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View Full Version : Bilge pump/s, 1 or 2 for a sealed floor



dreemon
08-09-2009, 06:59 PM
Hi everyone,

I need your advise on placement on bilge pumps and do I need 2 for seperate areas, bilge area and deck, it's a sealed deck ( or it will be when I repair a bit of the floor area near the front) , this boat has never had a pump on it and I have only had it for a few months.

Been wondering where to place the pump/s and did some searches but not enough info found, at the rear I have the portabale tanks and there is an indent in the centre that drops down for a tank so this is the lowest point of the deck,

is it ok to put a pump there near fuel?

the other is to put one under the floor with an inspection hatch, not sure how close I can get it to the lowest part of the hull as it gets tight under the indent I think, so would have to put it foward,.

I only want to put one under the floor because last weekend I fit a battery box at the rear and drilled through the floor, cavity, and hull :-[ but didn't know it till later in the day when the boats bow came up higher when getting to plane and was slower, at the ramp pulled the bottom bung and 15-20 litres pissed out, ::) told the story of the battery screw to someone else and he told me a bloke screwed the box into the trailer skid and found out at the ramp when it wouldn't roll off, so I don't feel too bad,........... but mine was sinking slow but fast for such a TINY hole 2 mm max,

the other idea is to have one under the floor and have a screened box and have the lower bilge area pump out everything. . . .

Thanks for your help , Cheers

lethal098
09-09-2009, 06:59 AM
hi, i would put 2 under the floor, i have just done this and at least it 1 goes down the other can still be used, i have an access hatch but it is a pin to get in there. cheers Lee

Noelm
09-09-2009, 11:16 AM
I guess the short answer is, you cannot have too many, but you just need to sort of think what could go wrong that might cause disaster, and how can it be prevented/contained/slowed down, like say a wave over the side might dump a lot of water on the floor, but in an emergency a bucket could take care of it, but a hole/crack under the floor, and nothing short of an under floor pump will save you, but what if it is all sealed up and nice, and the pump buggers up? I would be putting an inspection port somewhere for maintenance/replacement.

dreemon
09-09-2009, 05:19 PM
Thanks guys,
I did buy an inspection hatch today 150mm round and think the 2 pumps like you both said but have one in a shallow plastic tray that I can use to drain the deck with,

if I fit a bung to the low point of the deck , a hose into the low plastic tray in the bilge with a pump in it I can drain the deck when I need and pump it out , and can still have the sealed deck,

foam will be next and cram it under the gunnels etc,

Cheers