[Public-List] Automatic bilge pumps

[Mike Lehman via Public-List]

I wholeheartedly agree with Gordon on this...the water should stay outside
of the boat! Fix leaks or potential leaks by replacing hose, clamps etc.

On Mon, May 8, 2017 at 5:26 PM, Gordon Laco via Public-List <
public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:

> Hello Bill,
>
> Any automatic bilge pump should only be relied upon to evacuate minor
> leaks when you’re not aboard.  So any pump will do… I believe the 450 gal
> per hour variety is nice and small, and won’t run your battery down too
> much.
>
> I personally (well professionally too) have a prejudice against automatic
> pumps.  Here’s why.  The main thing an automatic pump will do is hide a
> problem from you.  You’ll never know your boat has developed a chronic leak
> until one day you arrive and the bilge is full and your batteries dead.
> Worse, you may be happily sailing and notice that your bilge is full, your
> battery is dead, you can’t start the engine, and because the water is up
> you can’t find which hose or whatever is causing the problem.
>
> A very powerful electric pump which might keep up with the ingress of
> water from a ¾” through hull whose hose has fallen off, will only keep up
> the fight for a relatively short time before it kills the battery.
>
> I know some insurance companies, usually non-marine specialists, think an
> automatic bilge pump is a safety item, but actually it is the opposite, in
> this writer’s opinion.
>
> You can buy a meter that will let you know if and how many times the pump
> has come on… but strangely enough most people don’t use them.
>
> Your best defense against a leak is vigilance.  Vigilance in prevention
> (good hoses, good clamping, good through hulls, a regimen that involves
> closing ball valves when you’re not using that through hull)   Your second
> defense is your manual pump.  Last and least is your electric pump.
>
> Gord
> #426 Surprise
>
>
> On 2017-05-08, 5:13 PM, "Public-List on behalf of WILLIAM NEWMAN via
> Public-List" <public-list-bounces at lists.alberg30.org on behalf of
> public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
>
>     Hello everyone,
>     I expect that the weather there has been better than here, Toronto,
> endless rain, but seems to be ending now.
>     I will appreciate any advice regarding the best auto bilge pump for
> the Alberg 30.  I purchased a Rule pump in Florida during a vacation from
> the Canadian cold. It has worked flawlessly for about 15 years. It has now
> decided to go to the bilge pump heaven so I need a replacement.  I see that
> the Rule product is still very much available.  My question is what is the
> proper gallons per hour for the Alberg 30?  I have not yet removed the old
> one from the bilge and expect the model number to be difficult to read or e
> may even be obsolete.
>     Wishing a great season to all of your members,
>     Bill NewmanGreat Lake Alberg AssociationMarion Rose, #
> 233newman423 at rogers.com
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-- 
Mike Lehman
~~~_/)_/)~~_/)~~~