Bilge Pumps

[Blue Stocking]

My boats have always swung at moorings in front of my house were I can see them.
Even so, I would not hear an alarm sound. I wired in a SPDT switch to shift power between alarm and spreader light for when I am off the boat. This saved my C&C Redwing one night when the ridiculously designed water pump failed on my Volvo 2002.

[nodee]

I agree with Chris. A valved Tee with a pickup line and strainer foot run off of the engine raw water intake makes an excellent backup pump. I have heard first hand accounts of boats being saved by just pullong th intake hose off of its thru hull (valve closed, of course) and running the boat to shore while pumping the bilge. Major hole, of course and last ditch emergency but effective, none the less.
Kirk

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Chief Engineer

A hose with strainer that I made up to affix to an engine "saved my and the crews bacon" on the way to Bermuda once.

You mean affixed to the engine raw water intake?

[cal40john]

I'd check how much water your engine uses before going to the trouble. I put a bucket under the exhaust of my 3GM30F and got 2 gpm at idle. Assuming the pump is linear with rpm that's 6-8 gpm at speed. Not exactly a large quantity of water. I have seen boats that seem to move a large quantity of water compared to mine, so probably more worthwhile for some engines than others.

John