Overkill is the only way to go

[Fr. Frank]

My Seafari has two automatic 500 gph pumps - one forward at the cockpit sole, and one aft, an 1100 automatic aft 3 inches above the 500, and a 1750 manual aft. I leave my boat in the water for 10 consecutive days twice per year. I came to my boat about four years ago where I had moored it stern in to the beach at low tide with maybe 4 inches beneath the keel, and found it sitting on the bottom 10 hours later. I had left the kicker motor down, which acted like a kickstand and kep the boat very nearly upright. BOTH my West Marine automatic pumps had failed, for the same reason - faulty float switches. (I now have Rule pumps) I ended up rewiring the boat and ultimately replacing the fuel tank.

The moral of the story: Make sure you're redundantly redundant with your pumps.