Bilge Question

[cjanderson_13]

Amateur question here regarding the layout of the boat with the drain plugs (2015 242 Limited S).
Noticed last week we had some water in the ski locker, not sure if this was from the abundance of rain we had, the plug was secure (this dried up with taking the boat out all day). We also have the smallest amount (less than 1/4”) in the bottom of the engine bay around the bilge pump.
One of the rear cup holders was loose from the previous owner and the drain hose was disconnected, so the water was draining down under the fuel tank.
Anyways on to my question:
What is the layout in the hull for the bilge pump?
Im assuming everything either drains out of the boat or drains to the lowest point for the bilge to pump out? My main concern was when I turned the batteries on, the bilge did not pump out anything (heard it run for a brief second), so the water is still in the engine bay? Normal?

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Amateur question here regarding the layout of the boat with the drain plugs (2015 242 Limited S).
Noticed last week we had some water in the ski locker, not sure if this was from the abundance of rain we had, the plug was secure (this dried up with taking the boat out all day). We also have the smallest amount (less than 1/4”) in the bottom of the engine bay around the bilge pump.
One of the rear cup holders was loose from the previous owner and the drain hose was disconnected, so the water was draining down under the fuel tank.
Anyways on to my question:
What is the layout in the hull for the bilge pump?
Im assuming everything either drains out of the boat or drains to the lowest point for the bilge to pump out? My main concern was when I turned the batteries on, the bilge did not pump out anything (heard it run for a brief second), so the water is still in the engine bay? Normal?

It sounds like your bilge pump is the type that cycles for a few seconds every few minutes looking for water, that’s why you heard it run momentarily when you turned on the batteries. Special note, if you leave your boat in the water be sure and leave the batteries on so the bilge pump will run. The newer boats have a newer style bilge pump that has an internal sensor / float that looks for water and the pump is always energized from the battery even if the battery switches are off.

If water is getting into the bilge and the plug is in, there will always be some water below where the bilge pump will pump it out, even if you use the manual switch. So yes, it is normal for there to be some water still in the bilge. I believe Atwood makes a low volume bilge pump with a pick up that sits down very low and will remove almost all the water.

While I do not have your model of boat and based on what I’ve read here, your ski locker will drain into the bilge, and it is possible your anchor locker drain is also allowing water into your bilge. Read @drewkaree excellent post here

https://jetboaters.net/threads/replaced-my-anchor-locker-drain-fitting-due-to-leaks.32891/

On some boats the anchor locker and ski locker are tied together as well.

You should pull your bilge pump out and check for debris at the beginning of each season, normally there are a couple of tabs you push in to release the pump from the strainer. Put the plug in and put a hose in the engine bay to test the pump.

 

[cjanderson_13]

It sounds like your bilge pump is the type that cycles for a few seconds every few minutes looking for water, that’s why you heard it run momentarily when you turned on the batteries. Special note, if you leave your boat in the water be sure and leave the batteries on so the bilge pump will run. The newer boats have a newer style bilge pump that has an internal sensor / float that looks for water and the pump is always energized from the battery even if the battery switches are off.

If water is getting into the bilge and the plug is in, there will always be some water below where the bilge pump will pump it out, even if you use the manual switch. So yes, it is normal for there to be some water still in the bilge. I believe Atwood makes a low volume bilge pump with a pick up that sits down very low and will remove almost all the water.

While I do not have your model of boat and based on what I’ve read here, your ski locker will drain into the bilge, and it is possible your anchor locker drain is also allowing water into your bilge. Read @drewkaree excellent post here

https://jetboaters.net/threads/replaced-my-anchor-locker-drain-fitting-due-to-leaks.32891/

On some boats the anchor locker and ski locker are tied together as well.

You should pull your bilge pump out and check for debris at the beginning of each season, normally there are a couple of tabs you push in to release the pump from the strainer. Put the plug in and put a hose in the engine bay to test the pump.

Awesome. Thank you!!!

 

[zipper]

There should be 3 bays in your engine compartment. The forward two will have plugs in them to allow water to drain to the real bilge below. The third bay, most aft, will have a hole in the floor to the bilge below with the bilge pump placed directly over the hole. Water in the bilge can flow from the ski locker drain back to the hole under the bilge pump under the fuel tank. To get the bilge pump to get as much water out as it can you need to pitch the bow up. Normally done on the trailer, but also can be done while on the water. Accelerate the boat to a position just before you get on plane, when the bow is highest and keep it at that position. Make sure the bilge pump is on and watch the water being expelled out the starboard side when the bow is at its highest.

 

[cjanderson_13]

There should be 3 bays in your engine compartment. The forward two will have plugs in them to allow water to drain to the real bilge below. The third bay, most aft, will have a hole in the floor to the bilge below with the bilge pump placed directly over the hole. Water in the bilge can flow from the ski locker drain back to the hole under the bilge pump under the fuel tank. To get the bilge pump to get as much water out as it can you need to pitch the bow up. Normally done on the trailer, but also can be done while on the water. Accelerate the boat to a position just before you get on plane, when the bow is highest and keep it at that position. Make sure the bilge pump is on and watch the water being expelled out the starboard side when the bow is at its highest.

Perfect. Thank you for the advice!!

 

[tdonoughue]

Also note that the 'bottom' bilge is about 6-12 inches below the floor you see in the engine compartment. That hole @zipper references connects the two. But what that also means is that even when just getting onto plane, there may be a pretty sizeable chunk of water still in the bottom bilge of the boat that the bilge pump never 'sees'.

For this reason, many folks when adding a second bilge pump put it in that lower bilge area, under where the water boxes are, beneath the cleanout port tray. That will get out far more water than the stock one up in the engine compartment.

(all that said, when I added my 2nd, I put it up in the engine bay. getting down there to the lower bilge was deemed to be ugly and difficult for my laziness, and I resolved to move it someday to the lower bilge. that was several years ago...)