no sense.

no need to put out the kind of money you would need to spend on specialty hoses when its not needed. those hoses are intended for when you have no choice and must make sharp bends so they let you do that without kinking the hose.

whatever pump you buy you should buy two of them because you should always keep a spare pump on board with you and tools you might need for a quick swap out if needed. having two of the same pump makes sure there are no "surprises" if you need to swap them out in as hurry. pumps aren't expensive so I replace mine every two or three years with a new one and have never had one fail on me.

just get a 800 gph or 1200 gph pump and get a clear hose from the hardware store so you can see what its pumping and see when the pump is running but not pumping because something is wrong like a blocked screen.

DO NOT use any fittings to make turns or go around things and do not make any sharp bends, let the hose take natural long gradual turns so it doesn't kink or restrict the flow.

on mine, think of the "a" as being the pump in the picture and the hose is run like the loop of the @ to get up and over the transom and it is held there next to the motor mount with a tie strap. make sure the end of the hose going over the transom is cut off after a few inches and still above the water line or if it is left long enough to reach the water, the pump may siphon water back into the boat when it shuts off because the water is higher outside the hull then inside it.

you only need automatic pumping if the boat stays in the water and isn't trailered. in a small open boat there is no chance you wont be aware that you need to turn on the pump if water is in the boat so it adds nothing by putting in automatic float switches except give you something else that can go wrong on the boat. now if you have an open sub floor that water can get into then it is a good idea to have a float switch since you cant see the water collecting under the floor.

most of the advice above is correct but doesn't fit your situation because most of that advice is for larger boats or boats that will stay in the water and are not trailered. what a small boat requires is very different then what you need to do for a larger boat.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: bilge pump

Re: "there is no chance you wont be aware that you need to turn on the pump if water is in the boat so it adds nothing by putting in automatic float switches except give you something else that can go wrong on the boat."

This is simply not true. Even an open-hulled boat can accumulate water unknown to the operator until it is putting the vessel at risk. A bilge boat has even greater risk, whether running or at rest. Also when the float switch kicks on, the pumping water acts somewhat as an alert that there is too much water on board.

As for "something else to go wrong" I usually subscribe to that philosophy, especially with anything electrical around salt water. But by having a float switch (never an "automatic" single unit) as well as a manual switch properly wired you have better back-up than just one or the other.

I agree with your suggestion of carrying an extra pump, and swapping them out before they fail, but let me add this: install battery clamps on the wire of the spare. Have a hose on it. Then you can have it running immediately if you need it; hand it over to a vessel in distress, or run two at a time if you need it.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: bilge pump

if you are talking about a 16ft boat then you don't have the room in there to try and be mounting dual pumps and it makes no sense.

It really depends on what type of 16' boat he has... My old 16' SeaSwirl had plenty of room for dual bulge pumps, hoses and thru-hull fittings, no problem'o. I'm not sure why you say it makes no sense mounting dual pumps as it gives redundancy and added capacity. If the OP has a little 16' tinney that's going to be used in calm water, then that might be true, but I wouldn't make a blanket statement like that.

no need to put out the kind of money you would need to spend on specialty hoses when its not needed. those hoses are intended for when you have no choice and must make sharp bends so they let you do that without kinking the hose.

You can use any type of hose you want, and many will work to flow water but it's best to use a hose designed for the intended use so it doesn't crush or kink. Smooth bore spiral wound bilge hose isn't all that expensive as you only need 4'+- of it. I've seen this type of hose in the pool section of hardware stores for $3-4/foot, though it's white in the pool section instead of black for marine hose.

whatever pump you buy you should buy two of them because you should always keep a spare pump on board with you and tools you might need for a quick swap out if needed. having two of the same pump makes sure there are no "surprises" if you need to swap them out in as hurry. pumps aren't expensive so I replace mine every two or three years with a new one and have never had one fail on me.

