adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

[matt167]

My '61 Custom Craft was never designed for a bilge pump, no thru hull or anything. My grandfather had added an older Attwood automatic pump and ran some tygon tubing from the pump into the splash well and tied it to the outboard wiring harness. Not perfect but I guess that worked ok. Any boat I have ever been on has bailed the bilge off the starboard side. I do not want to put a thru-hull on the boat side because it will stick out like a sore thumb. Can I put the thru hull on the transom and hide it near the outboard leg? The boat will be water tight when I'm done, but I'd rather it have a pump.

 

[Bondo]

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

My '61 Custom Craft was never designed for a bilge pump, no thru hull or anything. My grandfather had added an older Attwood automatic pump and ran some tygon tubing from the pump into the splash well and tied it to the outboard wiring harness. Not perfect but I guess that worked ok. Any boat I have ever been on has bailed the bilge off the starboard side. I do not want to put a thru-hull on the boat side because it will stick out like a sore thumb. Can I put the thru hull on the transom and hide it near the outboard leg? The boat will be water tight when I'm done, but I'd rather it have a pump.

Ayuh,... So long as the outlet is Always above the waterline,.... Sure, go for it...

 

[wrench 3]

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

Just keep in mind that the sump pump doesn't have any valves in it, so any water that is pushed into the outlet when the pump isn't running will end up in the boat.

 

[matt167]

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

Could I use a one way check valve? That was a concern of mine, coming off plane and such. I don't plan on backing into any waves, or going on water rougher than a light chop, still. in the factory configuration, the bilge is entirely visible with no block off curtain from the rear facing seats, so any passengers watching a rush of water come in that might get nervous.

I know that if it took on some water from a wave or other reason, I could just get it on plane and pull the plug, and the pump really is not needed except in an emergency

 

[NYBo]

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

A check valve will restrict flow and adds a potential point of failure. Loop the hose as high as possible above the level of the outlet, and try to always back down slowly off the throttle.

Or just give in and put the outlet on the side.

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

Whats wrong with your grandfathers solution? I have an old boat with similar setup (or it did until I stripped it for renovation), with the exception that it has a clamp holding the tubing rather than being tied to the wiring harness. I won't be adding a thru-hole when (if) I get it finished.

 

[wrench 3]

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

Sudden thought. Why not put the discharge fitting into the side of the splash well.

 

[matt167]

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

I thought about reusing the old way, or putting the thru-hull in the splash well. Both would work well. If I put it in the splashwell, could I paint the plastic to match the cap color and have it last?

As far as giving into putting it into the side, won't work as they have quite a curve, and it would take a lot of work to trim a thru hull to match, and it would stick out.

 

[wrench 3]

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

You need a special paint for plastic, but it's available in spray cans and can be bought from most suppliers.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

I have had great luck with KRYLON Fusion on plastic I redid the trim on my blazer in black a year ago and it has held up well to road salt mud muck and everything else I have thrown at it.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

put function over form. You want the water evacuated out of the boat, as high as possible, with as short a hose as feasible, and the pump in the lowest part of the boat--the stern. That means out the side, up high, in the stern. Pumping into another compartment is not wise. After all, it's there for more than just getting out the swimmer's drippings or rain shower.

Then worry about the niceties

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

Water is supposed to come IN and go out the splash well. A thru-hull fitting there will send water into the hose/pump at times. Boat builders have water pumped out of the bilge through the gunnel for a reason.... and high up too. A check valve adds potential problems. Follow the high priced marine engineers....

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

I added a fitting to one side in my splash well on my old boat, up high on one side and never had any problems with it, and it was stainless so it looked just fine.

 

[matt167]

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

I understand that if I put it in the splash well and the boat was actually sinking, I could not bail it if the fitting was in the splash well because it's still pumping IN to the boat. I may just omit the bilge pump which was never there to begin with when the boat left the factory, and put a manual pump along with a bailing bucket or 2 in the boat, should somthing actually happen, I could still bail it.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

bailing depends on how much water is held inaccessible under the deck. Anyway, every boat should have a bailer so I hope you aren't adding that.

True, older boats didn't have electric pumps. So if you have to keep the boat original, for example, for boat shows, then there are ways to reduce risk, other than leaving it on the trailer.

Pumps have two purposes, so you may want two pumps.

Purpose one is evacuating large amounts of water in a swamping, etc. Go back to your grandfather's rig: install an electric in the bilge, run the hose over the side, but when you aren't using it, just leave the hose stowed. I do that with my back-up. Just be sure you can deploy the hose quickly, and you have a clip on it so you can secure it overboard.

Purpose two is getting rid of small amounts of water that accumulate, as to maintain a dry boat while moored, etc. (water in a day trip won't matter). In older boats you just pulled the plug and ran it out. But one of the best devices is a hand pump--available at boating stores everywhere. You can stick it inthe bilge hole and in a few seconds dry it out. I remember a waterman had one mounted on his transom so he could give it a couple of pumps as needed. I carry one on each boat as a back-up to the battery-powered pumps.

 

[brnschoneck]

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

I have had great luck with KRYLON Fusion on plastic I redid the trim on my blazer in black a year ago and it has held up well to road salt mud muck and everything else I have thrown at it.

y it is a good paint rusto is also good used it on my drive ,truck wheels,etc...has held up well for three yrs now still shiny ...

 

[matt167]

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

bailing depends on how much water is held inaccessible under the deck. Anyway, every boat should have a bailer so I hope you aren't adding that.

True, older boats didn't have electric pumps. So if you have to keep the boat original, for example, for boat shows, then there are ways to reduce risk, other than leaving it on the trailer.

Pumps have two purposes, so you may want two pumps.

Purpose one is evacuating large amounts of water in a swamping, etc. Go back to your grandfather's rig: install an electric in the bilge, run the hose over the side, but when you aren't using it, just leave the hose stowed. I do that with my back-up. Just be sure you can deploy the hose quickly, and you have a clip on it so you can secure it overboard.

Purpose two is getting rid of small amounts of water that accumulate, as to maintain a dry boat while moored, etc. (water in a day trip won't matter). In older boats you just pulled the plug and ran it out. But one of the best devices is a hand pump--available at boating stores everywhere. You can stick it inthe bilge hole and in a few seconds dry it out. I remember a waterman had one mounted on his transom so he could give it a couple of pumps as needed. I carry one on each boat as a back-up to the battery-powered pumps.

My main concern was that this will be a boat I will take to shows, so I did not want to hinder the original look by putting a thru hull on the side. I'm still going to use the boat as an everyday boat, ski behind it, cruise the lakes/ rivers ect, which is why I thought of making the bilge more permenent. Leaving the hose coiled underneath sounds like a good solution, as I know I could deploy that quick over the side.. There is no bilge hole on this boat, the deck runs straight across the transom, and the drain plug is right above the deck. I'm not sure how it works getting water from below deck, but I'll figure it out once I get the deck up/out..

I planned on having at least 1 bailing bucket anyway as that is USCG requirement IIRC. I also have 2 oars as required ( boat less than 16' ). I need everything else, but I'v got some time to acquire them.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

If the splash well is under water a bilge pump is the least of your problems.

 

[matt167]

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

If the splash well is under water a bilge pump is the least of your problems.

I know. If the splash well submerges to the point water can enter thru the motor control cutouts, it's all over anyway.

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: adding bilge pump to boat that never had one?

For a short time 1 builder was heard not to put a bilge pump in because there was not enough void if filled with water to have any effect. There was that much foam! Eventually, they put them in as everyone wanted one anyway.