Sinking Boat

[stevek185]

So - hanging out at Peanut Island Sunday when a 17' something or other comes flying in really low in the water. Ran up on the beach as far as she could. Turns out that the boat had a leak (owner knew about it) and the bilge pump wasn't working. Myself and a few other guys assisted in trimming the motor down to the sand (so it wouldn't go under) as he had trimmed it up all the way trying to beach. We then lifted the bow up to get most of the water out. The owner pulled his keg to the beach and decided to stay. I guess there wasn't much else he could do.

Questions - have you or would you ever risk running a boat without testing your bilge pump?

Do you test your bilge pumps prior to getting under way?

Would you run a boat with a slow leak with a working bilge pump?

[Throwinwood]

#1 Ihave

#2 I will now

#3 in a lake if i also had a bucket with me

[cataholic]

#1 Yep

#2 Not everytime

#3 Depends on where I'm going and how fast the leak is.

[renagade69]

I have driven boats without testing the pumps.I guess it is not a wise decision in most cases.

[welder]

I don't have a Bilge pump.

[one4water]

No, sort of. I test them when I clean the boat most times. My anchor locker drains to the bildge on one side so when I hose down the line I normally will add water to make sure the pump kicks in. The other hull gets the same treament. Also when I do a real good overall cleaning, about every other week, I wash down the lower compartments and storage areas which will drain to the bilge. I also have manual on buttons so I can check the pumps themselves. So far that is the only time the bildges have seen water. They are dry every time I check them. Knock on wood.

I have tested them before running out but usually that is either when I have to clean it up before heading out or when giving it a real good cleaning and getting mildew out. I will hose it all down real well so the pumps come on then once I am running it gets the rest of the water out when it all runs aft to the pumps.

If I knew of a leak no matter how small, she would not leave the dock until it was fixed. Small leaks can turn into big ones fast and never where it is convenient. Working pumps can fail just as fast. Fortunatly I have no through hulls below the water line to leak and the drain plugs have never cause me any issues. I would think that if I was leaking at the dock it was because I have a hole in a hull and then its time to haul out.

Any problem the boat would have that affects floating, running or steering will keep me tied to the dock until fixed. I have no desire to use my Sea Tow benefits and I am a little rusty on my Mayday voice.

[Sandy]

I always check to see that the pump turns on automatically briefly as water runs to the stern just before 1st planing (I can see the flow from the tower), then turn the pumps on manually to confirm that sw works as well and remove the most bilge water they can get out.

[FishingAddictFla]

Pre-trip inspection...nuff said

[snakebite13]

Pre-trip inspection...nuff said

[Pastorbob]

I had an intake hose on an inboard come off pumping water into the engine compartment, a small hose was laying on top of the bilge pump float switch keeping it from coming on. The other one in the engine compartment didn't work for some reason, finally the one near the middle of the boat came on. One out of three worked. All three now work but I also added a water intrusion alarm. If I'm in the slop and the boat is rocking pretty good the alarm will come on for a second or two as the small amount of water in the bilge is tossed around. Actually, I want to hear it in those condition because that lets me know it is working. If the alarm seems to be coming on a lot and we are being tossed around to much to go check I can turn the pumps on manually from the helm just to make sure.