Best way to get last 1/2 inch out of bilges.

[Patrick of M]

My bilge pumps (2 damn deep hard to reach bilges on my boat) with the open strainer bottom, do a great job emptying the bilges. The last 1/2 if sometimes gunky water is hard to remove.
I have tried a couple of drill driven pumps, but one couldn't lift 2' and the other tore up its impeller quite quickly.
Ideally I would like a motor driven pump that could suck up the last of the water.
Suggestions?

[sailorboy1]

wet vac

[jamhass]

Wet Vac, YES. And there are many small ones, including battery operated ones such as from Milwaukee and DeWalt that work great, and as a plus have many good uses on a boat!

[Patrick of M]

Thanks I'll look into the battery powered pumps (but I am a Makita person) long term that makes sense, but any kind of impeller pump gets thrashed by dirty water ( I suppose one day I may have clean bilges). Wet vac is alright I guess but not while traveling (takes up too much space)

[capn_billl]

Originally Posted by Patrick of M

Thanks I'll look into the battery powered pumps (but I am a Makita person) long term that makes sense, but any kind of impeller pump gets thrashed by dirty water ( I suppose one day I may have clean bilges). Wet vac is alright I guess but not while traveling (takes up too much space)

Home Depot makes a bucket top wet vac that is very compact.

[SY Harmony]

Originally Posted by capn_billl

Home Depot makes a bucket top wet vac that is very compact.

Lowes has them also

[Jacana]

Toy shop , get water blaster toy gun. You can reach into tight/low spots and suck out water.

[Nekton73]

These work surprisingly well:


https://www.beckson.com/tmpumps.html



Came with the boat and at first I just left it in the locker but, after getting tired of sopping out the last bit from my bilge by hand (I don't have a deep one like you but my pump still leaves a fair bit) I tried it and it works like a charm. Barely a drop left.

[requiem]

Some time ago I ran across this DIY dry bilge system: https://lifeempirically.com/2018/03/...-bilge-system/

[Patrick of M]

Originally Posted by requiem

Some time ago I ran across this DIY dry bilge system: https://lifeempirically.com/2018/03/...-bilge-system/

This is excellent!

[David Mathis]

A small shop (2 gallon) vac with a crevice tool works great and doesn't take much storage room.

[Love2 boat]

https://aridbilgesystems.com/


Some will balk at the price. It has pucks that will suck it completely dry and I mean dry put it in the lowest section where the bilge water collects. It is worth every penny! I chose the 3 puck model and I would buy it again.

[ThomasShaw]

The bottom of my bilge sump is fairly small and flat so the pump gets most of it. I use a turkey baster for the last little bit!

[JBsurfin]

Originally Posted by Patrick of M

My bilge pumps (2 damn deep hard to reach bilges on my boat) with the open strainer bottom, do a great job emptying the bilges. The last 1/2 if sometimes gunky water is hard to remove.
I have tried a couple of drill driven pumps, but one couldn't lift 2' and the other tore up its impeller quite quickly.
Ideally I would like a motor driven pump that could suck up the last of the water.
Suggestions?

I have a deep one also and also can't get every last drop out. Besides, my AC dumps to the bilge. Truefully, I'm not losing sleep over a 1/2" of water. It's never going to be a dry bilge. I throw a bit of chlorine and fabric softer in and move on. Never an issue and no smell. Good luck.

[sailon46]

Your best bet would be big sponge at the end of a stick. That should keep you busy for a few