For those of you on a lift....

[Slfmde]

For those who keep their boat on a lift. I can’t access my main drain plug so it will stay in all summer. How do you run the rest of your plugs to make sure all the water is pumped out?

When I was towing all of them out except main plug. When I would pull he main plug I would get a good amount of water every time but all compartments were always dry. My concern is where is that water coming from and how will it get out of the boat if I have my main plug in 24/7?

 

[swatski]

For those who keep their boat on a lift. I can’t access my main drain plug so it will stay in all summer. How do you run the rest of your plugs to make sure all the water is pumped out?

When I was towing all of them out except main plug. When I would pull he main plug I would get a good amount of water every time but all compartments were always dry. My concern is where is that water coming from and how will it get out of the boat if I have my main plug in 24/7?

Same here. Drives me nuts, but nothing I can do about it other then occasionally pull it out, so I just let it go.

I do have a secondary bilge pump in the lowest part of the bilge, and that thing occasionally comes on if we surf all day with full ballast (rub rail leaks like a sieve in these boats.
So - I'm not too worried, the sec bilge pump is hooked direct to battery (fused).

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[Julian]

You just make sure you have the bilge on. If the bilge is on, it only takes a few gallons before the stock bilge pump in my boat can begin to remove water.

 

[Slfmde]

You just make sure you have the bilge on. If the bilge is on, it only takes a few gallons before the stock bilge pump in my boat can begin to remove water.

Correct me if I’m wrong. All compartments drain to the engine compartment where the bilge pumps out the engine compartment. The main deck drains out the scupper.

If the above is correct this is my question/problem. ALL my compartments are completely dry and I pull the boat out of the water. I pull pump access plugs next to drain the rear platform. Last I pull the main rear plug and water comes out. Where is that water coming from?

Again all my compartments are dry, they never have water. I don’t see how the bilge pump will remove this water because it’s not coming from the engine compartment or anywhere else I can visually see. Is there a void under the engine compartment I can’t see the bilge pumps water from? When I pull the main plug where is that water coming from?

Now I’m on a lift all summer and can’t access the main plug and this mystery water is collecting.

 

[swatski]

Correct me if I’m wrong. All compartments drian to the engine compartment where the bilge pumps out. The main deck drains out the scupper.

If the above is correct this is my question/problem. ALL my compartments are completely dry and I pull the boat out of the water. I pull pump access plugs next to drain the rear platform. Last I pull the main rear plug and water comes out.

Where is that water coming from? Again all my compartments are dry, they never have water. I don’t see how the bilge pump will remove this water because it’s not coming from the engine compartment or anywhere else I can visually see.

Now I’m on a lift all summer and can’t access the main plug and this mystery water is collecting.

It's the Yamaha pseudo-double hull - there is plenty of water, many gallons below the engine compartment floor - at the bottom of the boat that drains back if the bow is up.
A secondary pump can be mounted lower than the factory OEM cycling bs pump.
Very annoying to some of us.

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[Slfmde]

It's the Yamaha pseudo-double hull - there is plenty of water, many gallons below the engine compartment floor - at the bottom of the boat that drains back if the bow is up.
A secondary pump can be mounted lower than the factory OEM cycling bs pump.
Very annoying to some of us.

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Ah man, thanks. So that answers my question and that also sucks. How do you access this lower location to mount the pump? Sorry last year was my first season so I’m green.

 

[Ilmmct]

I go out at low tide every couple of weeks to take the main plug out. Usually a small amount of water drains out.

When I miss low tide, I use a 8’ kayak on my dock to get access to the stern for the plug and lubing the business end of the boat.

 

[Julian]

In my boat, the pump sits in a hole that is in the lower hull. I wonder if your lift is lower in the bow than in the stern - resulting in water collecting in your boat forward of the pump (below your compartments)??

 

[zipper]

Ah man, thanks. So that answers my question and that also sucks. How do you access this lower location to mount the pump? Sorry last year was my first season so I’m green.

Most of us that dislike this hidden water put a second bilge pump on a float switch in the real bilge under the clean out plug tray. Remove the screws, cut the silicone and it comes up. The factory pump in the engine compartment is a few of inches above the inner hull, they say to keep it from being plugged with debris. A second pump is the only way to get this water out if you cannot pull the drain plug. If you choose to do this, when you put it back together, do not use 3m 5200 to reseal, it is too permanent if you ever need to replace the pump or switch.

