Stay Above The Waterline
It’s June, early in the boating season, and a good time to keep a close eye on things as all of the boat’s systems, from mechanical to plumbing to electrical, reconnect. Particularly with all the recent rain, the bilge pump system which includes batteries, wiring, pump switch, and the pump itself bears close initial monitoring. A lot of failure points characterize this oftentimes overlooked system – batteries can be weak or the terminal connections can be faulty; power wires can be cut or corroded; the pump switch can be stuck in the “on” or “off” position; and, of course the pump itself can be broken or simply plugged with debris.
Personally, I’ve experienced most of these at one time or another and I always test both bilge pumps before launch. Inevitably, I find that the larger of the pumps, the older one, works well, whereas the smaller, self-sensing, pump suffers from sensing-related issues and requires replacement. While I don’t relish another trip to the marine store, I am grateful to learn of the issue, while the boat is on the trailer, precluding any in-water situations which involve sea water rising about the waterline.
Boats are complex creatures. Pay a little more attention to your boat early in the season to keep your season fun-filled and long.
