Bilge pumps

[sailthegrace]

my bilge pump has gone out...and it is old.any recommendations on the kind.there is very little clearance so it needs to be small.any help would be appreciated!!!

 

[abe]

I thind Rule makes the best pumps...

your options are with an external float switch....i like, but if space is really limited they make one with internal switch.Get the pump that fits is there...usually boat makers place itsy bitsy little pumps.abe

 

[ish]

Biggest that will fit

I just put in a new Rule (replacing an old Rule--worked fine, but it was smaller than I wanted) and it's been fine. I think they usually come in about mid-range in the pump evaluations I have seen but I haven't had any issues with them myself.My old one had a float but it was disconnected and I didn't bother to replace it; I suppose in theory they are a good idea, but in practice they seem to get stuck or gummed or leave the water level hovering at just the right spot so they flip on and off every few seconds as the boat rolls/pitches. I'm going to wire up a bilge alarm instead for serious problems, and otherwise activate it manually to take care of the occasional accumulation.

 

[Ernie]

If you can afford it

If you can afford it, it would be a good time to install a secondary bilge pump as well. I know it might seem like overkill, but trust me, my primary pump went South when the bilge transformed from ice to water then back to ice to water again. When I went to check on the boat after the Nor'Easter of last week, I had at least six inches of water over my floorboards. Fortunately I have a back-up bilge pump, but it runs only off the breaker panel (no float switch) so I was able to remove the water in order to install a new primary pump. I'm also putting in a float switch for the back up pump.