If the boat is sitting level and not pitched bow up, you may see water in the ski locker drain hole below the locker.

 

[swatski]

In my boat, the pump sits in a hole that is in the lower hull. I wonder if your lift is lower in the bow than in the stern - resulting in water collecting in your boat forward of the pump (below your compartments)??

Hmmm... is it just semantics?

The bottom of the engine compartment has several openings into the bilge and water can flow in and out including through the cutout in the inner tub for the factory bilge pump.

The factory bilge pump is mounted VERY HIGH in relation to the actual bottom of the bilge/hull, a good 10-15 inches above the bottom of the V (keel). Those pumps also need to be at least partially submerged to actually move water.

So - there can be a lot of water in the bilge and at the bottom of the pseudo-double hull, sloshing around, until the boat is jacked up on a trailer with the bow WAY UP in the air - and only then all the water can drain out.

My boat sits on the lift that is properly set up, with the stern slightly angled down, and I would have a ton of water collecting if it wasn't for my secondary pump which is mounted the lowest point I could find to mount it.

@Slfmde here is my setup, if that helps:
post #11
https://jetboaters.net/threads/really-dumb-bilge-pump-question.13763/#post-238722

Works very well but still plenty of water left, even though it is a fraction of what it used to be with the OEM pump only.

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[boudin]

Have not had my Yamaha jet boat very long, but I have gotten in the water and pulled the plug before.

You can also pull one of the internal plugs and use a wet/dry vac to suck out the water.

-Greg

 

[swatski]

Have not had my Yamaha jet boat very long, but I have gotten in the water and pulled the plug before.

You can also pull one of the internal plugs and use a wet/dry vac to suck out the water.

-Greg

I like the @Ilmmct idea of using a kayak a bit more - wouldn't want to trust the electric around my marina with my life.

The wet vac is a good idea, too, to suck up the water collecting in the bilge.
You know, since Yamaha installs their "bilge pump" in the engine bay, lol.

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[Jgorm]

Can you put a 2x6 across the back? That's how the io guys flush.

 

[zipper]

Hmmm... is it just semantics?

The factory bilge pump is mounted VERY HIGH in relation to the actual bottom of the bilge/hull, a good 10-15 inches above the bottom of the V (keel). Those pumps also need to be at least partially submerged to actually move water.

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Wow really? Now I gotta crawl under the engines with a measuring stick to verify, great and I am not a contorsionist.

 

[Julian]

The primary benefit of having the pump in the engine compartment is ease of maintenance---you want to clean the pump at least once a year. Is it easy to access there....not really, but WAY easier than going into the "true" bilge. I think I'll see if I have time to measure how much water comes out of mine when I pull her out this weekend. It has never been enough to worry me.

 

[Jgorm]

I measured my 04 ar230. It only holds about a gallon or less. I moved the pump up one space because the stock pump gets more water than this location.

 

[adrianp89]

Why not just drop the rear ladder, climb down it and unplug it?

 

[swatski]

Why not just drop the rear ladder, climb down it and unplug it?

Damn, aren't you clever???!!!
I don't see what that wouldn't work...!

Huh! Will try that. If it works, I'd like to most definitely buy you a beer!

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[swatski]

The primary benefit of having the pump in the engine compartment is ease of maintenance---you want to clean the pump at least once a year. Is it easy to access there....not really, but WAY easier than going into the "true" bilge. I think I'll see if I have time to measure how much water comes out of mine when I pull her out this weekend. It has never been enough to worry me.

The cleanout plug lid/bilge access hatch (that just pops up) is a lot easier for me to reach the (secondary) bilge pump for cleaning and testing.

I think a better test would be to fill the hull/bilge from the hose until the OEM pump kicks in. THEN see how much water your boat holds when you tip the bow up and open the transom plug. I think you will be surprised (it's a lot).

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[Julian]

The cleanout plug lid/bilge access hatch (that just pops up) is a lot easier for me to reach the (secondary) bilge pump for cleaning and testing.

I wouldn't have guess you could reach the bottom of the bilge from that hatch....never tried though! I have memories of scupper replacements standing on my head (bad memories) to get down there!!!