When Your Bilge Pump Sinks Your Boat ... Experience

[hellosailor]

Given the reliability of bilge pumps (the question is when it will fail, not if it will fail) I like the idea of having two bilge pumps. A smaller one located all the way down, which is intended to deal with condensate, trickles, the perenial nuisance water. And then a totally separate system with a larger pump and larger hose, designed to it only comes on after there's real water in the bilge. Preferably with a bilge alarm attached to it, or you SPOT monitor, or whatever.

This anticipates that the "everyday" pump IS going to fail sooner or later, and keeps the main pump in reserve.

If you're on a mooring, it also pays to tell the launch drivers straight up "If you see that boot stripe is IN the water? You'll make a fast $20 by calling me, anytime, day or night."

[bobconnie]

I always run a loop up and down from the pump then out to the overboard discharge. works for me ! And Ram thanks for the site even sounds good to an oldie like me LOL!!

[Ram]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Given the reliability of bilge pumps (the question is when it will fail, not if it will fail) I like the idea of having two bilge pumps. A smaller one located all the way down, which is intended to deal with condensate, trickles, the perenial nuisance water. And then a totally separate system with a larger pump and larger hose, designed to it only comes on after there's real water in the bilge. Preferably with a bilge alarm attached to it, or you SPOT monitor, or whatever.

This anticipates that the "everyday" pump IS going to fail sooner or later, and keeps the main pump in reserve.

If you're on a mooring, it also pays to tell the launch drivers straight up "If you see that boot stripe is IN the water? You'll make a fast $20 by calling me, anytime, day or night."

Id up the price to a fast $50-!! Im set up like this in each hull-my bigger pumps are 3800gph

[Pete7]

Interesting post, we currently have a Whale Supersub Smart 650 automatic Bilge Pump, disconnected, because the power required when the boat wasn't being used was flattening the battery. This on a boat with dry dusty bilges, so they do require power even when not running as a pump.

It will probably end up being connected up to the battery master switch so that its only working when we are on board. The original aim was it would activate as a warning that an engine hose was leaking whilst we were under power and on deck so we wouldn't necessarily know about the leak. The pump mounted under the engine would deliver water directly into the cockpit giving the crew wet feet and hopefully a warning.

Pete

[Bash]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Given the reliability of bilge pumps (the question is when it will fail, not if it will fail) I like the idea of having two bilge pumps.

A far better system has three pumps. A small automatic working pump at the bottom. A large-capacity emergency pump an inch or two higher, and a manual pump to back up the whole system.

The emergency pump should be alarmed to the cockpit.

[rebel heart]

75 MPH storm last summer in Catalina?

[hpeer]

Add this to threads to review.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ems-70905.html

We have two bilges, one forward and one aft. The forward bilge is 'relatively' shallow, the sump is a couple of inches below the rest of the bilge. Our aft bilge is maybe five feet deep, down to the bottom of the keel. I have no idea how to make that one work without a back flow preventer.

I have a large bilge pump aft and a smaller one forward. I can throw a couple of valves and use the shower sump to clear the forward bilge. We also have a manual bilge pump that sucks from both bilges.

Finally, I just bought a 120VAC 3/4 HP pump with 1-1/2 discharge that will run off my inverter or the generator. Cheapo from Harbor Freight for $90.

I had a lot of trouble with the Rule electronic switches.

Interestingly enough when we bought the boat the only working bilge pump was the manual. The forward pump was missing or ruined and was plumbed to the sink drain. The aft pump was disintegrated and plumbed to a 1/4" fitting into a cockpit drain. No joke. Two surveys, Owners and ours, neither one made comment on the bilge pumps not being serviceable.