I would add that if there is a bilge pump and one is keeping the boat on the water unattended for long periods, one should wire the automatic bilge pump connection outside of the master cutoff. There are separate wires on the bilge pump for manual switch operation vs automatic pump operation.
I was going to mention that too but didn't want overwhelm her with too much "advice". Sometimes that makes many people tune out.
But on the subject of bilge pumps:
1. If your little fishing boat has an outboard motor or is fiberglass or tight aluminium you likely don't have any thru-hull fittings below the water line. So little risk of sinking. It's just to keep the bilge dry in case of rain or condensation.
2. If you do want to keep a hot (fused wire to the bilge pump out of fear of too much water or sinking (say in a stern drive with the big through hull seal) you want a separate switched bilge pump. And then you might want to wire a piezo buzzer between the switch and pump to alert someone that the boat is taking on water. Otherwise, unless you are on shore power, the pump will run overnight and when the battery power runs out, the boat sinks anyways.
3. A friend of mine has bought a few brand new large yachts that sank at the dock for pennies on the dollar. One in particular was interesting. Dealer put the 60' boat in the water late in the afternoon, delivered it to the buyer's dock tied it up to the dock, hooked up shore power and left it there. Was going to return the next day to do the Customer Acceptance Inspection and sign the rest of the paperwork.
4. Delivery guy employee of the dealer connected shore power but later said it didn't seem switched on and nobody was home.
5. A brand new thru-hull fitting failed and the boat started taking on water. Bilge pumps kept it afloat for some time until the batteries died. The pumps were connected to only ONE of the starting batteries, not the House Bank.
6.Customer came out the next morning to find his boat listing over and 1/3 full of salt water. Only being supported/in equilibrium by the dock lines.
7. Big lawsuit between insurance companies ensued over whose boat it actually was. Still the Dealer's or delivered but not accepted by the buyer. Dealer's insurance obviously.
8. Insurance company insists on fixing it for $400k and Dealer says the buyer MUST take delivery of it when fixed.
9. Another lawsuit ensued. Guy said it's not my boat, and was so pissed that he sued the dealer for negligence and loss of enjoyment as the dealer arranged the financing and incremental deposits etc.
Boat was about US$1.5m and he got it for $150k. Spent about $200k to fix it and sold it for $900k, fully disclosing the history.
The bilge alarm on the panel was so small that it was only audible on the boat.
Cool story eh bro?
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