How to Couple a Boating Bilge Hose to a Boat

By keeping the water to a minimum in a boat's bilge, the lowest compartment on a boat, it makes the boat more stable when sailing. This requires a hose to connect the pump to a special fitting. This fitting allows the pumping of water out of the bilge using the bilge pump. Making the connection between a boat's bilge pump and the through-hull fitting used to pump the bilge water "over the side" isn't a massive job. The job will require you to perform physical labor and make a judgment call on the route the hose will follow.

Things You'll Need

  • Screwdriver
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Instructions

    • 1

      Loosen the hose clamp over the bilge pump end of the hose, using a screwdriver. Push the hose onto the nipple-like end of the pump's discharge outlet. Slide the hose clamp over the end of the bilge pump outlet, to compress the hose to the pump outlet. Tighten the hose clamp to squeeze the hose against the discharge outlet.

    • 2

      Move the discharge end of the hose to the through-hull discharge fitting. Because through-hull fittings increase the friction loss in the bilge pump's pumping capacity, use the most direct route to the through-hull fitting as possible.

    • 3

      Loosen the hose clamp on the through-hull end of the hose. Fit the end of the hose around the discharge vent pipe on the through-hull fitting. Slide the hose clamp into position so that when tightened, it will compress the hose against the discharge vent pipe. Tighten the hose clamp snugly.