Bilge Pump Survey - how big and how many?

[boostnm3]

My boat came with a older rule 500. It quit working so i decided to get a 1200 gph instead. You can never have to much pump i guess. I have a 18" four winns 180 rx. What do you have installed on your boat?

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Bilge Pump Survey - how big and how many?

18 footer with a 750gph, internal automatic mercury switch..

 

[clemsonfor]

Re: Bilge Pump Survey - how big and how many?

no idea, havent paid attention, it never comes on i never have any water come out when i pull the plug unless i was swimming etc. so last week i want to check to make sur eit still runs and it did not come on but i think a wire is a little corrode b/c once i touched the ground it came on, now it is on the check list to fix. I boat on an inland lake and i guess i hope that my motor wont die as im sinking and that it will be slow enough to allow me 30 secs to 1 min to beach it!

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Bilge Pump Survey - how big and how many?

I have a 500 gph thats automatic and an 1100 gph that can be auto or switched.
I figure if i ever knock a hole in the hull i may make it to shore...

 

[boostnm3]

Re: Bilge Pump Survey - how big and how many?

wow so many boaters on this site, and we got 3 responses. mine is on an automatic switch also. i decided to go bigger because a tiny hole can cause the boat to sink in no time at all... honestly even the 1 i have probably isnt enough if the hole is big enough.

 

[mphy98]

Re: Bilge Pump Survey - how big and how many?

I have 2 1200gph one auto one manual. You can't have to many of these bad boys.

 

[cadunkle]

Re: Bilge Pump Survey - how big and how many?

I have a 500 GPH on my 21'. It's on a float switch with manual toggle. Last season I had a leaky shift cable bellows that would cycle the pump about every two hours on the water. Was only out a couple times before I figured out what it was and replaced all my bellows. Now I can be out all day and not get a drop in the boat. 500 GPH kept up just fine though with the leaky bellows. For a real sizable hole, ripped/cracked gimbal housing/etc. any electric pump isn't gonna get you a lot of time.

I'm considering putting a Y-valve in my raw water pickup to the bottom of the bilge... If I ever have major leakage I can hit the valve and let the engine pump the water out. If you're really concerned I believe that is the way to go. Probably just paranoid to do that though, I have insurance and life vests if anything major were to happen.

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Bilge Pump Survey - how big and how many?

The biggest pump that you can fit in you're bilge. Most boaters think that because they have a small boat, they can get by with one of those 500gph p.o.s. pumps that are stock with many boats. Actually, the opposite is true, as a small boat will fill with water a lot faster than a larger one.