See what your bilge can do. Next time you are in your boat take the hose of your galley through haul and open her up. See if your pump can keep up with flow and how it stands up over time. Did that today. Well, on my H36 the stock pump could not keep up....my second bilge pump kicked in and did well. I ran it for 15 minutes..I figure might as well find out now rather than in the high seas. My biggest suprise was how little it takes to sink your boat...really makes me a believer of adding a second if not a third pump. Do the above at your own risk...enjoy watching the water come in. abe
BILGE PUMP FUN...Oh Yeah......
- Thread starter abe
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Most people have backup pumps and don't know it
Primary pump overwhelmed? boat sinking? Close the fresh water valve, cut the intake line at the base of your fresh water pump, hang the shower head out the head port and turn the faucet on. Still in trouble? Cut the intake off the macerator pump, open the through hull and pump it out the bottom. This is a lot messier but still pumping out seawater.
Primary pump overwhelmed? boat sinking? Close the fresh water valve, cut the intake line at the base of your fresh water pump, hang the shower head out the head port and turn the faucet on. Still in trouble? Cut the intake off the macerator pump, open the through hull and pump it out the bottom. This is a lot messier but still pumping out seawater.
One more backup
Disconnect your engine intake hose from the thru-hull, stick it in the bilge and turn on the engine. Engine will use bilge water and spit it out the exhaust. (This works with gas engines, not sure about diesel.)
Disconnect your engine intake hose from the thru-hull, stick it in the bilge and turn on the engine. Engine will use bilge water and spit it out the exhaust. (This works with gas engines, not sure about diesel.)
I can speak from personal experience.
I can speak from personal experience. A frightened man with a bucket moves more water then all the pumps you’ve got. All the best, Robert Gainer
I can speak from personal experience. A frightened man with a bucket moves more water then all the pumps you’ve got. All the best, Robert Gainer
pump capacity
simple solution - If you are concerned about the pump capacity, replace it with a bigger pump, or two.
simple solution - If you are concerned about the pump capacity, replace it with a bigger pump, or two.
Which begs the question...
...how many of us have a hand operated pump on board just in case some of the others don't work. I purchased the biggest on West Marine sells...just in case! Just food for thought? Jack
...how many of us have a hand operated pump on board just in case some of the others don't work. I purchased the biggest on West Marine sells...just in case! Just food for thought? Jack
Well, the problem with hand pumps is
that you've got to PUMP them, not find the leak. They're OK if you have crew with muscles but they are a lot of work. Unless you're just biding time waiting for rescue after, say, a collision, the best thing to do is find the leak, fast!
that you've got to PUMP them, not find the leak. They're OK if you have crew with muscles but they are a lot of work. Unless you're just biding time waiting for rescue after, say, a collision, the best thing to do is find the leak, fast!
Back in 74
I had a friend(now deceased)who had a 1932,42 ft wooden power boat, really nice with drop down windows, Anyway they were about 1/2 mile out of the harbor when a speed boat came right across their bow, taking the lower front section of the hull, off the boat. Really a neat hole above and below the waterline. Needless to say it started to sink. Harry (my friend) was pretty experienced and had his wife call into his marina and open the travel lift for him. He backed the 42 footer around several obstacles for about a mile and backed into the lift and saved his boat. It was a total,loss but I'll never forget watching Harry back that boat for what seemed like hours. But in reality was about 15 minutes. Still I will never forget that experience. The power boaters, three were saved and one died. All aboard Harrys boat made it. True story. Check your pumps and your radio soon. I know I do all the time. Keep it up, Ctskip
I had a friend(now deceased)who had a 1932,42 ft wooden power boat, really nice with drop down windows, Anyway they were about 1/2 mile out of the harbor when a speed boat came right across their bow, taking the lower front section of the hull, off the boat. Really a neat hole above and below the waterline. Needless to say it started to sink. Harry (my friend) was pretty experienced and had his wife call into his marina and open the travel lift for him. He backed the 42 footer around several obstacles for about a mile and backed into the lift and saved his boat. It was a total,loss but I'll never forget watching Harry back that boat for what seemed like hours. But in reality was about 15 minutes. Still I will never forget that experience. The power boaters, three were saved and one died. All aboard Harrys boat made it. True story. Check your pumps and your radio soon. I know I do all the time. Keep it up, Ctskip
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