I'm a new boat owner...so when and how long do I use the bilge pump?

Do I use the bilge intermittently out on the water? Do I turn it on when pulling the boat out of the water while it's at an angle?

Most newer boats like my 07 Supreme and my new Wakesetter will have a float that determines how high the water level is in your hull and engage the pump automatically. I turn the blower and bilge on when I launch for a minute or so and if nothing comes out of the port, I switch it off.

My switch also has a light that indicates the water level is halfway above the pump. Hope this helps.

I have never turned my bilge on - it has a float so it will turn on when needed. My last boat (just an older I/O) I would purposely turn it on and get a little water down in the bilge once a year to see if it still worked, as the boat just didn't take on water. With my Malibu, I tested it out by being stupid and leaving the plug out when I pulled the boat in the water...let me know real quick the plug was out when I was pumping water from it.

I only use my bilge pump about twice a year to make sure it works. It may have an automatic float and I don't know it. We also use it when we are on the water and get a Texas sized rain to get all the rain water out. OP-why are you asking, do use your bilge pump every time you go out? Are you taking on water everytime you go out? Do you pull the drain plug out at the end of the day to drain your bilge or more importantly put it in before you launch? I had to ask the last question since you said you are new.

I was just turning it on out on the lake for a few minutes and water was coming out. The water never stopped coming out and both plugs are in. I don't take the plug out at the end of the day, the one and first time taking it out on the lake I just ran the bilge for a few minutes and that was it. Am I supposed to take the plug out everytime after boating?

I would highly recommend taking both plugs out after every time you go out. Takes less than a minute to do and prevents your boat from flooding on the trailer(yes it does happen). I live in AZ aka the desert and everybody I know removes there drain plug after use. What kind of boat do you have?

Remove your drain plug every time. If your boats pump doesn't turn on automatically then just turn it on every now and then on the water to see if anything comes out.

1999 Centurion Elite V-Drive. I feel like there's way more to owning a boat than I had previously thought. Today I tried to take it out and one of the damn running board on the trailer broke off after launching it! Turns out the wood it completely rotted and crumbling apart. Then after starting the boat it was making this alert noise every few seconds. Apparently some sensor is being activated and wouldn't stop. Uggghh...To the boat shop it goes tomorrow

Did u have someone knowledgable inspect the boat before you bought it? I'm sure you know what B.O.AT. stands for right? Break Out Another Thousand.

Welcome to the "Hole in the water you pour your money into" world Denise. Ive been a proud, almost nearly broke member now for years.

B.O.A.T.

Bust
Out
Another
Thousand

Should have had it surveyed!

Sorry, i rarely do that but I couldn't help it on this one.

Bummer. Yea, boats are pretty much a big hole to throw your wallet in. Especially if you don't do the various projects yourself (or friends, boyfriends, etc). Plus the older the boat, the more projects. Definitely helps keep the cost down if your willing to jump in there & do the job.... or know someone who is!

Trailer bunks are really not a very tough job. I've recarpeted mine already (on an 05). And replaced them all on a previous boat. Just have to be able to handle a chop saw, a staple gun & some wrenches.

As for the boat filling up, it's definitely a good idea to drain everything everytime you pull out. No sense in towing it around, can cause mold, mildew, bent trailer axles, etc. Definitely test your bilge pump & that the auto-pump works..... if not their not expensive & pretty easy to replace. A couple of issues I've had over the last few years that caused that.......

- cracked fill hose on the midship tank. Only cost about $20 to fix but took me a few hours of reading, searching & figuring out the problem.

- prop packing leaked. The old wax rope packing failed twice in the course of about a month. First time I tightened it down a bit, watched it, seemed to be fine. Then it failed again even worse. SkiDim.com has a "virtually dripless" packing made of Goretex that I'd swear by. Cost me $13 & had a buddy help me do the job. Took less than a beer to pull it off & the thing is truly "virtually dripless"! Still cost me some time to research it, ask questions, drag the boat over to Greg's place, etc. But has proven to work great, even on my boat that I keep moored on the water for weeks at a time.

At least you figured out the site to be a part of! Wake World is a HUGE help with everything. Literally any problem or question you have, there is going to be some guru on here that will help walk you through getting the job done. I have to say WW has saved my butt a time or two!

Just a heads up on my 08 Sanger V215 there is a two position rocker switch with neutral in the middle. I thought that the bilge was an auto and the switch was to manually turn it on. Well, come to find out I have to flip the switch up (which is labeled auto). So for about a year I thought it was on auto, but was in fact off. Now the switch stays in the up (auto) position. Luckily I found this out when I tested the bilge pump, not because it was sinking

Oh yea and always pull the drain plug here.

Some people here may give you some slack but at the end of the day, we were all new boaters at one point in time and boaters mostly seem to learn things the hard way, lol.

yes take out plugs and drain out water, just remember to always put them in before launching...have a routine/ritual...if its your boat be the one who always is responsible for everything...in other words never think to yourself soandso put the plug in ...or soandso hooked up the trailer correctly

leaving water in your boat is a bad idea so don't do it, dry your boat out and it will last in good condition

if your bilge pump does not have an automatic float switch just lift your engine cover on occasion to check for water and run the pump then as needed.

I've been fortunate I guess. I have a08MB and haven't had the bilge kick on. I pull the plug all the time and its dry.I've turned on the bilge no noise and no water. Either the MB is solid or I've just been lucky.i love my MB

How does that go - there are 3 types of boaters - those that forgot to put their plug in, those that will forget to put their plug in and those that will lie about it?