www.iFourWinns.com

I finally did it.... I left the drain plug out when I launched the boat. I have always heard people say it was only a matter of time, that everyone does it sooner or later. Well add me to the list.

Last weekend after I launched the boat and drove up the ramp I noticed the bilge began pumping water out, I thought for a second as I starting looking for a place to park that it seemed odd and I have never seen that before. Then it hit me.......... I always wanted to jump in at the marina next to all the turtles and carp that are constantly being fed.

Well at least I know the bilge pump works!

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-Eddie/2007 H200/5.0 Merc 220hp/2004 GMC Yukon

Ahhhh, I have been worried that I will forget the dreadful plug and fill the boat up. Tell me this.. Does it really fill up that fast? Glad you did some quick thinking and got the plug in.

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1997 Horizon RS 180
5.7 GL Volvo Penta /SX drive. (1.60)
2018 Ford F-150 super crew 4x4

It wasn't too bad. When I realized what happened I stopped in my tracks and ran back down to the dock. I guess the boat was in the water 3-4 min before the plug was in and then water continued to pump out for maybe 15-20 seconds more. Water was not up on the motor yet. I would say the bilge was full though.

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-Eddie/2007 H200/5.0 Merc 220hp/2004 GMC Yukon

I've done this twice now! Once on my old boat, and just recently on my new boat. The bilge fills up fast! I didn't wait around to see how full it would get, but by what I saw, the bilge pump will slowly loose ground on keeping the water out. As a side note, I've also accidently missed an engine plug on my new boat (first time putting the engine plugs in on a newer engine), and the bilge pump kept up just fine in that case.

-Matt

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Current Boats:
2012 FW H260, 8.2 B3X (DTS) "Ctrl-Alt-Delete"
Previous Boats:
1984 Century 5000, Merc 260 Alpha 1
2012 Yamaha VXR

Kansas City, MO

On my first boat, the very first time. Yep, I did it too.

Now I hang it off the streeing wheel, when its out!! You can't miss it there.

I never forgot the plug but the day the hose from the transom to the p/s cooler popped off the Cobra impeller filled up the bilge faster than you can say oh SH!t. I have a Rule 1100 gph pump with a Sure Bail auto switch. It took about 10-15 min to pump out water up to the engine mounts. When the boat comes out in Oct, it will get a second 1100 and it's own switch. So think about adding a second pump
even if you have a small bilge. The Rule 1100 is only a bit bigger than a 500 and only draws 3.8 amps...

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

I ditched my 800 GPH for a 2000 GPH when the same thing happened to me

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2011 SL242 5.7 VP GXi - 320 HP Dual Prop

The question that I have for day boaters who rarely get their bilges wet, is how do you test to make sure your bilge pump works? As the OP stated, it had been 4 years before his was tested and thank God it worked. I am a Vista owner whose AC goes into the bilge and as a result my pump gets a work-out. What can the day boater do who never gets their bilge wet do to test their bilge pump? Do they throw a 5 gallon bucket of water in the bilge from time to time or do they just hope it works when the inevitable happens?

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

I clean my bilge and from time to time will leave the plug in with hose running to fill it up and watch it drain. Should be tested regularly n my opinion.

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Walter

2003 248 Vista - VP 5.0 GXi
2009 Toyota Tundra SR5 5.7L 4x4

If you have this "Sea Choice" float switch like I do, you can test it by rotating the the knob on the side (where the wires are coming out). I tested mine, and can hear it Click, but the pump does not turn on. Pump works fine from the dashboard switch.




I will be replacing the pump with a Rule 1500, and the float switch with an Ultra Safety Systems "Ultra PumpSwitch Junior". More about that later.
The best float switch money can buy:
http://www.tefgel.com/contain.php?param=pumpswitch_price

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"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

Don't replace it, add to it. What happens if that one for what ever reason is not working. Than the 2nd one will kick in. Plus its just a little more work to add one than to replace it and your adding on to the GPH.

REMEMBER too, that 2000GPH is rated to zero level. Now add 2 feet in height to pump the water out and your down to some thing like 1700GPH. So the higher your thru-hull the more your GPH goes down.

If you have a dual battery setup. Connect the 2nd pump to the 2nd battery.

Don't forget to add a scupper!! The last thing you want is water coming into the boat from the thru-hull.

This is how I recently tested my bilge pump! Good to know it works.


http://www.smwebhead.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11234&p=114975#p114975

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2008 Horizon 260 VP 8.1 Gi

If you boat in salt water, watch your starter. I did it two time and both times my starter froze up. The starter on my engine is way down on the bottom on the starboard side and at the rear so the water gets to it quick. I have a switch so I can turn my bilge pump on and you can hear it run so I can tell that it is working. To test the float, I can just reach down in there and lift it up and hear the pump come on.

Remember if you have a smaller bilge pump, your hose is going to be too small for the larger pumps so you need to change that out. I was going to add a second pump, but never got around to it.

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2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4