Bilge Pump

[Violet]

I've got an Explorer 2000. She's about 5 metres in length and has the well at the stern which over a trip will fill up, naturally. Once I stick her on the trailer, I pull the plug and she drains. If too much water gets in during a trip I have a home made baler to get rid of some of the water.

However, from 1st April I will have her on a permanent mooring and would like to fit a bilge pump. Can anybody recommed the best type for this type of boat, and where the best place to buy it is ?

Thanks in advance

[freddy]

I've always used Rule Bilge pumps as they are keenly priced (especially in USA) so i can buy more than one and have spares. The smaller ones are about £17.00 and i have used them with diesel pumping and they still work. However for a permanent fixture in the boat i used a 500 gpm rule auto pump with the inbuilt float switch and then wired up to be permanently live.(a three way switch). This takes care of any rainwater problems out on a mooring. They seem to be about the same price everywhere i look . Try Ebay. I paid about £50 for the 500 model.

My concern in your case is that you know you have a leak but plan to leave the boat out on the water. That may be asking for trouble if the battery or pump fail (or gets blocked) and you are not able to get to the boat it may be risking it!
Unless the bung is leaking which is an easy fix i would humbly suggest you repair the leak as putting a boat in the water with a known leak is simply asking for trouble.

[Violet]

I've always used Rule Bilge pumps as they are keenly priced (especially in USA) so i can buy more than one and have spares. The smaller ones are about £17.00 and i have used them with diesel pumping and they still work. However for a permanent fixture in the boat i used a 500 gpm rule auto pump with the inbuilt float switch and then wired up to be permanently live.(a three way switch). This takes care of any rainwater problems out on a mooring. They seem to be about the same price everywhere i look . Try Ebay. I paid about £50 for the 500 model.

My concern in your case is that you know you have a leak but plan to leave the boat out on the water. That may be asking for trouble if the battery or pump fail (or gets blocked) and you are not able to get to the boat it may be risking it!
Unless the bung is leaking which is an easy fix i would humbly suggest you repair the leak as putting a boat in the water with a known leak is simply asking for trouble.


Freddy - I hope that I don't have a leak ! Isn't it normal for the well at the stern to fill up gradually during a trip out ? It never gets so full that it slops all over the deck.

[freddy]

Sorry maybe i was not understanding. You have a seperate well out the back which is seaside of the transom?? so no water is actually leaking into the bilge of the boat?? If there is only one bung i assumed that would drain all the inside of the boat but someone else will know more than me on this.
If its just slopping over the back when at sea then probably not a problem.

[Naughtydorf18]

Rule pumps work for me and Attwood is something worth looking at try www.basspro.com or www.boatersworld.com

[taff2]

hi do not bye a combind float switch and pump i had one on my boat last year bad bad weather float stuck boat sunk so bye seperate ones and put a solar pannel in to keep the battery top up an a fitted cover

[Steve1972]

you might want to consider a trailing/mooring cover. at least then 99% of water won't actually get into the boat.
on the early explorer's there is a sump approx 18" x 14".
if your taking enough water to fill that on a trip, i would to see if you have damage some where on the hull. it is a very dry boat unless its raining.

[Violet]

you might want to consider a trailing/mooring cover. at least then 99% of water won't actually get into the boat.
on the early explorer's there is a sump approx 18" x 14".
if your taking enough water to fill that on a trip, i would to see if you have damage some where on the hull. it is a very dry boat unless its raining.


Your comment does concern me a bit Steve. The boat is always trailered and I have checked the hull - there is no damage whatsoever. It's in very good nick with not even any marks. However, the sump does tend to fill up on say a four or five hour trip out. This may just be spray and some water coming over the sides in choppy water. It's done it ever since I've had the boat and thought that it was normal !

[SeaMouse]

Warrior 165 is near as dammit the same thing in terms of ride and spray. In five years I've only managed to overflow the bilge once, and that was beam-on across a force 6 when every wave we hit got vapourised and thrown over the port side (and my less-than-happy crewman :kissing: ). Unless you have a tiny bilge or a love of wave-hopping I'd suggest maybe there's a leak past the bung??

Steve

[Steve1972]

it is possible there is a leak on the seal on your drain plug out of the plug. ie, the silicone may not be there. i would firstly check the little things like that. if the drain plug is tightened to much, it can all squeez out...

[Violet]

Steve and Steve - thanks for your help guys. I will check the seal.

p.s. a bit of wavehopping never did anyone any harm !

[Dave.S]

Violet

Just a thought, do you have a keel band fitted?

On nearly every boat I have know that has one, it leaks! :unsure:

Also do you have another bilge plug inside the sump area?

If so have you drained this water, if any in the keel. Alternatively if you do not have a bung but there is a hole that could be where the water is comming from.

Just a thought. :idea:

Dave S
:lock:

[Violet]

Thanks Dave

She's due to go in the water in three weeks. I will check the plug first and fit a new seal and if that doesn't work then I'll take her out of the water again. There is no other plug but there is a band on the keel - thanks for the tip