AutoBildge Pump - Suggestions??

[TrepMan]

Next Thurs/Fri i'll have my boat up at a friends on Lanier and will be keeping it overnight tied to his dock. I want to put an auto bildge pump/switch in so if it rains heavy or something happens I won't sink the boat.



Any suggestion on brand/kind? Its for a 2000 Pro Crappie 175, if anyone has put on in already let me know.



I believe you can either A) attach a float switch to your existing bildge or replace with a one piece unit? I looked at Sports Authority yesterday and they only had one combo unit, was $35. Don't know if that was a good deal or good pump.



Let me hear your suggestions - Thanks!

 

[Texas Transplant]

I've been thinking about putting one in, since I have a drain line leak (livewell), that back's up water into my bilge.



Personally, I want the one that is an all-in-one motor. Priced them around $45.00 recently.



Tex

 

[Andrew Zuber]

Trep-

In the times that I've taken my boat to Kentucky Lake for the week during the spring, it's gotten rained on big time!

I do not have an auto bilge...

I don't think it can rain enough in a day to sink your boat...If it does, we better be building arks instead of riding in tin! LOL

I wouldn't waste time or money on it, but that's just me talking...



az

 

[Rich D]

Trep,



I have to agree with Andy. I leave my boat docked for a week when I go to Canada and have never had an issue. Use the $$ for more beer ingredients!



Rich D

 

[Michael Snow]

It happens... I've heard stories of guys sinking their boats in an hour. Between a heavy downpour and high winds, the boat was mostly submerged.



Besides, I think an auto-bilge pump is great any time. I really want to get one of the $150 jobs from Rule that turns itself on every 3 minutes, checks for water, shuts itself off. No float switch, just a sensor to see if water is being sucked up.

 

[Carl Meyer]

Hey Trep, save your money, just leave the plug out while you have it tied to the dock and all the rain has a way to get out!

(Hope you realize I was just kidding!)

-Carl

 

[TrepMan]

Carl - Yes I knew you were kidding!!! LOL



OK guys, you've convinced me to think before buying the autopump. I'll still look this weekend and see how much and hard it would be to replace it.



Does anyone have any reason NOT to put one in if I find a good deal and a pump that fits??



I'll let you know...Trep

 

[Larry Harp]

I thought about replacing mine with an automatic but didn't. I have never worried about swamping the boat with rainwater. The way Pro Team boats take on water under the gunwale when running at full speed is the reason to have an automatic. On several occasions, after a long run on a rough lake I have pulled the drain plug and been amazed at how much water drained out. I try to remember to turn on the bilge pump but don't always remember.

I would think the only downside to the automatic pump would be the possibility that it could get stuck on and drain the starting battery.



Harpo

 

[TrepMan]

Harpo - I believe the boats that have/had that problem with the under the gunwale were the first few years they made them all welded (starting in 2001), as my 2000 has not had a problem, though it may be something to do with the Pro Crappie vs. Pro Team models (thought they are they same that year except for the interior).



Good point on the draining of the starting battery if it gets stuck on. hmm...

 

[stan jones]

i had a boat that came with one and i liked it. it had a manual over ride switch to run it also. to get the last little bit out. the only horrer story i have ever heard is the float stuck open the water drained out and the pump burned up along with the boat.(probably urban legend). thanks stan

 

[Dan J.]

There use to be a continuity type switch on the market. It had two brass probes that when immersed made contact, throwing power to the bilge pump. Once drained below the contacts, the circuit is broken. I've looked and looked and can't remember who makes it. It looked like a neat little in-line positive splice, half the size of a business card, that used the existing bilge pump. One screw along the bilge wall to hold it and two scotch locks and that's it. (This switch replaces the manual setting. It has to always be on to work.) It cost around $25-$30. I'll keep looking and try to find out more. (Anyone else remember?) I don't know if there is a float type switch made that can't jam or clog, but they also work.

 

[Steve Rizza]

That would be the ticket for people like me who forget to turn the pump off just about every time I use it.

 

[Steve Rizza]

Could you plumb two into the same outflow tube,or would one just pump water back into the other?



Maybe a small check valve on each one?

 

[John Watts]

BPS just installed a float switch on my regular manual pump and wired it direct to the battery. Now it will come on automatically if needed, but I can still operate it manually from the switch.