Bilge Pumps

[MaceSwinger]

I'm trying to expand my knowledge a little, and I've been browsing boats as I often do.

I've noticed one a couple that they seem to have a manual bilge pump. Is it normal for a boat to have both a manual bilge pump and an electric one? Or is it likely that the boat with a manual pump will not have an electric one. Or it may be that the manual pump (pictured below) isn't actually a bilge pump at all.

Apologies for a very general question, and I understand if there's not an easy answer (which I'm sort of expecting!) but I'm eager to learn more about boats and their systems and now seems as good a time as any! 

The pump in question:

 

[Vaughan]

This has to do with EC regulations, which require a manual bilge pump for certain categories.

On the waterways in France, we have negotiated an exclusion from this.

[MaceSwinger]

6 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

This has to do with EC regulations, which require a manual bilge pump for certain categories.

So the likelihood is that this pump is supplemental to an electric one?

[Regulo]

I fitted a manual pump to my boat alongside the electric one - belt and braces, if you like. It's quite an eye-opener to see just how much water these hand pumps can shift.

[Regulo]

As an aside, when I fitted mine, I teed it into the existing discharge line from the electric pump, then couldn't fathom why it wasn't pumping overboard. Of course, you need a non-return valve on the outlet from the electric pump, otherwise you just re-circulate water back through there. I decided a y-diverter valve was a better solution, so that was my arrangement.

[annv]

Hi It has to have a fixed electric pump,  a hand operated fixed pump and depending on size of boat a portable pump usely a electric one this is to conform with the CE desertification i went through all this when i registered my new build you should also have a sign saying how many people along with luggage weight prominently fixed along with two certificate no plates one prominently and one hidden often under the battery, i guess your boat is less than ten years old. now we are out of EU this will still be required so you can sell your boat if it doesn't have a registration you cant sell it fr five years. John

[MaceSwinger]

@annvJohn, wow, thanks very much for that, it answers just about all the questions I had about bilge pumps for now!

[ranworthbreeze]

Usually a manual bilge pump pumps out water from a lower level than the float switch activated automatic pump can operate from. It does in our case, one manual pump, a forward and aft  automatic bilge pumps. 

Regards

Alan

[ChrisB]

I have always had both on my sea going boats. But the fastest mover of water is a man with a bucket on a sinking boat.

[MaceSwinger]

3 minutes ago, ChrisB said:

But the fastest mover of water is a man with a bucket on a sinking boat.

Nothing works faster than a human with the correct 'motivation'.