Installing a 2nd bilge

[4x15mph]

I seem to have a bit of water when I take the boat out and remove the drain plug. It isn't always the case and happens sporadically. Based on the design of this 2018 AR210, I don't think the primary bilge, in the engine compartment, is anywhere near where the bilge should be since again, I often get water and the OEM bilge doesn't ever see any water.

I bought everything i need to put in a 2nd bilge and began to look at the install yesterday. Upon looking at this, I don't see a good spot in the actual bilge to place this new bilge pump (combined bilge with automatic float switch).

Has anyone installed a 2nd bilge in the back bilge/muffler area and do you have any pics or details on install?

Otherwise, are people living with this extra water? My anchor locker was fixed from prior owner so I think the water is coming in from the rear cleanout tray....

 

[Babin Farms]

How much water are you draining? I see where if the cleanout tray is not sealed that water does get in through there. Maybe use some Removable Window caulk to seal it that way if you have to remove the tray it will be easier that regular caulk.
I'll be installing a bilge pump soon and was just going to put it under the cleanout tray on the back side of the transom not far from original bilge pump.

 

[bronze_10]

I have an 08 230.... I added a 2and bilge pump about 6 inches in front of the drain plug and ran a whole separate discharge hose. I though the same thing about the location of the factory bilge pump... however, when they come on from rain or things like that it's always the factory one that kicks on, not my 2nd one.

 

[Beachbummer]

Install a float and alarm while you are down there. more pumps will buy you more time to handle any water event. The problem time starts when water starts coming in, but the Time Available to Fix the problem doesn't start until you *know* there is a problem. The difference between a bad experience and a horrendous day is that you knew early there was a problem and had time to address it, vs noticing the boat is slow, or worse, has shut off, then opening the ski hatch or engine bay to find it full of water already. Our boats have many holes under the water line, it's a matter of when a hose or fitting might cut,slice, break, burst or dislodge from it's expected location. and you will be extremely happy you had an alarm and additional pumping power if it ever happens to you.

Of course with constant vigilance we can inspect and replace any suspect parts to keep chances away, but a hole under water creates a residual risk that in my opinion merits the small (relative) expense of additional bilge power and bilge alarm/indicator.

 

[Dave burke]

See this post. There‘s a pic of what @swatski did and I did the same thing as him, bilge with a float switch, ran a hose behind the transom speaker, wired directly to the battery with a fuse.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2nd-bilge-pump-versus-bilge-alarm.22130/post-376119

There’s also an FAQ on this under Upgrades but when I clicked on it, couldn’t get it to work. @Julian, not sure what’s happening. I’m using Safari on an iPad. Thx

 

[4x15mph]

How much water are you draining? I see where if the cleanout tray is not sealed that water does get in through there. Maybe use some Removable Window caulk to seal it that way if you have to remove the tray it will be easier that regular caulk.
I'll be installing a bilge pump soon and was just going to put it under the cleanout tray on the back side of the transom not far from original bilge pump.

What year boat do you have? The bilge on the newer boats are at the base of the engine compartment

 

[Babin Farms]

2009, From what I've been reading Yamaha hasn't changed the setup. The pump is in the engine compartment yes but if you look there should be a cutout section of the engine bay floor that it sits in and water can get from under the swim deck to the engine compartment.

 

[Scottintexas]

in the older boats as Zipper found they sit at idle on the water tilted forward or at least not tilted back, I think that's why Bronze mentioned about they see the factory one kick on and not aux. under the cleanout hatch, when it rains, while when your at the ramp and the boats on the trailer you pull the plug and all that forward water has moved to the transom,

It doesn't bother me that I get a couple gallons out the transom (my bilge will kick on occasionally if we're surfing) but I definitely think a 2nd bilgle and high water alarm is a very good idea for our boats, I'd put the water alarm half way up the engine support base.


.

 

[Drexx3]

I'm going to be installing mine just above the drain plug (indicated by the arrow). The two metal plates have 1/4" threaded bolts sticking up and I'm going to probably design a quick & dirty mount then 3D print it. I'll fasten it with some washers and nuts...

