Automatic bilge pump of choice?

We we have 4 Rule 2000 ,s on 24 v supply .
One has been replaced in 2014 .
As the floats switches fail I have been replacing with these https://www.osculati.com/en/11151-16.609.00/automatic-electronic-switch-for-any-bilge-pump
Easy to test just wet the two electrodes with a damp cloth .

Have not done any flood test trials as the boat is essentially divided into 3 water tight compartments buy the ER bulkheads.
ER being a large space in the centre of the boat .
Hence for us a 220 V geny dependant additional mega pump requirement drops to the bottom of necessary extra kit list .

Aside not convinced running AC ,powering up the geny etc in a potentially wet environment, in a panic or not regular fashion is safe .As dependent on the nature of the breach ,what else is damaged?
Don,t want to read in a MAIB report of a chain of events starting with the “ captain “ electrocuted himself phaffing with a 220v pump , leaving the others hapless .

Fast forwarding as long as you have a liferaft big enough ours is a 10 P and decent ERIB,s we have two ,on top of the standard safety stuff ,backed up with a decent insurance policy then there’s not lot more we could do to materially change the outcome of a big hull breach .

Nobodies gonna get hurt , boats not gonna sink .

I do like the idea of the Italian Y valve .Ours has not got any as it’s gone down the water tight bulkheads route .However I,am thinking number 1 probable breach cause is whacking at speed an underwater object resulting in ripping out a shaft or simply a busted shaft seal .
Busted shaft seal expecting the two Rule 2000 ,s pumps in the ER to deal with that .But a rip out hmmm that’s when a Y valve could be handy .Quick easy to get pumping .
Does not matter if the G box is US , just rev the engine(s) + the two Rules .
Usual bilge alarms audio on visual + LED ,s show which pump is running .Tested regularly.


So for Nigel
Change out the float switches.
Make sure you have some sort of audible as well as visual alarms + know which one is running especially on a cat .
 
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Ive now got 4 x 2000 rules - set up to snap in / snap out; one in each hull.
I will set up a weekly test and a monthly swap out,clean,dry schedule.

The OEM alarm is, erm, sound and visibly/aurally specific to each hull.

Just tested the pump using the air con intake cock, take the screw cap off and the water cascades very tidily into the sump, the Rule was too fast for the water flow and had to stop while the water caught up ;)

I will be getting an AC submersible high powered pump as soon as possible, rational is that I’d rather be doing something than nothing in the event of a breach, if that happens to be the correct call, the 450 Catamaran is set up, (supposedly), so that a hull breach or stern damage will result in the compartment flooding and then reporting - through a control pipe to the keel bilge. The worst scenario is that water ingresses or reports aft in great volume, as the hulls are connected below the transom where the steering rods communicate; flooding aft can result in the stern going under pretty quickly.

A Fontain, (Fountain?) Pajot 44 ‘went down’ off Morocco last month - interesting reading regarding the cause of the flood....not sure if even JFM’s BFO could have kept up with that one :)



http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f48/44-helia-sunk-in-the-atlantic-207264.html

All the input greatly appreciated as usual
 
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