Scary Moment
 

Went dolphin phishin out of Boynton (FL) last friday, sat and sunday with my wife and a friend. On Sunday it was like a lake as we left in the middle of the afternoon (we were feelin lazy). We fished for about 4 or five hours, mostky trolling, but came in to bottom fish for a while. The waves had increased and there was a decent chop brewing.
After we packed up and headed back in through the inlet I noticed that the boat was not getting over the waves easily and that we were surfing down the front sides more clumsily than normal. After we had entered the inlet I had my friend hold the wheel and checked the bildge while we were still on a plane.
To my horror the water was above the batteries. :eek: I instructed my friend to turn on the manual bildge pump and prayed. I had him stay on a plane so that we could run the boat onto a sandbar in case we had a genuine hole in the boat. Luckily the manual bildge pump did the job quickly and things retuned to normal. The auto bildge had not kicked on the entire trip and the light wave action over the stern throughout the day had very slowly filled the bildge. In retrospect, I guess I should have payed more attention to the auto bildge. Thank god for redundancy.

Re: Scary Moment
 

Glad all turned out well. I think you need to fix where the water finds it's way into the bilge in the first place. Otherwise, the only thing keeping you from sinking is an electrical connection.

Re: Scary Moment
 

A high water alarm is a good thing to have on a boat to alert you to this. I don't have one on mine but after reading your post might reconsider. These are usually red lights on the dash with an audible alarm so you can see and hear it.

Re: Scary Moment
 

Both of the above post's are very good and you should abide by them.

What about the "Backup" bildge pump too?

Re: Scary Moment
 

I had a similar experience with my 23 sceptre except I had no manual pump. My boat capsized on june 29th of last year with 4 buddies along with me. 2 bilge pumps at least and a high water alarm is the only way to go. You dont want to go through what we went through, believe me. My 25 seafari will have just that before she gets splashed. My experience was extra scary. Test your bilge pumps before every outing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Scary Moment
 

Yup, me too.

While out seabassing on a drift, my wife comments, "Isn't there too much water on the deck?" I checked the bilge and it was full. I was embarrassed that I didn't realize earlier. We ran for the river which was only three miles away and had the marina fork us out. I believe it was the thru hull in the forward fish box. I had it closed up this winter, less holes the better.

But I'm with you bro, that is a scary feelin' ain't it!

Re: Scary Moment
 

Ditto here also. Did it in a smaller less dangeous place. Had a 17 Bass Tracker in a lake north of Atl. Put boat in and somehow plug came out. Bilge did not activate.....(only had one). When we were leaving the ramp we noticed water on the carpet floor. Opened bilge and you guessed it, full. Hit the throttle to get on plane and the bow went 70 degrees in the air. Was on the absolute back end of the power curve. Headed for the beach (in a no wake zone) wide open with plans to beach. I knew just before I beached I could make it so I did a 180 and keep up speed. My yellow lab kept giving me bad looks duriong the entire fiasco. :eek: Glad no one observed this stupid exersise.

Re: Scary Moment
 

I've got two 2000GPH pumps and a 750GPH auto pump, Just in case ;) Only problem I have had is the one time I forgot the plug when I launching the boat and took my time parking the truck when I stepped on the boat at the dock it felt funny looked in the bilge :eek: Of course I had the auto pump off the above pumps cleared out a foot of water FAST I hope I never need them but there right ther in case :D Glad you made out all right :D

Re: Scary Moment
 

Glad to hear you made it home safely. I experienced a similar experience not too long ago.

Re: Scary Moment
 

Check the through hull fitting near the bow of your boat. I had similar event from a cracked fitting. Needless to say I now have a brass fitting. I think ther is more to this than just wave action over stern.