Emergency bilge pump

Greetings,
As well as the requisite wooden plugs, we keep a 5'X7' tarp which we "can" (maybe) deploy from the outside, held with ropes at the corners going around and under the hull to "cover" a large hole. This is the theory in any case. Good luck getting it to work BUT, the thought is there.

The biggest joke is a manual bilge pump. Try filling your dinghy up with the dock hose while you are having lunch. Then after lunch, manually pump it out. There is a defibrillator on your dock, right?

The idea of a high capacity sump pump, I believe, is the way to go. I would not use a "plug in" cord. I suggest using a well pump wiring configuration to keep the wire dry. At our place we have a "below ground" well house. From time to time, ground water rises to the point that it threatens the pressure switch & wiring. To counter this, I wired in a 11/2 inch 400 gpm 110ac sump pump. Works great.

TONTOROSS said:

The idea of a high capacity sump pump, I believe, is the way to go. I would not use a "plug in" cord. I suggest using a well pump wiring configuration to keep the wire dry. At our place we have a "below ground" well house. From time to time, ground water rises to the point that it threatens the pressure switch & wiring. To counter this, I wired in a 11/2 inch 400 gpm 110ac sump pump. Works great.

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Think you have something wrong. 400 gpm looks to be 4" discharge and at least 230 volt.

Ted

Assuming your vessel has the bilge divided up with bulkheads, the pacer pump is only good for the compartment where the suction strainer is.
Will the pump (or its power supply) go underwater before it can be placed in service?

High Wire said:

Assuming your vessel has the bilge divided up with bulkheads, the pacer pump is only good for the compartment where the suction strainer is.
Will the pump (or its power supply) go underwater before it can be placed in service?

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All compartments drain to the aft bilge. The pump will be at the same level as the generator. As soon as the high(er) water alarm sounds it will be engaged.

I second using a FastFlow engine powered pump.

If you can keep the engine output shaft turning, you have a far better bilge pump than any electric pump. the neat thing about that way is that it is ALWAYS spinning when the engine is running, so any water hits the blades gets blown out.

If you put it on the prop shaft, it will pump water even if you're backing down.

Also, they make models that are split and can be installed without hauling the boat or changing the drive shafts, it simply clamps around your shaft, and the pump housing is split as well.

Nothing to turn on, crank up or winterize on those pumps.

Stu

On my lit of projects is to re place the manual "gulper" and put in some electric Dc or Ac
unit.
I wonder what percentage of pleasure boats sink traveling out on the water Vs at anchor or the pier

the majority of pleasure boats sink at the dock, and the most common culprit is shore water and plumbing leaks... Always remember to either shut off the spigot or remove the hose to your boat when leaving it for any reasonable duration.
Stu

Steve said:

On my lit of projects is to re place the manual "gulper" and put in some electric Dc or Ac
unit.
I wonder what percentage of pleasure boats sink traveling out on the water Vs at anchor or the pier

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from my experience...

....that pure stat won't mean much.

the same failure while underway may not sink you because someone is monitoring the situation where it may sink you at the dock...or vice versa.

I have been on many cases where the boat is sinking ...then stops sinking. Why? Because the seas or engine was filling the boat and when the engine quits...both the sea and/or the engine stops filling the boat.

Same with ruptured fresh water tanks....they normally won't sink a boat unless it changes the trim somehow and allows progressive flooding. A must to understand when it comes to flooding emergencies.

Flat out...most sink at the dock...but if all things equal and they were underway to make it a 50/50 stat....the reasons may change significantly.

Plus you have the "almost" sunk.....not sure how you would get that and how it may help answer your question.

OC - your right. I found the pump I use in the well on the internet. It is a Wayne 60gpm pump. The riser is ridged 1 1/2", 7ft. Then there is 75' of fire hose. The volume of water the pump pushes at the end of the hose, is such, that the hose is fully round. As for my previous post, I have no idea where that came from. I apologize. Thanks, Tonto.

One of the advantages of using the engine intake as a emergency bilge pump is that the same system can be your fresh water flush system. There is nothing a salt water engine likes better after use than a nice fresh water flush. Two birds with one stone.

N4712 said:

All compartments drain to the aft bilge. The pump will be at the same level as the generator. As soon as the high(er) water alarm sounds it will be engaged.

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What switches it on? A DC - AC relay?

The hassles with using the engine sea water pump are at least 2,

Its pretty small and doesnt usually move much water , esp compared to a dedicated engine pump, a 2 inch Jabsco engine driven is 100+ real gallons per min.

The other hassle is in a real flooding situation lots of trash will be washing in the bilge water , and many sea strainers are nor easy to clean, esp if partially flooded.

The big diaphram pumps like a 2 inch Edson will gobble reash with ease , can be hand , electric or hyd powered.

http://www.pumpbiz.com/shopping_product_detail.asp?pid=73739



What about something like this? 20 lbs. Not too bulky to store. Propane so you know it will start.

cardude01 said:

http://www.pumpbiz.com/shopping_product_detail.asp?pid=73739

View attachment 37071

What about something like this? 20 lbs. Not too bulky to store. Propane so you know it will start.

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Nah, don't want to have to go scrambling to get propane tank and the pump, also it probably couldn't pump near 280gpm. From the looks of it.

Edit: just looked at the specs it pumps 30GPM, no thanks. Like PS said its just a propane rule pump.

It's just the little brother of bigger Honda trash pumps....

I wouldn't bother with the propane either.

Quick disconnect for the gas tank that can be stored above decks and a 3 inch pump will blow your mind on how much water it can move...