Having a spare pump on board won't do much good if the boat is full of water and the boat is getting tossed around in the waves and foundering. I wouldn't want to be digging around in a bilge full of water when you're fighting for your life... Better to have that second bilge pump all rigged up and ready to go, even if it's a temp/emergency rigging like mentioned by HC

you only need automatic pumping if the boat stays in the water and isn't trailered. there is no chance you wont be aware that you need to turn on the pump if water is in the boat so it adds nothing by putting in automatic float switches except give you something else that can go wrong on the boat.

Not necessarily true. I've had my trailer boat's auto bilge pump kick on and it alerted me to problems long before I had water up to my ankles; loose drain fitting on engine or some other leak in the boat (gasket, seam, livewell, etc, etc). I've also had the auto bilge pump kick on while shore camping,,, and sleeping. Not a good feeling to hear the bilge pump kick on in the middle of the night, but better than seeing the boat sunk the next morning or the engine water-logged. Then there's that ol' "forgot the drain plug"... I'd rather have the bilge pump kick on and remind me *hey dumb arse, forget the plug?* than seeing water creeping over the deck.

most of the advice above is correct but wrong for you because most of that advice is for larger boats or boats that will stay in the water and are not trailered. what a small boat requires is very different then what you need to do for a larger boat.

I think it has more to do with how and where the boat will be used, than it's size. Out here it's not uncommon for smaller boats to have dual bigle pumps, but it's not uncommon to have 5-6' waves rolling down the lake either. Heck, I've had a boat without a bilge pump on it whatsoever, but that one I could pull up on shore and roll over to empty the water :lol:

 

[tazrig]

Re: bilge pump

I thought you were razzing me on purpose there...LOL

http://forums.iboats.com/boat-topics-questions-not-engine-topics/hit-rock-sank-619753.html

Smoke, I just read your link! I had no idea that had happened to you! I've had a close call with rocks in the fog long before GPS. Back when you had to go by the TD's of Loran C. There was a radio station in the middle of an island so whether you were on the north or south side of the island you got the same reading. I was sure I was on the northern side but I was wrong and to this day I don't know how I missed those rocks and ever since then have always had twin 2000 gph pumps in the boat. Hopefully you were able to fix the jet ski.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: bilge pump

If by "fix" you mean dump the hull and swap the guts into a minty fresh hull then YEP


Glad you didn't get creamed

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: bilge pump

if you are talking about a 16ft boat then you don't have the room in there to try and be mounting dual pumps and it makes no sense.

no need to put out the kind of money you would need to spend on specialty hoses when its not needed. those hoses are intended for when you have no choice and must make sharp bends so they let you do that without kinking the hose.

whatever pump you buy you should buy two of them because you should always keep a spare pump on board with you and tools you might need for a quick swap out if needed. having two of the same pump makes sure there are no "surprises" if you need to swap them out in as hurry. pumps aren't expensive so I replace mine every two or three years with a new one and have never had one fail on me.

just get a 800 gph or 1200 gph pump and get a clear hose from the hardware store so you can see what its pumping and see when the pump is running but not pumping because something is wrong like a blocked screen.

DO NOT use any fittings to make turns or go around things and do not make any sharp bends, let the hose take natural long gradual turns so it doesn't kink or restrict the flow.

on mine, think of the "a" as being the pump in the picture and the hose is run like the loop of the @ to get up and over the transom and it is held there next to the motor mount with a tie strap. make sure the end of the hose going over the transom is cut off after a few inches and still above the water line or if it is left long enough to reach the water, the pump may siphon water back into the boat when it shuts off because the water is higher outside the hull then inside it.

you only need automatic pumping if the boat stays in the water and isn't trailered. there is no chance you wont be aware that you need to turn on the pump if water is in the boat so it adds nothing by putting in automatic float switches except give you something else that can go wrong on the boat.

most of the advice above is correct but doesn't fit your situation because most of that advice is for larger boats or boats that will stay in the water and are not trailered. what a small boat requires is very different then what you need to do for a larger boat.

When posting on a forum it is IMPORTANT to know what you are talking about...there is a LOT of bad info in this post.... In fact nearly everything in it is bad info.

