A View From the Bilge

While many bilge pumps incorporate this feature in their design, many vessels are only equipped with manually switched bilge pumps. The automatic switches can be purchased separately for little cost at most marine stores and can be easily installed on a preexisting manual system.

Under normal use, you should leave your bilge pump in the automatic mode.

If the vessel is stored in the water it is very important to keep the vessel's batteries charged.

There's no substitute for regular inspections

While an automatic bilge pump can give one peace of mind, under no circumstances should one become complacent when it comes to inspecting the vessel regularly.

Power lines go down, batteries go dead, and bilge pumps quit working. A heavy rainstorm or even a small leak in your vessel can have disastrous results. Check your vessel regularly for leaks at shaft seals, fittings, etc. and rectify any problems that are found. Remember there is no substitute for regular inspections of your vessel and its systems.

Regular inspections and the periodic maintenance of your vessel are keys to making your boating experience safe and enjoyable. Since your vessel spends most if not all of its life in a fairly harsh environment, you need to devote some time to inspecting and maintaining the various vessel systems.

Get the water out

In this article, we'll discuss the most common method of removing accumulations of water from the bilge of your vessel, the electric bilge pump.

Inevitably your vessel will get an accumulation of water in the bilge, be it from the weather, small leaks, failing water tanks, etc. The electric bilge pump is one of the most efficient means of removing this accumulation of water. Electric bilge pumps come in a variety of styles and sizes. Most bilge pumps are rated by the amount of water they can move, usually expressed in gallons per hour, or GPH. You should consult your marina or a boat dealer for size and placement of bilge pumps on your vessel.

The float switch

It is important to equip your bilge pump with an automatic float switch. The float switch will allow your bilge pump to operate automatically when water in the bilge reaches a certain level.