Insurance Survey - requirement for Automatic Bilge Pump

[FairMaid]

My insurance company (AXA - through Bishop Skinner) requires a full survey before my next renewal - does anyone know if I will likely be required to fit an automatic bilge pump ? - I currently only have a manual Whale pump operated by a handle in the cockpit.

 

[sailorman]

Y not consider changing insurers
i changed4 yrs ago & no survey req

 

[Rigger Mortice]

Unlikely, but if it is worrying you, talk to your surveyor before he writes up his report. I've always found that, within reason, they will go along with things which I would prefer were omitted. I'm not suggesting asking a surveyor to "fix" his report rather, as these things are often a compromise, asking him to agree with my chosen compromise.

In any event, whilst an automatic bilge pump may be useful in some circumstances, it won't be any help if the electrics have failed. I'm sure that a surveyor would accept that as a good reason to not stipulate an automatic pump.

 

[charles_reed]

My insurance company (AXA - through Bishop Skinner) requires a full survey before my next renewal - does anyone know if I will likely be required to fit an automatic bilge pump ? - I currently only have a manual Whale pump operated by a handle in the cockpit.

If it's an insurance survey, the only thing they're really interested in is:-"Is it really worth the covered price?". An auto bilge pump is unlikely to be required, but the in-date of extinguishers and LPG piping is something about which you should be concerned.

 

[Topcat47]

GJW are primarily interested in seaworthiness aspects of the vessel. They've never asked for a valuation. They do require it relatively frequently IMO but Snark is over 40 year old.

 

[awol]

I currently only have a manual Whale pump operated by a handle in the cockpit.

Offshore racing rules and, for me, common sense require more than one pump sucking through more than one strum box. Pipes block, valves stick, diaphragms split - and Sod says this will happen at the worst time.

 

[Leighb]

I would agree with awol, a second pump with separate suction and discharge would be a minimum, doesn't have to be electric although it could be. We have one in the cockpit, one down below, thankfully all they have ever needed to pump has been rainwater that got past the cockpit hatch seal, and a tank full of water when the water tank split.

 

[ghostlymoron]

It's generally considered good practice to have more than one bilge pump, one of which is electric. This gives you the chance to find and fix a serious leak without having to hand pump continuously. Of course if your electrics fail at the same time, you're stuffed anyway and had better start deploying the liferaft. Also recommended that you have more than one stout buckets.

 

[VicMallows]

With my Sadler29, on a drying mooring, an automatic bilge pump is VITAL ! (If the boat sits slightly bow down and it rains like it has recently, the floor would be soon awash). Float switches are notoriously unreliable - as I have found out the hard way- so ideally I would prefer TWO totally independent automatic bilge pumps.

 

[Aeolus]

Really depends on the surveyor. I've just had an insurance survey, by a newly qualified surveyor, and he was so fussy about everything that I almost couldn't use his survey report because he wanted me to do so many daft things. Eventually I persuaded him to back down on the silliest items. But even he didn't require an automatic bulge pump. I would ask your prospective surveyor whether he is likely to recommend such things and try to find a sensible person who will focus on just on the insurability and seaworthiness of the boat.

 

[FairMaid]

My insurance company (AXA - through Bishop Skinner) requires a full survey before my next renewal - does anyone know if I will likely be required to fit an automatic bilge pump ? - I currently only have a manual Whale pump operated by a handle in the cockpit.

Many thanks for the responses - I won't fit one before the survey - but it is now on my wish list