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I recently purchased a 1996 Montauk 17' and would like to add a bilge pump. I noticed that the dash has a bilge pump switch, but I see no signs of one ever being mounted in the bilge or a discharge outlet for one. I do see the wiring for it in the bilge however. My question is should I just run the discharge hose up to the motor well and let the water drain out there through the to drain holes or is their a better way of doing it? Thanks for your input.

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My 1988 Montauk has a pump with a flexible hose running over the transom and tie wrapped to the motor cabling.

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I'd be inclined to route the hose directly overboard - no sense dumping bilge water in your motor well. Just make sure the discharge hose ends well above the waterline! A mechanic mounted my sister-in-law's pump with the hose in position to siphon the water right back in.

Tim

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Well said Tedious......I had the "siphoning" happen to me from an early install. I now also have anti-siphon check valves (little rubber inserts by the pumps the discharge line). I had a pump burn up in the floor of my cuddy cabin. The left over water in my discharge hose would flow back to the pump and the pump kept recycling.
Garris

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Thank you everyone....great advice! I will route the discharge hose over the transom and above the waterline to prevent siphoning.

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Regarding routing the discharge hose over the transom, take a look at this photo where you can see I used a 90 degree "L" fitting at the end of the hose, just at the top of the transom. This clearly directs the water out away from the boat. It makes for a very clean rigging job.

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/lgolt...3.jpg.html

I would also recommend a small, very compact Rule 500 GPH Automatic pump, about $60. This has a chip which activates the pump every 3 minutes to test for water, activated by a console mounted on-off switch. Most of the time the switch will be off, since the pump is not needed very often. I also recommend not using the cheap corrigated plastic bilge pump hose often used. Cabela's (and I'm sure others) sells a rubber based smooth wall bilge hose that works very well.

In the photo, the white pump wiring wraps around the pump and uses Life Seal filled wire nuts for the connections, completely waterproof since they will often be under water. They are also easy to change if a new pump needs to be installed. All is concealed under the sump cover when installed.

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/lgolt...=2&o=0

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Hi Finnegan...Thank you so much for your recommendations. My son and I just bought this boat for salmon fishing, crabbing, clamming and just running around the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound, Washington State. We are planning to moor the boat in front of my son's house (which means that the boat will always endure the hardships of being in an extremely harsh environment). What are your thoughts on using the Rule 25-40A, Rule 500 Marine Bilge Pump with Mercury Free Rule-A-Matic Plus Float Switch? I saw a few negative reviews on the Rule 25 S, (electronic one)... For example, they get noisey and get stuck on. From the pictures you sent it looks like your boat is flawless and that you do not keep it in the water all of the time which makes me think you are far less likely to experience any annoying problems with the pump. Anyway, the pictures of you boat are absolutely beautiful and I value your suggestions regarding the type of pump, discharge hose (type and and routing) and the water proof wire nuts... you can be sure that I will incorporate much of what you suggested.

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Yes, my Montauk is kept on a trailer, and only docked for no more than a week at a time - hence no bottom paint, and in this situation the "chip" activated pump works fine, since the cycling uses very little current, and I only turn it on if rain is forecast overnight..

However, if you are mooring a boat for a long period of time, the automatic pump with float switch, and which does not continuously cycle if left on, makes more sense. I am not sure if it's size is a problem for fitting under the sump cover, however. I would also recommend a Mills Mooring Cover for the boat.

Appreciate your comments on my boat!

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Hi Seamark,
I am in the San Juans as well, and keep my boat at Bayhead on Orcas. I may be one who gave a negative report on the Rule automatic pump a couple of years ago. It may not have been justified, as other factors probably were involved. This was installed on a 1988 Montauk I had at the time. The noise is pretty minimal and never bothered me.

That being said, on my Outrage I went to a separate switch from Water Witch.
https://waterwitchinc.com/
It electronically senses water level (rather than current draw), and only operates at power on or when there is a need. You need to be sure to mount it at the proper height relative to your pump and bilge, something like an inch above standing water level.

One observation about discharge hose routing is to be aware of how much water is left in the hose when the pump shuts off. I have a Rule 20A 1000GPM pump which has a 1.125" discharge hose routed over the transom following the rigging bundle. There was enough water in the boat side of the hose that when the pump shut off and the water drained back into the bilge it would cause the pump to cycle. This can be avoided by a check valve, mounting the sensor higher, and/or keeping the discharge hose shorter.

I used all 3 strategies and it works great now. Good Luck!

Dennis

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Two questions:

How to attach the bilge pump to the hull, if one does not desire to drill holes? My thought was to use silicone or some other removeable adhesive to glue it in the appropriate spot. Possibly glue a small piece of starboard to the fibreglass and then screw the pump to the starboard.

The second question is where to mount the pump in my 1986 Outrage 18? The logical place is in the sump on the starboard side where the rigging tunnel exits to the stern (near the aft edge of the fuel tank), since that is where the rainwater collects when the boat is docked. That location would not bail water out of the transom area, which also fills with rainwater when docked (with the plugs in).

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Grizzly - In my Outrage 18, the sump blige pump is located in the lowest part of the sump. Here, too, I use the chip auto pump, in 1100 GPH capacity, and also bundle the discharge with the engine cabling. When Whaler installed the factory option pump, they used a Rule 1500 with separate float switch, and their factory switch panel at the console. They drilled the discharge through the hull with a special interior fitting. I didnot want to get into that elaborate of a system, and mine works equally well.

For the splashwell, which I also have plugged because of the twin engine weight, I installed a small 500 GPH pump, with separate float switch, direct wired to always have power. The float switch keeps it off when not needed. It works very well and gets rid of any water entering the splashwell. See the photo below

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As far as attaching the pump to the deck/hull........I have been using the heavier woven discharge hose. For sharper corners I use fittings. The heavier hose is more rigid and I attach the hose to the sidewalls and it keep the bilge in place. Inside the rigging tunnel for my 1979 22' Revenge (an area that is a magnet for water) I had a spare small piece of 3/16" thick plate of anodized aluminum . I attached the bilge pump to that piece and then used BoatSeal under the plate. Even if it knocked loose the plate leaves the pump upright. I did not want to put any screws (even on the sides) in the rigging tunnel do to water intrusion. That rigging tunnel doubled as an discharge for water from my fuel tank chamber and I did not want water to enter that chamber if possible in extreme wet conditions.

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I mounted the pump in the inner area of the sump, right under the Beckson inspection plate. I cut a small block of foam that has a bit of give to it and placed this between the pump top and the Beckson plate bottom. When the plate is in place, the foam and the discharge hose hold the pump firmly in place.
Dennis

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Thanks for all of your responses and valuable inputs. Wow, I had no clue that there would be so many! Anyway, I decided buy a 12V, 600GPH, Johnson, Ultima Bilge Pump with integrated switch. Their approach to sensing water level is using FET sensors instead of cycling on and off the pump and monitoring the current draw. I think that i'm explaining that right. Anyway,I personally think that this is a better way of sensing water level and I decided that I'd buy one and try it out. It also comes with a removable check valve that I plan to leave in the plumbing.