You have no idea what kind of boat he has (from his other posts it's a 1987 chriscraft cavalier with a 115 hp outboard)

I could easily mount 6 bilge pumps in that hull complete with float switches.

carrying a pump and tools does NOT take less room than mounting another pump

using stiff hose and having to spiral it around and go up and over the transom instead of a short direct route to a thru hull will NOT save money AND will reduce the capacity of the pump while also increasing load and thus battery drain for the same volume of water.

Sometimes 5 seconds can make the difference between living and dying or at least sinking and floating and a LOT of water can come into the boat in the 5 seconds it takes an average person to realize something is wrong and decide to turn on the bilge..

I've personally been in a friend's 17 foot boat that started taking on water from a hull rupture and we didn't know until I looked back to see the exhaust manifolds half way under water.

Other than the above post EVERY BIT of the advice in this thread DIRECTLY applied to the O/P's boat

 

[bruceb58]

Re: bilge pump

you only need automatic pumping if the boat stays in the water and isn't trailered. there is no chance you wont be aware that you need to turn on the pump if water is in the boat so it adds nothing by putting in automatic float switches except give you something else that can go wrong on the boat.

Wow! Not good advice!

My old boat didn't have a float switch. I was out 12 miles off the coast fishing near some islands. Little did I know but all of us standing in the back of the boat was causing water to enter the hull through an open shift cable housing to an almost dangerous level. We were lucky we could start the engine it was so high. Wiped out my starter because the water got high.

We were VERY lucky.

I put a float switch on next weekend.

 

[tazrig]

Re: bilge pump

+1^^^ You should always have an automatic switch (float) on your pump. It's crazy not to. :facepalm:

 

[snowman48047]

Re: bilge pump

I've had my Lund for 13 years now and I'm on my 4th bilge pump. They WILL NOT last forever. Typically the shaft the impellor is on will rust through, and you won't be pumping anything. Plan on replacing it at LEAST every 3 years. I got mine from West Marine with a lifetime warranty, when it dies, I get a free replacement.

My boat stays in the water behind my house. I have had pumps fail, pumps not keep up with water inflow, floats stick, and batteries die, and so will you. I have had to use a 110 sump pump to bail out my boat. There is no reason you can't/shouldn't have at least 1 backup system, either another pump with float switch or on a console switch if you are usually alone, or if you ALWAYS have a buddy a manual handhelp pump. If you are taking on water you don't want to be in the stern with a heavy outboard, messing with wire and hose connections.

Pumps and hoses are cheap, your boat might be cheap, but you and the people you are with are not.

 

[limitout]

Re: bilge pump

Wow! Not good advice!

My old boat didn't have a float switch. I was out 12 miles off the coast fishing near some islands. Little did I know but all of us standing in the back of the boat was causing water to enter the hull through an open shift cable housing to an almost dangerous level. We were lucky we could start the engine it was so high. Wiped out my starter because the water got high.

We were VERY lucky.

I put a float switch on next weekend.

and you did this in a 16ft boat?

because that was the context in which the statement was made. 16ft boats don't have enclosed engine compartments and such to hide when you are taking on water.

+1^^^ You should always have an automatic switch (float) on your pump. It's crazy not to. :facepalm:

that's right, for boats that are larger or have hidden enclosed compartments this is true

again statements must be looked at in the context they were made and I didn't say that was advice for all boats but small open boats are way way different in terms of you knowing if you have water in the boat.

does it hurt to have an automatic pump in any size boat? no of course not, but its also not needed for all boats either

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: bilge pump

and you did this in a 16ft boat?

because that was the context in which the statement was made. 16ft boats don't have enclosed engine compartments and such to hide when you are taking on water.



that's right, for boats that are larger or have hidden enclosed compartments this is true

again statements must be looked at in the context they were made and I didn't say that was advice for all boats but small open boats are way way different in terms of you knowing if you have water in the boat

I have a 10' boat with an enclosed engine compartment and bilge.

The O/P's 16 foot boat has a raised floor with plenty of room to hide water from sight.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: bilge pump

Hope this thread doesn't turn into the same voltage current debate! :facepalm:

 

[bruceb58]

Re: bilge pump

16ft boats don't have enclosed engine compartments and such to hide when you are taking on water.

