Inexpensive bilge pump options?

Jeff Reardon

Jeff Reardon

Well-known member
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I can keep my sculler on a haul out right in the middle of my hunting grounds, but it's a half hour drive from home. In the past, my host has always been around most of the season and would bail my boat for me if we had a big rain event. He's going to be gone much of this season, and I have some work travel planned, too.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a small battery-powered auto bilge pump system to provide some margin of safety? I hate to pull the boat everytime I'll be away for a few days.

My boat has no battery, but I wouldn't be opposed adding a small marine battery that I could recharge periodically.

I see some D-cell powered options on various websites, but it looks like those would not work automatically.
 
Pick up a cheap auto bilge pump and hook it up to a jump pack. They don't draw that much, it should last a few days if not a lot more. Just make sure to cover the jump pack. If you do put a battery in you can probably get a small PWC or motorcycle battery to do the same cheap from a local store.
 
If your host has 120V power nearby, an inexpensive automatic pool cover pump would be a simple alternative.

A rule 1100 automatic pump, the battery out of your lawn mower and a small solar panel may get the job done. If you don't want to go the solar panel route, you could get two inexpensive batteries and rotate them between trips, charging them at home.

A good cockpit cover to keep the majority of the rain out may slow or eliminate the accumulation of water as well.
 
Jeff~

Howabout a cockpit cover? I sew mine from Sunbrella (on a home sewing machine) and put brass grommets around the edges. I lash it to my thatch rails with parachute cord (slipped square knots). My pushpole serves as the ridge pole.

All the best,

SJS
 
Cockpit cover is the right answer, but not one I can have in place before this sea
Just put a piece of wood over it or if you want to get fancy,


Get a piece of plywood cockpit sized. Rip down the middle. Drill a half dozen matching holes along edge. Cable tie together to make a ling hinge so the cover can be roof shaped adn shed water. Duct tape hinge with a couple layers. secure to float with rope or bungees.
Click to expand...
 
Hey Jeff I just put a 12volt battery in my sneak boat and I hooked up a 600gph bilge pump with a 10.00 solar panel works a1.
 
The cover is the answer.
I have seen dozens of boats sunk at the dock because the bilge switch stuck closed, open and ran down the battery the holes of the water intake were clogged ect.
The cover is the answer a bilge would be the backup.
 
I ran a 750 gph automatic pump for years off an ATV battery. Small and effective.

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