First night left in the water

[JWPrendergast]

And I'm so nervous! We just moved into our new place on the St. John's river and went for a night time cruise. We left it in probably 2feet of water with the bilge pump on, but I'm still so nervous about it being out there. Is it just me?

 

[jonw9]

Mine spent last might on the water. I checked a couple times. As fearful as I was about it floating away, I was just as worried about a bumper falling and the side rubbing or something.

I could see a yellowish water line already from a single night.

I didn't leave the bilge running though.

 

[davel501]

Mine spent last might on the water. I checked a couple times. As fearful as I was about it floating away, I was just as worried about a bumper falling and the side rubbing or something.

I didn't leave the bilge running though.

You have to leave the bilge on unless you have a float switch.

 

[txav8r]

X2 on what @davel501 said, if you have an automatic bilge pump like the yamahas, it will cycle on and off, but the switch must be on to do so...rule of thumb...if the boat is in the water at all, the bilge pump is armed or in auto, it MUST be in one of those positions to protect your ass should it rain or you get a leak during the time in the water.

 

[Bruce]

Yes, leave the bilge pump on. It is fine to leave it in the water overnight.

 

[JWPrendergast]

My guess is im going to have to hook up power to the batteries/keep a trickle charge on them, add a float switch or both

 

[beachbum]

I have had my sx190 on the mooring for 5 nights now... first and second night were somewhat sleepless.... checking on it frequently. As expected, the 2 days that followed my launch were rain and wind days. She didn't get pounded... just rolled with the waves and wind. I have the full on bow and cockpit covers. Left the bilge on and wondered about power when I could get out to the boat in nicer weather. The cover kept the boat pretty dry inside from what I could see. Power appeared to be good on both batteries too. I am in for the season apart from the 10 hr. service that is closing in on me.

 

[Julian]

That first night/week are the worst...but yes...plug in the boat....bilge on!

 

[jonw9]

I guess I always thought the bilge was automatic, with a manual override. I trailered my last boat, so this wasn't much of a concern.
I checked the manual and it doesn't say much about the pump. So, essentially it should be running at all times? When in motion to removed any collected water and when parked in case of some event (rain, etc.)?

 

[davel501]

I guess I always thought the bilge was automatic, with a manual override. I trailered my last boat, so this wasn't much of a concern.
I checked the manual and it doesn't say much about the pump. So, essentially it should be running at all times? When in motion to removed any collected water and when parked in case of some event (rain, etc.)?

Not sure how the glastrons are setup. You may want to get the model number off your pump to see how it works.

 

[farrelltravis]

I guess I always thought the bilge was automatic, with a manual override. I trailered my last boat, so this wasn't much of a concern.
I checked the manual and it doesn't say much about the pump. So, essentially it should be running at all times? When in motion to removed any collected water and when parked in case of some event (rain, etc.)?

I am unsure as to how yours operates but when I had my Sugar Sand, what you are saying above is exactly how the Sugar Sand's bilge operated. I never had to turn the switch on unless I wanted to have it run non-stop. It had a float switch and was hard wired to the battery. But, definatately check into yours and find out for certain how it works.

EDIT FOR CLARITY - By stark contrast to Sugar Sand described above, Yamaha boats come with an intermittent bilge and do not have a float switch. So, with a stock Yamaha boat, the bilge switch must be on, or the bilge will not operate.

 

[jonw9]

The webpage says "Bilge pump, automatic" but I guess that could be either of the two operation methods described.

I will look around for the pump itself and the model. I guess if all else fails I can hook up the garden hose and see if the pump kicks on before the boat fills up.

