Page 57 - Lady Bass Digital Magazine Stelly Special Ed 2022

with just a quarter turn or so. The base will be attached to the hull, so it will stay in
place.
6. Take the portion of the pump you just removed and twist the top counterclockwise
until the top comes out of the lower housing. Clean out the inside of both pieces until
they are completely free of debris. Cut out any fishing line using your scissors.
7. Carefully inspect the pump’s impeller: if it’s cracked, swollen, or broken in any way, the
bilge pump will need to be replaced. (A swollen pump is a sign it was on too long with
no water and it overheated.)
8. Use your wet/dry vac, vacuum out the bilge area, including in and around the strainer
base of the bilge pump.
9. In a sink or tub, rinse the inside of the bilge pump (top and bottom) with vinegar to remove any mold, mil-
dew or sediment that may have accumulated there. A scrub brush – or even an old toothbrush – can help
clean the crevices. Then rinse the pump with clean water, taking care to keep the wires and connector dry.
10. Apply a thin coat of grease to the O-ring seal inside the pump. Then, put the two halves of the pump back
together. They should lock together with a small clockwise twist.
11. Put the pump back in its strainer base and lock it in with a clockwise quarter-turn. Make sure the pump is
oriented as it was before; otherwise, the discharge hose may be difficult or impossible to connect. Remem-
ber to refer to your initial photo to help with the orientation.
12. Put the clamp over the discharge hose and reconnect the hose to the pump. Tighten down the hose clamp
good and snug, but not so tight that it crushes the outlet connection of the pump. Give the pump and bilge
area a good visual inspection to confirm that everything is in order, then reconnect the pump’s wire con-
nector to the boat’s wiring harness.
13. Test your work before closing up the access panel.

If this just sounds like more than you want or are willing to do, then take your boat to your local dealer or re-
pair shop and they can do this for you.

Lady Bass Anglers Association 57