I am going through the wiring on my '85 Mark Twain, and will be adding a second bilge pump wired direct to battery with float switch.

The existing one is an Attwood V750, which miraculously still works. It is disassembled and soaking to clean the years of grime and oil out. I don't think the bilge has been cleaned in 20 years. That is on the list too.

What bilge pump can I buy today that will hold up as well as the old Attwood?

Have used rule pumps for years with very little problems.
1 is none
2 is one

Run the 2000 gph and 3700gph.
Being on rivers that get really rough i want the ability to get the water out fast.

I will definitely keep the Rule stuff at the top of the list then. The plan is to have the float run a buzzer and the new bilge pump. If the buzzer stays on, I will then know there is an issue. The switched, existing pump will be a backup like you recommended. That said, it is a 17' boat, so even1000 gpm might be overkill, but if you get swamped you want the water out ASAP.

Thanks for the insight!

Dad and i darn near died from a swamped boat coming back from moose hunting.
Even with the two pumps it would have happened. Would have needed much bigger pumps.

That would be sketchy. I have given this boat a decent 'sea trial' and it doesn't have any issues cutting the big surf boat wakes.

It *should* have solid buoyancy, and is foamed more than most boats of its age. The floor is getting removed this winter (rotting) and we'll make sure plenty of buoyancy is put back in.

It is a sterndive, though, and there is something about having a giant hole in the transom that makes me want dual bilge pumps.

Rule and Attwood both make pretty good pumps.

<-- Installs a few dozen a year.

A lot of people up here have a aluminum splashwell box built so the water does not have a straight shot into the boat.

Boat we almost died in was a 96 or 97 alumaweld 18ft intruder boat.
Upgraded to a 22ft pacific skiff.

Any recommendations on float switches? Guarded vs unguarded?

I am working on 'plumbing' my bilge air intake/exhausts, and will be ordering new fittings for the bilge outlets shortly. The existing through hull is white plastic, there is no way I'll match it, stainless looks better, and I definitely don't trust 35 year old plastic to not break and pump water all over the engine bay at an inopportune time.

The factory setup uses the corrugated thin plastic bilge tube, and I'm thinking about switching to clear rubber for better pumping efficiency. We'll see.

On top of that, new seat backing (HDPE), putting the outdrive back together, and a new floor with sythetic teak after this season. Boats, man.

A guarded float will prevent debris from lodging under the float keeping the pump on

when not needed. I've found quite a few beer caps, wine corks, lime rinds and things in general

wedged under un guarded floats.

Nothing wrong with the white plastic thru-hulls if you replace them every 10 years or so.

I don't like them under the waterline, but for bilge/livewell outlets they are fine.

Nothing wrong with the corregated bilge hose either. Clear vinyl hose won't hold up to

oils/chemicals and heat you find in a bilge and will become hard and very stiff within a few years.

ETA- A couple pro tips..

Mount the bilge pump and float on an aluminum strap 3 inches or so wide. Bend strap

so it conforms to the hull and up one of the stringers. Mount strap

to top of a stringer with a couple stainless screws.  Silicone the screws so water doesn't

penetrate into the stringer. This makes servicing the pump/float easy by removing the screws and lifting/sliding the whole assembly

out for service.

The corregated bilge hose also conforms to USCG/ NMMA fire ratings. Clear vinyl hose does not.

Thanks for the info, I will keep all that in mind. I like the idea of having it mounted that way and easy to remove.

I love this old boat, and it rides amazing for how light it is, and ultimately it was cheap horsepower. But the next one will have no wood in it and be an outboard.