My friend has this exact boat:
Boats for sale by owner | 1984 1650 foot Bayliner 1650 Capri Open Capri Power boat For Sale

16' with a Volvo stern drive

 

[Fleetwin]

Re: bilge pump

I don't think there has been a lot of bad advice.

I advised:

1. Get the biggest pump you can fit. Bigger is better.
2. Automatic or non? As stated, I have both. If the boat is moored, an automatic is a must. Trailered? Either way.
3. Smooth inner wall hose will definetely deliver more water out where you want it. Don't believe it? Try it sometime using a five gallon bucket and the two different types of hoses of the same length and lift.

I will also add: The straighter the run and least amount of "lift" required will deliver best performance.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: bilge pump

and you did this in a 16ft boat?

because that was the context in which the statement was made. 16ft boats don't have enclosed engine compartments and such to hide when you are taking on water.

that's right, for boats that are larger or have hidden enclosed compartments this is true

again statements must be looked at in the context they were made and I didn't say that was advice for all boats but small open boats are way way different in terms of you knowing if you have water in the boat.

does it hurt to have an automatic pump in any size boat? no of course not, but its also not needed for all boats either

Wow. You now have two fairly comprehensive posts that would send an inexperience boater down the wrong river. Hope the readers understand how unreliable internet advice can be, and yours are poster children for that.

Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.

 

[limitout]

Re: bilge pump

I don't think there has been a lot of bad advice.

I advised:

1. Get the biggest pump you can fit. Bigger is better.
2. Automatic or non? As stated, I have both. If the boat is moored, an automatic is a must. Trailered? Either way.
3. Smooth inner wall hose will definetely deliver more water out where you want it. Don't believe it? Try it sometime using a five gallon bucket and the two different types of hoses of the same length and lift.

I will also add: The straighter the run and least amount of "lift" required will deliver best performance.

same advice I gave yet "some" love to pick and argue about anything even if they have to take it out of context to do so.

 

[gm280]

Re: bilge pump

I see this subject can get very heated as well. I do what has worked for me for yearsssss, whether it passes anybody else's approval or not. I used a sensor setup with a switch for manual and auto positions. I made my own sensor setup and circuitry. It worked perfectly for well over 10 years without one problem. I didn't buy a float switch because I've heard they can stick in either position. So I made a simple sensor (two heavy gauge copper wires like 10 gauge house wire for the probes) circuit. If it detected 1/2" water, it turned on the pump and continued until the level was below that pre-set level in the lowest portion of the boat. But I could also turn on the pump manually at any time too. I liked it way better then anything I seen from the factory produced products... It all depends on your personal setup and what you like! JMHO!

 

[QC]

Re: bilge pump

same advice I gave yet "some" love to pick and argue about anything even if they have to take it out of context to do so.

That is NOT the same advice you gave, you gave a lot more, and you speak in absolutes. Stop!!!!

 

[limitout]

Re: bilge pump

My friend has this exact boat:
Boats for sale by owner | 1984 1650 foot Bayliner 1650 Capri Open Capri Power boat For Sale

16' with a Volvo stern drive

as stated:

that's right, for boats that are larger or have hidden enclosed compartments this is true

again statements must be looked at in the context they were made and I didn't say that was advice for all boats but small open boats are way way different in terms of you knowing if you have water in the boat.

does it hurt to have an automatic pump in any size boat? no of course not, but its also not needed for all boats either

notice the term OPEN that makes all the difference is being able to see water in the boat or not

 

[fishrdan]

Re: bilge pump

16ft boats don't have enclosed engine compartments and such to hide when you are taking on water.

16' boats don't have enclosed engine compartments, or couldn't have an enclosed engine compartment? That's flat out wrong! There are lots of 16' boat's with I/O's and I'd venture to say most of them have a doghouse to hide the bilge. (IE: my old 16' SeaSwirl with a 140HP Mercruiser, and an enclosed engine compartment.)

Even outboard boats could have the bilge hidden (panels to hide all the ugly "stuff" at the stern), so a bilge full of water could be easily be overlooked in an outboard boat too.