Bilge Pump capacity?

[kandil]

I was trying to buy a spare bilge pump to have on the boat and I see that there is a lot of pumps out there and I want to know what is a good brand? and what GPH I should get?
' my boat is a sea pro 17' 6" V Hull thank you

 

[dingbat]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

Rule and as big of a pump as will fit the hose on your outlet.

 

[jevery]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

For a primary pump I like the Mayfair Ultimate Combo 1000
http://www.iboats.com/Mayfair_Johns...27579524--**********.902982605--view_id.56927
It will hook up to existing 3/4? plumbing. Automatic, reliable, and replaceable cartridge makes it easy to service

For a secondary or backup pump, I?d go with a Mayfair cartridge 500 or 750
http://www.iboats.com/Mayfair_Johns...7579296--**********.902982605--view_id.197102

 

[mthieme]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

I agree with Dingbat - the bigger the better.

Although I usually use whatever I find in the shed.

 

[kandil]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

I have the rule 700 I think I will check it in the morning so I should make it the secondary and get 1000 GPH Mayfair for the primary hi mthieme
I usually use whatever I find in the shed can I use the one from the tile saw? thanks all for the fast reply

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

Agree,The Mayfair brand are great pumps.The Rule brand has never failed me either.
If you want a big pump you will need the larger hose and thru hull fitting.
Pumps above 600gph or so use the 1 1/8th hose,Easy upgrade and you know you have plenty of pump..
http://www.iboats.com/Seasense_Bilg...27581752--**********.474001835--view_id.56027

 

[Woodnaut]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

I have a 16' 7" runabout with TWO Rule 1500 bilge pumps (P&S). Each one has its own float switch, discharge line, and OFF-AUTO-ON switch on the dash.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

i use 2 pumps, they are total indendent, one is auto/manual, one manual. separate switches, outlets, and batteries.

 

[External Combustion]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

Along with the biggest pump that you can fit, a backup of the same capacity should be thrown into the tool box. A smaller backup pump should be connected in parallel with the main pump. This allows you to save a few amp hours if you have an aggravating leak and you are far from home.

Smooth hose will also allow you to pump far more gallons for the same energy input. I presently have automotive heater hose in my steam launch. It has two 1000 GPH Rule pumps and a 500 GPM, yes I said M, steam bilge ejector and a few pails aboard. It is time for me to renew both the pumps and the hose in the MFG Gypsey, so the current corregated hose will be a thing of the past. The 14 foot tinny will just have to live with a 700 GPH Rule thrown carelessly in when I have the battery aboard and the the current version of the three gallon bucket.

The main point is to reduce the friction of moving water and a smooth hose will do this for you with just a few more pennies at the purchase.

 

[mthieme]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

Sounds like y'all are prepared for a hurricane in the ocean.
Out of curiosity, anyone have a bailer on board?

 

[kandil]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

I wonder why all the pump kits seems to be of the corrugated hose type? that is what I have.it seems to be original since 94 can some one shad some light on that issue please thanks for all the advice every one yeah it sound like they are ready for the hurricane

 

[External Combustion]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

Corrugated hose is inexpensive, routes easily, does not kink the flow line and is easy to route. Not bad attributes eh? As we went to more use of plastics in our world the thin corrugated line won out.

A well laid out smooth flow line might not be possible in some installations without some hard plumbing.

mthieme: The worst downpour I was in was in Clear Lake, Iowa. We gained five hundred gallons in five minutes on a seven by eighteen foot cockpit. The most rugged and unexpected weather has been inland for me. It is harder to predict from what the weathermen tell me. Yes I am a little far right of Gingis Kahn when it comes to safety equipment!

If you mean a manual bilge pump when you say bailer, I have never owned one, but I have always had a bucket on board.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

It's also important to remember that GPH ratings are at zero lift. Problem is, nobody is running a pump with zero lift. Gotta love that marketing BS...

As with most applications, the hose rises a good two feet or more from the bilge to the outlet. You'd be surprised how much this will reduce your "rated" capacity.

