Noob bilge pump question

[BrentD]

Okay, so I'm brand new to Jon boats (or any full size boat). I come from a kayaking background, so I've never needed one before. Anyway, I have a few questions (for now).
1. Automatic bilge pump with built in float switch or just a regular bilge pump with separate float switch?
2. Atwood or Rule? I'm kind of leaning toward the Rule M500A with the built in float over the Tsunami 500.
3. Is 500 GPH big enough, or should I go 800+?
I'll sit back and check out the responses.
Thanks in advance.

 

[KMixson]

If your boat doesn't leak and you are not in any rough water or storm you should not need one. I could go all day in my boat and get less than a half a cup of water in it mostly from the wet anchor rope coming in probably. As for brands and GPH recommendations I couldn't help because I have not dealt with them.

 

[surfman]

I don't have on in my 1448. I can bail if I need to.

 

[Weldorthemagnificent]

My boat doesn’t leak but I do have a pump. It’s nice to have if you’re out and it rains or if you leave your boat beached during camping/fishing trips as I do. Unless you plan on leaving your boat tied to a dock, or it leaks like a sieve, an automatic pump is unnecessary. I use the cheapest and smallest pump zip tied in the boat with a piece of rubber hose out the back. Like automotive heater hose. Mine is on a toggle switch. Don’t chince out on the switch. Get a marine switch. An automotive switch will work for a while but even if it’s mounted in a dry location it will eventually fail when you need it leaving you stripping wire with a fillet knife while bobbing in the waves. 500 gph is a lot of water. Fill a gallon jug in your kitchen sink and do the math, I bet it’s a lot less.


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[Target]

I was on the fence about getting one last year and eventually did. My Jon doesn’t leak but I often fish in rain and it does fill up surprisingly fast in a heavy rain. Much easier to flip a switch than sit and waste fishing time to bail out water. I got the 500 Atwood and it works great.

 

[BigTerp]

I'm of the camp that more is better when it comes to bilge pumps. But I also run a jet in a shallow, rocky river. I have dual 1100 gph bilge pumps on my 1648. Both are manual. One with a switch on the control panel next to the controls and the other next to the rear passenger seat on the bench. I also ditched the crappy corrugated plastic hose that comes with most bilge pumps and used smooth bore VAC hose, which creates less resistance when pumping water out compared to the standard bilge pump hose. I've torn a few holes in my boat and it's amazing how quickly water fills the boat from just the smallest hole. When it's taking on water I want to get it out as fast as possible!!

Here is the hose I used.... https://www.go2marine.com/product/52069F/shields-148-series-vac-extra-heavy-duty-fda.html

 

[lovedr79]

i always put one in. usually got with the attwood. my boat had a floor in it so you couldnt ealisy bail it out. i was very thankful i had one when my buddy thought he would be helpful by launching my boat while i paid the ramp fee, he didnt check to see if the plug was in. luckily i noticed the boat sitting really low before he pulled off the ramp with the trailer.

 

[BrentD]

I can completely relate to that. My buddy was launching his skiff and I was on boat duty while he backed it in. The last person that he went out with replaced the drain plug in the center scupper instead of the bilge drain. I saw the plug installed and thought everything was fine. As soon as it left the trailer, I thought "man that thing is sitting low". Thank God for bilge pumps.

 

[JL8Jeff]

My current Lowe 1652 has a non automatic Rule 500 gph pump with a separate float switch. The boat stays docked in the water from Apr through Oct and I've never had any problems with it. I used the RM500A in my previous boat and that has the built in float switch and I never had problems with that either. I think it's worth it to have a bilge pump set up to help pump out any possible water quickly. Just don't get a cheap float switch with the metal ball inside, get the mercury one if you don't get an automatic pump. I had bought a new boat one year and the dealer put in the cheap switch and the first heavy rainstorm the ball got stuck and didn't turn on the pump and the boat filled with muddy river water. It took weeks to get it all cleaned out. That was the only boat I've ever had water problems with in 30 years of boating. My old Jersey Speed Skiff had the main prop shaft seal go bad which let water in, but the boat had a bilge pump so I was able to pump it out as I went back to the boat ramp. Stupid stuff happens and a bilge pump might get you back to the ramp if you put a hole in the boat or lose your drain plug.

