Automatic bilge pump for" leak management", a good idea?

I have a Konsort. The bilge is less than three inches deep so any significant influx of water will start to get to and damage the wood interior. My keelbolts are also completely exposed including the backing plates so sounds like some sort of bodge has been done in the past if water is running where you can't see it. If you have a leak and is from suspect slight keel movement then sailing could make it worse which may not be so easy to cope with as well as swilling any water all around the boat. I personally would get hauled out and get this looked at professionally.
 
Thanks Chris and Neil. Decision day is tomorrow when I next visit. I will go armed ready to fit a pump. Later in the week the plan is to dry her out and inspect. Ideally I will then continue with the pump until the boat goes in for the professional keel rebedding job in early August. Alternatively and reluctantly I will be organising a haul out.
 
I don't like leaving live wires in the bilge, if only because they rot through and stop working unless really well sealed. My bilge alarm has the neg running through the switch. Standard Rule switch will probably be the mercury type, so when the float comes up a blob of mercury runs down onto the terminals, stays there until the float comes back down. If you place the switch in a wide flat area rather than a small sump (where the pump can be) the water running back in the pipe won't be enough to trigger it.
 
ghostlymoron said:
Most level switches are now mercury free due to environmental considerations. There are also smart options as well.
Click to expand...

Yes, my alarm switch is the reed type, does the same thing: takes a large movement to set it off, and a similarly large movement for it to stop, so could be used for pump control. But still, if the switch is in a small sump it will cycle endlessly as the same pipefull of water goes up and back. I would prefer the air pressure pipe and washing machine switch well up out of the bilge, which was in a boat I had and worked perfectly.
 
The raised issue is trust in the pumping method.
With regular visits to the boat ensures she's pumped dry. You need to ask yourself if you intend to fit this as a secondary back up or a primary pump to cut down the visits.
 
Well D day arrived. I went out to the mooring. Significantly more water on board than I predicted, so maybe the problem was getting worse. Made the sensible call to get the keels done now and arranged to dry out on the yard slipway as soon as I could get there. I think the new bilge pump I went armed with would have done the job fine (while the batteries lasted etc etc) but I opted for peace of mind. Somewhat gutted to be losing the sailing time but at least I can relax, and hopefully the sailing once we get the boat back will be even better. Will try and take my wife out in the Wayfarer with the boom tent as her birthday treat instead :):) (I don't think so........)
Thanks for all the contributions. I've learnt a lot about automatic bilge pumps and float switches etc, and decision making! My choice for the Konsort shallow bilge was the Whale Supersub Smart 650 but Force 4 were happy to take it back as agreed.
 
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