And, it sounds contradictory, but a small boat actually needs more pumping capacity than a bigger boat. Reason is this: The same sized hole below the water line in each boat will allow the same amount of water in. Problem is...the smaller boat will sink sooner than the bigger boat, given the same leak...I'm speaking strictly from a damage point of view here. Swamping or rainfall is another matter.

 

[mthieme]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

Dunno what kind of damage you have in mind.
But if it's small enough for the bilge(s) to handle...I keep a stick of putty on board that a friend gave me. Wad it up, stick in the hole, water cures it.
When I worked for the Navy, I learned they use cement for the same purpose.
I saw one ship come in that had a little problem negotiating the Panama Canal - the nose was half cement! Anyone carry an 80# bag of cement on board?

If the damage is more than the bilge(s) can handle, you better come up with a plan B real quick.
Been there too. Pop quiz...what do you do when the hose on your Berkeley pump pops off at 60+ mph and is pumping water like a firetruck into the boat ?

 

[arks]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

I was trying to buy a spare bilge pump to have on the boat and I see that there is a lot of pumps out there and I want to know what is a good brand? and what GPH I should get?
' my boat is a sea pro 17' 6" V Hull thank you

Just a suggestion, but as a SPARE pump consider rigging up a portable "emergency pump" complete with hose and wire. I have one on my boat and keep it readily available in a small soft bag. It's a 1500 GPH Rule and I used 10' of 1" hose and 20' of wire with alligator clips. Not only can it help your boat but it could be used to help another vessel as well. All my dockmates know where I stow it and, in an emergency, have permission to grab it if I'm not aboard.
In the past 3 summers, my emergency pump has been used twice to help save other boats (well, one was already sitting on a sandbar with the bottom ripped out ). I made the wire long enough so it can run from another boat's battery if needed.

 

[kandil]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

Hi arks I like this idea thanks for sharing

 

[jonesg]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

First time I launched I forgot the plug, the water was almost over the transom by the time I parked the truck and got it plugged.
The pump had it clear in 30 minutes ok, but what if something happened in waves, I was at the dock. I wouldn't have 30 minutes.
So a bigger pump is coming.
A second pump installed higher so it doesn't get jammed with bilge junk.

I've read most boats don't capsize, at least not at first, they founder.
An open deck 12x12 filled by a wave 12 inches deep has taken on 5 tons of water. It wants to roll over. The next wave will do it.

Many investigations show inadequate pump capacity and plain old disrepair.
A bucket is a beautiful thing and good seamanship.
An auto pump is good if its tested by pulling on the float before shipping out.
Otherwise its an unknown until needed.
I go out of cape cod and theres a lot of unforgiving rips there, thats where the fish are. A dependable engine, a backup engine, pumps and a bucket, that and a sense of respect for the unforgiving enviroment.

..a 3 hr tour...

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

After decades of never inserting a drain plug from anywhere other than the inside of the boat, I let myself get talked into inserting it from the outside a few months ago. Bad idea - I recently had an accident which resulted in the plug getting ripped out of the boat. Because I was almost thrown out of the boat and darn near lost my motor overboard, it took me a few minutes to realize that I was sinking.

Had I not had a 1250 GPH pump and two very large batteries in the boat, I might have sunk. I turned the pump on as soon as I realized what was going on and managed to keep up with the missing plug, until another boat pulled me to the bank.

I now have some work to do to repair the sheared tilt bracket on my motor, and will do a few things to the boat while I'm at it. One of those things will be to join the club of people that have a spare pump in their boats. I will soon buy another 1250 GPH pump and set it up as a portable.

Do I have hand bailers in the boat? Yup - I use plastic "ammo cans" from Wally World to store my first aid kit, my signal kit, civilian MREs, and emergency water bottles. I guess you could say that I have 4 bailers. I also keep by boat tool kit in a couple of sealable "tupperware" type pans, which could also be used as bailers.

 

[mthieme]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

A spare plug might go a long way.
You're one of two people I've ever heard of putting the plug in on the inside.
I can't fathom what happened to rip the plug out.

 

[[FF]Assn.Salty]

Re: Bilge Pump capacity?

arks thanks for the info I think ill purchase a spare pump for such an occasion ASAP (this is such a good place for great ideas)