Midship Bilge Pump Idea

[fav321]

Ok, so as everyone knows with Tige boats, the bilge water sits about midpoint of the hull renedering the bilge pump at the back essentially useless.

After removing the floor to expose the gas tank it appears that the gas tank has a couple of access holes in it, and the deepest point of the bilge water is underneath the forward access hole (see attached photo).

The hole is 3" in diameter and about 8" deep.

I would like to install a bilge pump inside that forward access hole. This would really help emptying the boat when it takes on rain water in the driveway as well.

Does anyone know where a narrow bilge pump, or perhaps a bilge pump that pumps out the top directly could be purchased? All of the standard pumps like Attwood and Rule are too wide when you attach fittings to the output side of the pump.

[rushin]

This is a great idea. I have thought about this many of times. Just have not done it. I don't remember my tank having the access holes in though.

[dom w. forte]

We add center drains behind the v box, so when out of the water it drains out .

[IDBoating]

I believe the actual lowest point of the hull is just behind the tank, not under it. Obviously this could vary depending upon how high your trailer jack is cranked.

[fav321]

You may be right about the low point being behind the tank, but that forward access hole is very close to the low point, and there is no access behind the tank. I guess removing the tank may be an option but would be a huge pita if the pump failed and you needed to replace it.

There appears to be about 1 1/4" clearance underneath the tank, so a second option could be to use an impeller style pump and just run a hose under the tank to the high water point. The downside to the impeller style pump is that they are expensive ($200+), and they can't be run dry. They are more suited to pumping water from the lake into the boat for ballast because the water supply is unlimited.

A third and most crude option would be to have a round access door in your floor directly above the access hole in the gas tank and you can shop vac the water out haha. Still quite a bit more convenient that towing with truck to try and find a steep hill in the Canadian prairies.

If anyone finds a mini bilge pump, or a top ejecting pump with a diameter of less than 3", please post a link.

[IDBoating]

If anyone finds a mini bilge pump, or a top ejecting pump with a diameter of less than 3", please post a link.

The lowest profile and lowest water level bilge pumps I know of are from Whale:

Whale Pumps

This one has a nice vertical port for the hose (would eject nicely through your fuel tank hole) but I don't know if it's low profile enough to fit under the tank. I am strongly considering one for the space just in front of my v-drive, which if it isn't the actual low spot is darned close to it. I base this comment on the fact that when I shopvac my bilge, that's where the residual water flows. Come back in a few minutes and there's another few millimeters of water that can be vacuumed out. This cycle can be repeated quite a few times, and every time the water flows from fore and aft to that spot.

[fav321]

The specs on the whale pump say 2 1/8" height, I think that may be too tall to slide under the gas tank. Unfortunately I didn't do an accurate measurement before I put the boat away for the winter.
Next time I'm near the storage facility I'm gonna give it an accurate measure.
It would be nice if it could slide under, then you could for sure get it to the low point of the hull.
Now we just need an on/off/on 3 position bilge toggle switch for the dash to replace the existing on/off switch.

[IDBoating]

Now we just need an on/off/on 3 position bilge toggle switch for the dash to replace the existing on/off switch.

I would just wire it in parallel to the existing pump. Let them both have their auto modes, plus your ability to switch them both on with the existing dash switch. Centrifugal pumps (which these are) don't draw nearly as much current as do impeller pumps, so the switch will easily handle the extra current. You should fuse them independently, though, with inline fuse holders downstream of the switch.