 

[surfman]

I am thinking of putting one in, mainly for when it rains, I would go with the one with the automatic switch, 500 gpm should be plenty but the small pumps don't seem to last too long from my experience, when you actually need it the darn thing doesn't work.

 

[BrentD]

I was torn between Attwood and Rule. My buddy used to have an Attwood in his Jon boat that worked just fine. He just had it with alligator clips. If he needed it, he would clamp it to the battery.

 

[gnappi]

I bought a external switch type Rule 500 gph model just because rain can come down buckets here in SoFlo. I doubt I'd need more as I only fish freshwater and can get to shore well before my boat fills up

 

[richg99]

Having recently nearly filled my boat up with water due to forgetting to put the plug in...I can heartily recommend an auto pump.

I had a working manual pump, but I didn't notice the problem until water started squirting out of the deck drain. An auto pump would have kicked on, and I would have heard it. An hour of fishing was missed due to running the sinking boat back up onto the ramp; pulling it up; draining it; and then re-launching her.

 

[Jbower]

I’ve used a lot of the rules and quit using them. I’ve had problems with the sensor not working on them so I usually use a tsunami where applicable and a external float switch


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[JL8Jeff]

I haven't had a pump go bad in 30 years and that's between 10 different boats. The float switch can be an issue and with a separate float switch, debris like leaves and small twigs could get wedged around it and possibly stop it from floating up and not pumping or getting under it and not letting it drop back down and run the pump until it burns up or kills the battery. So the internal float switch isn't a bad idea, but no setup is flawless. Another thing to double check is your outlet hose going out of the boat. One time, I had the boat on the side of the house and left the drain plug in when we got hit by a summer downpour. The storm passed and I went out and heard a buzzing noise. I walked over to the boat and it had a lot of water in it and the pump was running, but a big air bubble was caught in the hose and it wouldn't pump out any water. :shock: I had to reroute the angle of the hose to make sure an air pocket didn't stop it from pumping. I got lucky that it happened at the house and not while in the water at the dock. Most of the automatic pumps have an extra wire so you can hook in a switch and run the pump manually when you want to.

 

[MrGiggles]

On a bare bottom Jon an auto pump is unnecessary, you'll know you're taking on water when your feet get wet. A boat with a floor can sneak up on you, can have lots of water in the boat and you won't know it.

You never know what can happen on the water, a bilge pump is just good insurance when Murphy comes knocking.

 

[surfman]

The only reason I would want one with a switch is because of rain, and that is if I left the boat unattended overnight. Once I was out and I was heading in due to a storm approaching and made it to the dock just as it unloaded. I ran to the truck and waited it out, typical Florida shower, poured for about 15 minutes. I was quite surprised by how much rain was in the boat, I would say at least a 55 gallon drum full. That is really the only time I wish I had a pump. I have had numerous small bilge pumps go bad, they just lock up but, I am also operating in salt water, I even make sure to flush with fresh and run them to clean them but the little ones are not reliable IMO. I replaced the 500 gph with a 1500 gph and had no more issues, obviously that is an overkill for a 1448, that was in a different and larger fiberglass boat.

 

[wmk0002]

I have always meant to get one but never got around to it. If I ever get a lot of water in the boat I just pull the plug and cruise around until it all drains out.

 

[aghudson]

I love this site!

I just bought a 16' boat and was wondering the exact same thing.

Thanks for all the information

 

[beetlespin]

I have two. Seems like I have two of everything. I have one controlled by a switch on the console which is manual or auto. The other is a spare with the wires ready to be connected in the battery box. It is really a safety thing.