CHECK YOUR HOSE CLAMPS!!!

[bjarnold]

Today my boat almost went to the bottom of the lake. For the past couple of day's I have done a complete tune-up on my 1988 Bayliner Capri 19ft 3.0 OMC. After finishing it this afternoon I decided I would take it to the lake to try it out and make the final adjustments. After cruising around for 5-10 minutes I noticed that the boat was sluggish and not running to good. I looked behind me and found 2 1/2 inches of water standing in the back of the boat on the floor. I turned the bilge pump on and hauled as$ to the shore. The hose clamp had loosened up on the hose to the water pump and the water pump hose had come off and when the engine was running it was pumping water into the boat. The good news is it did no damage to the engine or boat.

 

[achris]

Re: CHECK YOUR HOSE CLAMPS!!!

Had a similar problem a few years back. Boat sinking, not hose clamps. Was 30 miles out to sea when the boat was sluggish and felt 'heavy'. It was! With about 2 tons of Indian Ocean! Turned out the exhaust flaps (now a different style by Merc) dropped into the bottom of the y-pipe and wore a hole in it. Fun <br /><br />Chris.........

 

[bigbrownbuku]

Re: CHECK YOUR HOSE CLAMPS!!!

your starter is gonna need repair soon. water that high means your starter went swimming. on the 3.0l its an easy job to re&re, do it now before it fails.

 

[cuzner]

Re: CHECK YOUR HOSE CLAMPS!!!

Bass boat owners, and others with live wells may want to check the plumbing also. Had a simular situation last spring, but it was a live well hose came off into bilge (while replacing batteries) it was in march, water temp 36 dgr.would have been a cold swimm to shore if we did'nt catch it.<br /><br /><br /> Jim

 

[imported_scott_m]

Re: CHECK YOUR HOSE CLAMPS!!!

I tried that game last fall as well. 20+ miles out had a PVC (not installed by me) pipe that runs from a gutter drain around a hatch to a sump for the main deck scuppers break off and fall into the bilge. Same thing...walked towards the back of the boat to bring the kingfish over the side....hey, why's there water on the deck? Lift the bilge...oh sh!t, the batteries are under water. Except in my case, the bilge pump shorted and then the bait well pump too(had started using it as a bilge pump).<br /><br />Needless to say, I've now got a HUGE hand operated bilge pump on the boat. Something to think about.

 

[BillP]

Re: CHECK YOUR HOSE CLAMPS!!!

Now is the time to install two clamps on all the hoses that could cause sinking. SOP on big boats.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: CHECK YOUR HOSE CLAMPS!!!

Dont know whos regulations it is ,Coast Guard maybe,but double clamps on all water hoses.Charlie

 

[damie]

Re: CHECK YOUR HOSE CLAMPS!!!

Do you not have a float switch wired to your bilge pump?<br />i put my mariah in the water last week and forgot the bung!<br />when i looked behind i saw water pumping from the port side....i then relised i had a problem...i lifted the hood and thought xxxx!<br />if i wasnt for the float switch i guess i would have been sunk!!<br />i had a 900gph pump so it kept up with the water fine until my mate could fetch the trailer for me.<br />

 

[damie]

Re: CHECK YOUR HOSE CLAMPS!!!

Just another point, maybe if you wired a 12v buzzer to the switch side of the float switch it would audibly warn you that the pump was working and that there was a possible problem.<br />what do you think....has anyone done this already?<br />its even given me an idea to do this to my boat now!!

 

[Bondo]

Re: CHECK YOUR HOSE CLAMPS!!!

maybe if you wired a 12v buzzer to the switch side of the float switch it would audibly warn you that the pump was working and that there was a possible problem.

That ,........ Would Drive Everybody Totally Crazy on My old Leaky Barge.............. <br />But, I Do have an Idiot Light on the dash........... <br /><br />I've Never had a Hose Clamp Loosen,... Unless a Screwdriver was Involved.......<br />Good Idea about the Double Clamping,....... Never Thought about,.. But have Always Done It........<br /><br />I'm Famous for Forgetting to replace the engine drainplugs........ I fish Late in the season,... So about 1/2 of My fishing season is during Cold Weather,.. so I drain Everything after every trip....<br />It's Amazing how much water an Alpha 1 can pump..........<br />Luckily,... Not as much as My 2 Bilgepumps........

 

[Destin]

Re: CHECK YOUR HOSE CLAMPS!!!

I connected a cheap 12V auto headlight reminder buzzer to the helm switch connection going the bilge pump. It gets your attention when the bilge pump comes on. You could just use a bright panel light instead. It lets you know immediately if you have a problem. I still need to install a separate bilge alarm switch on its own power circuit. If the fuse to the bilge pump blows or you forget to attach the direct power lead to the battery that goes to the automatic float switch ( I've done that before) then the buzzer won't work either.