 

[txav8r]

Automatic means the pump is automatic, meaning it "senses" water and pumps. The way most do this is by the pump cycling on at predetermined intervals. On our Yamahas, that is at 2-3 minute intervals. It cycles on, checks for resistance (water in the pump will have resistance on the pump), and continues to pump until the pump presents no resistance, and shuts off. It then resumes the 2 to 3 minute cycle of checking for resistance. The actual checking will not drain the battery for over a week...but it will drain it quickly if it has to pump continuously...as will any pump setup. But I would check to see what you have. Open the engine/bilge so you can hear it run when it is quiet, turn on the pump switch, if it runs continuously, then you will know it isn't automatic in the way I described it. If you hear it cycle on with a "buzz" for a few seconds and turn back off, then it is automatic as I described...just stay there for up to 5 minutes and see if you hear it cycle again. If you leave the boat in the water full time, then you need the pump to be there in an emergency and modifying it to a float switch would be important. But on a lift, it is hard to come to a conclusion about whether the pump should be on. If the boat is on or in the water, my opinion is that it should be able to pump if you had a hull breach. I have seen lifts fail, and it is common that they don't just sink back down level...one end or side fails and the boat gets wet inside...so you want the bilge pump to protect in this event. Just my thoughts and understanding...

 

[Noko]

@JWPrendergast I can understand your concern. I got my AR 240 this last May and put in the lake and tied it up to my dock. I was also concerned about leaving it in the lake and waking up to a sunken boat. I do have shore power to the boat and did leave the bilge pump on. The boat has a full cover and it survived a pretty good thunderstorm and didn't take on any water that I could see. I did add a bunch of fenders to the dock. I got some scrub marks on the boat from rubbing against the dock.

 

[Trm1765]

Mine sits in the water all summer. I rarely leave the bilge on. Even if it rains, and the cover is off, all that water is funneled out through the drain and never gets to the bilge pump. You could turn a hose on and leave it running and it all the water will run out the back.. (at least that is the way the 2012 is) I look at the area the bilge pump is and I never has any water there even after not checking it for days.

 

[jonw9]

I am unsure as to how yours operates but when I had my Sugar Sand, what you are saying above is exactly how the Sugar Sand's bilge operated. I never had to turn the switch on unless I wanted to have it run non-stop. It had a float switch and was hard wired to the battery. But, definatately check into yours and find out for certain how it works.

EDIT FOR CLARITY - By stark contrast to Sugar Sand described above, Yamaha boats come with an intermittent bilge and do not have a float switch. So, with a stock Yamaha boat, the bilge switch must be on, or the bilge will not operate.

I checked last night, and when I turn the bilge switch on, it runs continuously. This is how my old SeaDoo operated as well. I guess that is why I don't leave it "on" all the time. Now it is on a lift, so i am not as concerned.

 

[farrelltravis]

@jonw9 do check into what you have. Just to be clear I wasnt trying to beat

I checked last night, and when I turn the bilge switch on, it runs continuously. This is how my old SeaDoo operated as well. I guess that is why I don't leave it "on" all the time. Now it is on a lift, so i am not as concerned.

Glad you figured out for certain how it works. Love the color scheme on your Glastron!

 

[0627Devildog]

My baby has been in the water since 2 Sundays ago. . . . Plugs are pulled and bilge pump is on. I temped up a solar panel with a charger controller to keep the batteries topped off. While I am keeping a close eye on her. . . . . She is still 2 hours away.


edited for spelling

 

[cozilla]

@0627Devildog which solar panel and controller did you go with? I need to rig one up for my storage.

 

[txav8r]

I checked last night, and when I turn the bilge switch on, it runs continuously. This is how my old SeaDoo operated as well. I guess that is why I don't leave it "on" all the time. Now it is on a lift, so i am not as concerned.

I would still be curious to know if it has a hot automatic feature or a hot float switch. Can you see the pump? Does it have a float switch somewhere next to it? The only other test is to run some water into the bilge until the pump is in the water, and see if it activates it. I can't imagine a stock bilge pump that is 100% manual. That would not provide any protection whatsoever, you would have to be in the drivers seat, conscience, and aware you needed to turn it on for any water removal. Certainly there is more to it than that.