Bilge pump installation

[Pony]

I hope everyone understands this. I want to put a bilge pump in my boat, but am unsure as to were to have the water output go. Im not thrilled about drilling through my hull, so i've thought of 2 alternatives and im wondering if either of them will work, and if they do which is best. <br /><br />1. Im replacing the old metal tank with a plastic one, so i was thinking of going through the hull where the overflow for that tank was....most likely will need to enlage hole.<br /><br />2. I was thinking of coming up from the bottom of the splash well (towards the top so water is well above drain of spash well) and then allowing the water to drain through the drain at the bottom of the splash well.

 

[DJ]

Re: Bilge pump installation

Either one will work.<br /><br />Option #1 will look a lot cleaner.<br /><br />Here's a tip: Don't use the corrugated bilge pump hose. That stuff kills pump efficiency. Use a smooth bore hose.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Bilge pump installation

The stock location for my pump output is in the splashwell, near the top. It drains into the splashwell, then out the splashwell drainplug, which I never keep in.

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: Bilge pump installation

Originally posted by DJ:<br /> <br />Here's a tip: Don't use the corrugated bilge pump hose. That stuff kills pump efficiency. Use a smooth bore hose.

Hey DJ: what sort of tubing will be adequate for bilge pump? Should I just go to the hardware store and buy some inexpensive clear plastic tubing in the correct diameter? Thanks for the tip.

 

[Pony]

Re: Bilge pump installation

Thanks DJ, and JasonJ. I will definately use non correlated hose.<br /><br />Hey JasonJ. I like the work you did on your boat. Im a fan of those fiberglass trihulls, only mine is a 69' and im not sure its that big....I hope my rebuild goes half as well as that.

 

[Winger Ed.]

Re: Bilge pump installation

Should I just go to the hardware store and buy some inexpensive clear plastic tubing <br /><br /><br />Clear plastic works fine. Even a section of the neighbor's garden hose will do ya a good job. There is no pressure on it, and all it has to do is carry water up and over the hull above the water line.

 

[Gus Mortimer]

Re: Bilge pump installation

I kinda like the idea of going through the splash well, if you got a powerful pump it would shoot a fat stream like a roostertail

 

[timbo1963]

Re: Bilge pump installation

Mine's on thge side and slightly points upward. I like to pull alongside the dock to pickup my passengers and hit the manual switch. They never learn. They want in the boat so bad they never even expect it! I,m rotten, but I have fun!

 

[Pony]

Re: Bilge pump installation

At first i liked the roostertail idea from jr boater, but after tims reply, im sort of thinking about going through the old tank vent, since its on the side and im a practical joker anyways. good stuff there tim.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Bilge pump installation

Thanx Pony...Yeah, nuthin' funnier than getting hosed with skeevy bilge water. Its a way to weed out those who you don't really want to take on a boat ride but seem to show up anyway...

 

[timbo1963]

Re: Bilge pump installation

It just hits em in the legs. They can rinse off in the lake. My bilge is clean anyway!

 

[timbo1963]

Re: Bilge pump installation

I've been known to slightly flood my bilge just to have some fire power!!

 

[Pony]

Re: Bilge pump installation

i was thinking of going with a 750 gph bilge pump, but im not sure if thats a good size...seems like that might not be that powerful. Is there a limit to how long the output hose can be before it makes the pump work too hard?

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Bilge pump installation

Its not really the length as it is the height it has to push the water. I would go with as big of a pump as I could afford/feel like spending money on. Its like horsepower, you just can't have too much, but you sure hate it when you don't have enough...the 750 would get it done though. You could go with a huge pump, and affix a jet nozzle on the output hole, then you could really hose people...

 

[Boilermaker]

Re: Bilge pump installation

I figure the biggest you can afford/fit. a lot of people figure a small boat needs a small pump, but its really not smart. A SMALL VESSLE holds less water, so you need to get it out as quick as possable. A big boat with a thousand gals of water in the bilge will float>>>a 16 ft, probably not.

 

[Boilermaker]

Re: Bilge pump installation

As a side note, I know someone that was killed by a faulty bilge pump switch. 2 brothers were out fishing at night on Long Island Sound in an older 18ft boat. Somehow the boat was taking on water below the deck & the bilge pump didn't turn on. One of the brothers was fishing in the middle of the boat & the other off the transome. The First brother walked to the back to net a fish for his brother, with his added weight, all the water below deck shift rearward and the boat flipped & went down like a rock>>trapped the one fellow below in abt 60 ft of water. No floatation foam & bad pump. The second brother (my old work partner) was lucky to find a PFD on the surface & swim abt 3 miles to shore.<br />My 18ft boat has a 1100GPH & a 750gph pumps>one in back & one up front.

 

[timbo1963]

Re: Bilge pump installation

Get the BIG one...it'll squirt the water further!!! Aim the output up a little and you can squirt people in other boats!

 

[Pony]

Re: Bilge pump installation

I never thought of hitting other boats until just now...would be pretty funny to see. wouldnt want to be in the other boat though....Im thinking maybe it wouldnt be bad to have a bigger pump, for many reasons....the least of which not being for jokes. <br /><br />Plus there have been a few times when the boat has been shin deep full of water from either pulling it onshore and forgetting that waves can come up the back, or leaving it in the rain while its docked for awhile when we are at a resort. I think a bigger pump may help that sort of situation.<br /><br />Any brands of pumps that you guys recomend staying away from.? To be more specific, is what you pay for what you get, or are the cheaper pumps still reliable enough??