Bilge Pump Size

[BigTerp]

I'm in the market for a bilge pump. Getting to the point in my build where I'll soon be installing accessories. Also getting to the point in my build where my budget is getting tight. So I'm questioning what size bilge pump I should be getting for a 1648 with 50/35 jet motor? A 500 gph pump is obviously cheaper than an 1100 gph pump. Would I be selling myself short going with a 500 gph?

 

[PSG-1]

A 500 will be fine if you're not using the boat in areas of large open water, the ocean, or where there is heavy boat traffic with large wakes.

Given the areas I operate in, my Triton 1650 has an 1100 GPH.

But that's nothing compared to my Duracraft jetboat. In that boat, have FOUR BILGE PUMPS...consisting of an 1100 GPH with electronic float switch, and an 800 GPH with a manual switch at the console, and then a siphon-fed pump that's hooked to the jet pump...and that's just in my engine compartment! On the deck, I have another 500 GPH automatic pump.

Overkill, perhaps, but when you get swamped a couple of times by an @$$hole in a parasailing boat throwing a 3 foot wake, you quickly realize that the water can't get pumped off the deck quick enough!

 

[Ranchero50]

Yeah, a 500 but get a float switch as well. When you really need the pump you're going to be busy getting out of the nasties and might not realize you are sinking.

You've seen my plastic worms video right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7pr20KSEfM
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7pr20KSEfM[/youtube]

 

[BigTerp]

Thanks!! I'll be using my boat on the upper potomac river here in Maryland. Mostly rather skinny water and at the most 175 yards from shore to shore. Now I do have access to an area above a dam where there are alot of jet skiers, tubers and skiers where we may hang out a bit in the summer time. But that part of the river is maybe 200 yards from shore to shore. So if I spring a leak bad enough that a 500 gph bilge pump can't keep up with, the shoreline will be close enough for a quick beaching. At least thats my thinking.

 

[BigTerp]

Ranchero50 » 3 minutes ago[/url]"]Yeah, a 500 but get a float switch as well. When you really need the pump you're going to be busy getting out of the nasties and might not realize you are sinking.

You've seen my plastic worms video right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7pr20KSEfM
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7pr20KSEfM[/youtube]

Thanks Jamie. Good thinking in the video!! When you go back down river and pass the culvert, my river access is right across from the second island on the West Virginia side. About 400 yards or so above the tressels.

 

[marshman]

i dont know jet boats but i used to run what we call a jump boat down here in south loiuisiana...

they are made to abuse...and lets just say i wasnt scared to put it anywhere... there are tons of spots in the atchafalaya basin that are barely accessible, inaccessible to any normal boat....

ive gotten hung up on logs and if/when that back corner dips and started to take on water, i was sure glad i was running dual 1100's.(my boat had a tunnel, so a pump on each side of tunnel)...i would have swamped with water and never gotten off that log...

that may be excessive for your purposes but my point being, if i take on water, i want it out as fast as possible...


with jet boat, i have a big picture of you running rocks...if you poke a hole in it, will a 500 get the water out enough to get you to safety?? id go bigger...

this little boat im building now, im skipping the 500 and going with a 750... i dont plan on taking on water, but........

 

[marshman]

those float switches scare me...

 

[Ranchero50]

marshman » 3 minutes ago[/url]"]those float switches scare me...

Put a big red light on your console that's tied into the switch. I have switch on my console for the pump but it's only a momentary. All I have (yet) to do is wire a light to the switched side of that switch to 'monitor' the float switch.

Terp, when we walloped that rock water was coming over the floorboards when I went for the island. It was maybe 50 yards away and I beached it at an angle so the kid and I could shove a rock under the leaking corner. As long as the water in the boat was higher than the river it drained out and as the hull drained we just shoved the rock further under the boat. Eventually the hull was 2" out of the water when we shoved the worms in the holes and beat them shut.

My floor is notched out for the console so I can see if we are taking on more than normal.

 

[PSG-1]

marshman » Today, 16:06[/url]"]i dont know jet boats but i used to run what we call a jump boat down here in south loiuisiana...

they are made to abuse...and lets just say i wasnt scared to put it anywhere... there are tons of spots in the atchafalaya basin that are barely accessible, inaccessible to any normal boat....

ive gotten hung up on logs and if/when that back corner dips and started to take on water, i was sure glad i was running dual 1100's.(my boat had a tunnel, so a pump on each side of tunnel)...i would have swamped with water and never gotten off that log...

that may be excessive for your purposes but my point being, if i take on water, i want it out as fast as possible...


with jet boat, i have a big picture of you running rocks...if you poke a hole in it, will a 500 get the water out enough to get you to safety?? id go bigger...

this little boat im building now, im skipping the 500 and going with a 750... i dont plan on taking on water, but........

My thoughts exactly. I don't run in areas where there are rocks to punch holes in my boat, but I operate in the inlet, the ocean, and other areas where being swamped by waves or boat wakes is a possibility. Like you, if I'm taking on water, I want it out as quick as possible. Nearly every distressed or missing boater call in my area over the last few years has begun with the boat taking on water.

 

[PSG-1]

marshman » Today, 16:08[/url]"]those float switches scare me...

Typical Rule float switches with the floating toggle can be problematic, as the slightest amount of trash can jam them where they either don't activate and the boat fills with water.....or, they jam in the on position and kill the battery, then, the next time it rains, the battery is dead and the boat sinks. I have one of those POS's in my Triton, and I have to constantly monitor it to make sure no grass, trash, or other debris is obstructing its movement.

The float switch in my jetboat is a sealed electronic type, with 2 contact points. When the water hits the upper point, it turns on, and runs until the water reaches the lower point. It works perfectly.

They used to sell these at West Marine, but discontinued them. My guess is because they worked TOO well, and they weren't able to sell enough batteries to replace ones that were drained by POS float switches killing batteries. :LOL2:

 

[marshman]

im even thinking about rigging 2 in this boat...1 on each battery... the 1 on my trolling battery to be nothing but a back up....maybe overkill on a 14 foot boat, but im ok with it...

 

[PSG-1]

It's funny that we're discussing bilge pumps. Just a couple hours ago, our area got slammed with some afternoon showers, dumping 5 gallon buckets. My road is underwater, but my boat was nice and dry!

 

[catmansteve]

I'm going to have a 500 gph hooked up to a float switch on the deep cell battery, and a 800 gph hooked to the starting battery with an "oh ****" switch right next to the throttle control

 

[marshman]

catmansteve » 02 Aug 2013, 18:28[/url]"]I'm going to have a 500 gph hooked up to a float switch on the deep cell battery, and a 800 gph hooked to the starting battery with an "oh ****" switch right next to the throttle control

i think thats similar to what im gonna do...ill have my regular pump that ill use all the time (750 or 800) hooked iin with the rest of my stuff to my house battery.... but then ill have a emergency backup with an oh $$$$ switch coming off my trolling motor battery(only to be used in emergency)...just to have separate power sources, switching, and wiring....