Bilge pumps?

[IRMC000]

BCF have like a zillion bilge pumps
I have a small tinnie

Thoughts on the following please:
How many small tinnies have bilge pumps - is it worth haveing one?
What about these bilge pumps that can double as a bait pump?
Thanks
R

[kind_cir]

Looking at taking me 3.4m tinny over the Caloundra bar when it is fairliy flat, so I can fish the close reefs. I would like to fit a pump so if all goes pear shape and I take another boats wash over the side, I will have a fighting chance. Sticking to the rivers and creeks I would not bother.

[TheRealAndy]

Saturday night I went to mud with 2 other boats. One of them (a 4metre tinnie runabout) sprung a leak. He had no bilge pump. I honestly think that anyboat that is heading more that a few 10's of meters off shore should have a bilge pump. Mad if you dont.

[plaztix]

Absolutely worth having one.

You may never need it but when/if you do, it could be the most important bit of equipment on your boat. Cheap ones are under $20 and if it saves you once, well........

You can use most bilge pumps as a pump to recirculate water through your live bait tank. Just throw it over the side and run the outlet hose (that would normally run out of the boat) into the tank.

The easiest way to run one (if you want to keep it simple) is just whack a set of aligator clips on the power leads. When needed, just connect these to the battery. Its obviously a better idea to connect it more permanently to a switch so that if you do take on water in an emergency you can just throw the switch.

[tigermullet]

I wouldn't go on the water without a bilge pump in my 12ft tinny. It's used only as a tender but the bilge pump has proved its worth time and time again.

Before fitting one with a float switch the tinny was almost lost on a wild night with very heavy rain. Floating out the back, it filled with rainwater and almost slipped under the waves. Not that much would have happened but some gear would have been lost and the little outboard would have been all soggy.

Besides, it would be so embarrassing to be swamped by a large gin palace and be left bailing in their wake. With a bilge pump you get to give them the finger and carry on regardless.;D

[IRMC000]

I certainly like the attitude expressed here sometimes