StarCraft bilge pump options

[matt167]

I refuse to go out without a functioning bilge pump.. my big StarCraft came with a 500gph Rule tossed in the bilge, not even hooked up ( granted nothing was as it was a WIP when purchased )

It has an outlet on each side so I’m going to install 2 pumps… how should I mount them? On my little boat, I attached them to a plastic cutting board and built a drop down bracket and fastened it to the floor. Wondering if that is the best way.

The boat is getting basically fully re wired because nothing from the old MC1 would fit the Alpha one gen 1. But that’s why I started with a donor boat

 

[bruceb58]

Do yourself a big favor and have both a line straight from the battery(not switched) through a float switch as well as a line from the console through a manually operated switch. That way you can have your boa at a dock with the battery switch off and your bilge pump will be able to protect your boat.

My Cobalt in my sig came factory wired this way.

 

[airshot]

On my Starcraft Islander I used a piece of aluminum sheet metal and bent it to set over a rib. Added a couple sheet metal screws to attach. As mentioned in prior post, wire so it protects boat at all times. I always carried two pumps and added an extra plug so the spare could be added quickly in case of an emergency. The one (500 gph) handled the few leaking rivets without issue, but did have that spare backup just in case. With the sheet metal piece the pump sat right down on the inside hull and would only let a quarter inch of water left.

 

[matt167]

That’s essentially what I did with the little boat. I just used a cutting board as it never rots and drills easy

 

[Scott Danforth]

I have an aluminum L bracket mounting the 1500 GPH pump and float switch to a front bulkhead. The pump sits under the front damper (won't fit under the motor)

On my last boat, a 1200 GPH pump mounted to a bit of starboard that was adhered to the hull under the motor with UV4000. There was a spot cut in the starboard to get a prybar under it if I needed to pull it

A leak is faster than 500 or 800 GPH

 

[airshot]

I have an aluminum L bracket mounting the 1500 GPH pump and float switch to a front bulkhead. The pump sits under the front damper (won't fit under the motor)

On my last boat, a 1200 GPH pump mounted to a bit of starboard that was adhered to the hull under the motor with UV4000. There was a spot cut in the starboard to get a prybar under it if I needed to pull it

A leak is faster than 500 or 800 GPH

A leak that bad needs repaired before going out !! My few leaky rivets added a quart of water every hour, no problem for the pump. Back in the day I forgot to put in my drain plug, my 500 Gph pump surpassed the water coming in and boat was empty by the time I got the plug in.

 

[matt167]

I prefer no leaks but expect it might leak a little… I’ll have a little under 1600 gph capacity factoring in some losses.

 

[dingbat]

Bilge Pump Capacity: Do The Math

Just how much water can your bilge pump move? Probably a lot less than you think.

www.boatus.com

 

[matt167]

Bilge Pump Capacity: Do The Math

Just how much water can your bilge pump move? Probably a lot less than you think.

www.boatus.com

Yup. Somewhere in the 200 gph total loss without actually measuring. It’s somewhere in the 1’ of distance from the bilge to the outlets