How much water should be in the bilge of a 2014 Z3?

[LKG PH Creek]

2014 Z3. Got caught in a downpour without the cover. Next morning dryed off the seats and pulled up the carpet to dryout. Lifted the floor and noticed about 1 to 1 1/2 inches of nice clean rain water in the bilge. Turned on the bilge and heard the whine of the pump, but no water left the boat. So is it normal to have about 1" of water in the bilge of a Z3?

[Ewok]

There really shouldn't be any water in the bilge, did you remove the drain plug? Are you talking about the amount of water left if you pull the plug on flat ground?

[LKG PH Creek]

Boat is kept on a covered lift full time. Didn't even purchase a trailer. Water is still a tad cold to jump in and remove the plug. Hope to avoid doing that.....at least for another week or three. Should the bilge pump be expected to remove all the water from the bilge?

[begone]

I just pulled my plug, and I need to be on more of an incline, but sitting flat it still had some water in it from this weekend and last weeks rain. I'm going to get in the habit of pulling the plug right off the lake.

[Ewok]

It depends on where they installed the bilge pump. My boat only has 1 bilge pump located near the rudder box but that is a high point when my boat is sitting level. There might be a few inches of water in the middle of the bilge, where the lowest point of the hull actually is located. You might look into one of those 1 way drain plugs that let water exit the boat but not go back in, that way when your driving the water should run out the stern when the boat is on plane.

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/prod...y-Plug&i=71746

[jzts0214]

Once you take the boat off the lift and get moving the nose of the boat will come up and the bilge should pump it out.

[chpthril]

The hull has a low spot just forward of the V-drive and the bilge is located near the transom. So if its level on the lift or trailer, the bilge will not pick up the water unless its much deeper.

[boardman74]

The 2014 have a bilge pump in the old(rear) location and now a second right where Chpthrll is describing. Right in amongst the ballast pumps. problem is that one is an auto and it probably needs about 1 1/2 to kick on. They only will suck down so far. This is why some who store on lifts opt to put a second drain plug in that low spot.

[ragboy]

1 - 1.5 inches is nothing and hard for it to pick up. If your boat is new, I would test and make sure your auto bilge is working correctly, especially if you upgrade ballast. Best way to test is to open a full sac and let some water out and see if the bilge does eventually grab and start working. Occasionally those pumps can be DOA (rarely) or sometimes get debris in the pickups that need to be cleared. Always good to know for sure the auto bilge is working. We learned the hard way once and then started hearing the belts hitting water, that is DEF too much. The wake was really good, though! ;-)

[robert theisen]

I use a kerosene pump into a gallon jug to remove rainwater. I go in through the transmission inspection door in the center of the rear seat. Usually takes a gallon or less unless it was a long hard rain. I use bungee cords around the tower arms with chamois on deck below tower arm. Usually that will handle a short shower.

[LKG PH Creek]

Thank you all for your input. I'll test the auto bilge and look into the Kerosene pump.

[Travism]

As Ragboy said when our Z3 was brand new the auto bilge wouldn't work and had to be removed and cleaned out.

1-2" of water is normal on ours but once on plane the bilge pump will kick it out the side.