 

[Dixie Highway]

The OP has the same hull I do, our bilge pumps are NOT even close to being bottom. When doing some research on my boat, level on the trailer as it sits in the water, I was able to run a garden hose (2-3 gpm) in the engine compartment for about 10 minutes before the bilge kicked on. That's a pretty good amount of water. I regularly get a few gallons out the drain when I pull the plug after a day out on the water, and I don't believe my bilge pump has run once on it's own. I've kicked it on manually and gotten a few splashes out, but if you really want security a secondary one as low in the transom area as possible is your play. At least on the newer hulls.

 

[4x15mph]

It’s coming along nicely. I pulled the whole tray out which really just involves loosening 2 clamps. I am glad I did since they use silicone as an attempt to seal that lid and they weren’t even close to doing it completely....

I found some screws that’s come up from under the ride plate and created a mount from some MDF (aka crown molding). I then attached the bilge mount to the MDF. It’s coming along great and this weekend I will install the wiring and hose/outlet. I will also be caulking up all of the thru hull screws since there has to be some leaking. Again, so glad I did this to clean and seal everything up.

 

[Beachbummer]

Looks pretty good!

Did that crown molding look plastic? what they call MDF at my Lowes is very much water soluble wood fibers and water glue, and would likely disintegrate in a week in my bilge... hopefully that crown molding is made from something else that resists water.

 

[4x15mph]

Looks pretty good!

Did that crown molding look plastic? what they call MDF at my Lowes is very much water soluble wood fibers and water glue, and would likely disintegrate in a week in my bilge... hopefully that crown molding is made from something else that resists water.

MDF might not be the right term. It is definitely plastic like.

 

[Jeff_F]

Does anyone know what type of hose is used on the OE bilge pump? I’m just finishing up installing a 2nd bilge in a 2011 AR240. It’s in the actual bilge just in front of the drain and the outlet is next to the original one. I don’t want to use the cheap corrugated hose, but I also need something reasonably flexible and it would be nice if I didn’t have to put cuffs on the ends. Seems like the OE hose is perfect, if I can figure out what it is.

 

[Dave Baran]

I am installing this right now on my 242LSE. I want to get it as low as I can to the bottom of the boat in front of the drain. Some great ideas on here. I am using a 1 1/8" discharge hose I bought on eBay. I believe its for a spa. It is semi rigid so it won't collapse. And it is much nicer than the standard bilge pump hose.

 

[Beachbummer]

Nice, Be sure to share the link. the 1+1/8 hose is not easy to find reasonably priced.

 

[Jeff_F]

This is what I ended up doing. I used a Johnson pump with an attached switch. One nice thing about it is it has a hose fitting that screws on like a garden hose and comes with both straight and 90. That way you don't have to try and tighten the clamp in place, or install it with the hose on. I made a bracket out of aluminum angle and PVC board that bolts to 2 bolts that go through the side of the bilge. It certainly isn't low as possible because of the thickness of the board, but I figured it would be best to keep it a little off the bottom to keep it from sucking up whatever is floating around the bottom of the bilge. Plus the boat is in a high and dry and they pull the plug when they take it out of the water so it doesn't need to suck it completely dry.

In this pic the nuts weren't in place yet.

I don't have pics of the hose, but it's 3/4 multiflex that goes through a new hole in the transom then out through a thru hull next to the original. This pump moves a lot more water than the other one in the engine compartment, even with the longer hose.

 

[Dixie Highway]

@Jeff_F your bilge area has a TON of room for activities...

 

[Speedling]

Week in the water at bimini, all my time on Lake Michigan etc and kids in and out the only time i have water in the boat is when retrieving and the stern gets under water line. I don't know how dry y'all need it all the time but my bilge has only ever pushed water when i fed it a hose to test it.
Pulled my plug after 7 nights in bimini and had the usual bit of water from the factory stern leak and that was it.
If it gets high enough to engage the factory pump you got an issue! In which case a second one better be hugely oversized.
I hope none of us ever need it!

 

[Jeff_F]

I don’t think my bilge is roomier than anybody else’s?

We always get water on top of the cleanouts, even after rebuilding them. I don’t know if it is coming in past the plugs or through the top, but when I was done putting it all back (with a foam gasket for the tray instead of goop) I took a garden hose and let it fill both cleanouts and overflow into the tray. Nothing went in the bilge, it all went out the tray drain. So I’m confident it’s sealed now.

I also found a bunch of broken hose clamps in there so I replaced every clamp. Plus the sealer around the steering cables had become detached from the hull. So hopefully it’s better sealed now.