If you don't run a big genset all the time....something like what cardude posted or its bigger brothers is basically it with the Rule 8000 a distant second. Maybe some submersibles off a big inverter...but I wouldn't do it that way.

psneeld said:

It's just the little brother of bigger Honda trash pumps....

I wouldn't bother with the propane either.

Quick disconnect for the gas tank that can be stored above decks and a 3 inch pump will blow your mind on how much water it can move...

If you don't run a big genset all the time....something like what cardude posted or its bigger brothers is basically it with the Rule 8000 a distant second. Maybe some submersibles off a big inverter...but I wouldn't do it that way.

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We run our generator quite often, actually almost always. So that's not a biggy.

Capt.Bill11 said:

What switches it on? A DC - AC relay?

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I'm not quite sure, I was just going to put it on a isolated breaker.

N4712 said:

I'm not quite sure, I was just going to put it on a isolated breaker.

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You said it would come on when the high water alarm goes off. That implied it would come on automatically. Since you don't want AC current current running around your wet bilge to a float switch I was just wondering how you intended to trigger the pump.

Capt.Bill11 said:

You said it would come on when the high water alarm goes off. That implied it would come on automatically. Since you don't want AC current current running around your wet bilge to a float switch I was just wondering how you intended to trigger the pump.

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Oh didn't mean to trigger the pump, just a higher then average float switch in the bilge to let me know there is a good amount of water in the bilge and i should turn the pump on. Still exploring the possibilities, what do you think would be best?

I have a very high volume dedicated emergency bilge pump on my boat and have actually used it once. I had a leak related to changing a seawater pump and when I got back to the boat (after a trip of several hours (to town)) the bilge water was up to my engine mounts. Didn't need the high volume of course but my emotional state did. Was reassuring to see that water level go down fast.

FF, you make two good points. The pumps on smaller engines might not be worth the trouble. My engine has an 1-1/4" pump that I think will move about 1000 GPM. It's not a lot but it's enough for me to go to the trouble of rigging it.


I was once on a forty something sportfish that was sinking. It had two big engines with 2" pumps on them. The seacocks were easy to get to. I was thinking about cutting the hoses off the seacocks if the Coasties hadn't arrived with their 3" gasoline pump.


Debris is going to be a problem with any pump. On my set up there is a strainer down in the bilge and then the water goes through the sea strainer.


The engine cooling pump will only be used if the three electric pumps can't keep up with the water.


If I had room, I'd install a big belt driven pump or carry a propane powered pump.
If I had a generator, I'd do what Oliver is doing. I'd look into putting a float switch on the high voltage pump. Maybe use a low voltage float switch and a relay.

An inch and a quarter pump 1 1/4 that moves 1000GPM?

Thats a heck of a pump since a 2 inch impeller clutched Jabso is only 100GPM.

Perhaps you mean 1000 G P HOUR?

I hope the strum box (the first strainer) is on an easy to find rope so it can easily be lifted to clear it with out diving .

Trash is far less of a problem with a huge diaphram pump than an impeller unit.

The big boys use a centrifugal but with 6 or more inches of pump,it takes its own diesel.

GPM, Lift, HP KW, Amps

Moving water is a function of work. The work can be converted to horsepower. One HP = 746 Watts. Knowing the voltage on the system you can calculate the Amps. Watts= Volts X Amps. 746watts/12volts=62.16amps.
If your running you emergency pump on batteries you will need the capacity to support it.

Ff, I have a magic 1-1/4" pump! You're right, I meant GPH. I won't need to dive to the strum box unless the boat has already sunk. My boat isn't that big.

I'd love to have a huge diaphragm pump but I don't have room for one. I already have the pump on my engine. Seems silly not to be able to use it in an emergency.

N4712 said:

Oh didn't mean to trigger the pump, just a higher then average float switch in the bilge to let me know there is a good amount of water in the bilge and i should turn the pump on. Still exploring the possibilities, what do you think would be best?

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Personally I would want it to come on automatically (with a locking manual over ride) so it would come on whether anyone was aboard or not.

Automatic is good ,,, IF it can run dry for a week and not catch fire.

O Toole said Murphy was an Optimist!

Stuff happens,

All well and good to have spare pumping onboard. But, when cruising and without relying upon cameras, how often do you:

• Check the ER for untold things like water appearing where once there was none?
• Look at all bilge pump areas for things wet?
• Examine your rudder posts, shaft logs and stabilizer through hull locations?

Other questions to internalize and debate:

• Do you carry a life raft?
• Do you leave your dock based water hose connected and under pressure when vessel at the dock?
• Are your through hulls readily available and closed when you are not on the vessel?
• Can you swim?
• Do you cruise with both charts and plotters in use?
• Are you a proponent of single hand cruising especially at night with vessel on AP and skipper asleep?
• A really easy way to use your engines and gensets to get rid of hull breach water is to take off the strainer caps, with engines running and seacocks flooded and closed of course. Love those twins and gensets - more emergency pumps!

BTW, my favorite kind of emergency pump is a high flow rate electric sump design that has a long discharge hose and power cord that allows it to be used in places other than the ER.

And last but not least, stay away from cruise ships if you are really concerned about dangers afloat.

FF said:

Automatic is good ,,, IF it can run dry for a week and not catch fire.

O Toole said Murphy was an Optimist!

Stuff happens,

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It would only come on if there is water present so running dry would not be an issue. And you would obviously have an high water alarm as well. And if you get slightly high tech you could get a call or text to alert you and/or others as to the issue.