Great input on the recent pump question(Water puppy, Simer, or Aerators) heres 2 more: <BR>1)What size and type hosing did you use, and does anyone have ideas where to get good pricing (the depot is pricey) 2)For the thru-hull intake I've seen the scoop and the mushroom used. I'm tempted to use the mushroom to lessen the pressure when already filled, but concerned it might not get enough water feed if trying to fill when in motion. Any input on best approach?

Hose size depends on the lengths of your runs and pump capacities, but bigger is always better. Based on my SOTP engineering, if your pumps are over about 800 gph, use 1". Below 800 gph, you can probably get away with 3/4". <BR> <BR>Aerator pumps need the scoop and shutoff valve(s), reversing impeller pumps need the mushroom.

Like Trace says, stay big if you can.I used 1 1/4" hose as it fits over 1" pvc pipe, 1" pvc pipe is the same I.D. as the pump... <BR> <BR>I have no scoop, my forward sacs are very low and fill by themselves...I don't fill while running, no need with quick fill times...I then just close my main ball valve...

If you go Simer you'll have no need of going any larger than 5/8" id hose. The system will only fill as fast as the narrowest flow point will let it, and the id of the Simer pumps is 5/8". I used a two pump system on my old boat and ran 3/4" id throughout. On my new boat I installed the 5/8" id and the fill/drain times are no longer than the old system. <BR> <BR>As far as hose, I would use a nice heavy duty garden hose. They don't kink, they are extremely durable, and their cheap in comparison to other types of hose. Simer's are designed to be used with garden hoses', and you can find 99% of the fittings you need in the garden section of your local hardware store. The best reason to go this route, you can buy everything you need at a fraction of what you will spend in the plumbing section or at a marine store. <BR> <BR>Just to clarify for those who tend to skim through posts. My opinions on hose size and style are based purely with a Simer system in mind. I have no experience with any other style of self priming pumps. <BR> <BR>As for the intake, I would use the scupper style regardless of your choice on pumps. They help to prime faster on aerators and insure plenty of volume for the self priming styles.

Aerator system here. <BR>I think its 1 1/4" or 1 1/2". scoop the intake for a couple reasons. 1. priming the pumps 2. you can flip a valve and fill on the fly w/out running the pumps. <BR> <BR>Mushroom style would benefit reversible pumps as there would be less water pressure to pump against if the boat was moving. <BR> <BR>Hose: I got lucky. 50' braided 1" ID on ebay for like 25$. I like braided because you can run figure 8's around your boat and it will not kink. and believe me, this is nice when your snaking the hose from your bilge up to your front sacs, for example. 1" ID fits over rule 1100s perfectly.

My assumption was that with Simers you'd be draining back through the scupper, and in that case it would drain slower underway due to backpressure, but the difference would probably be negligible. If you're diverting drain water elsewhere, scupper would be preferable with either type of pumps. <BR> <BR>Simers can generate much higher pressure (like 30-40 psi) than aerators, so you can indeed get by with smaller hose.

My boat had a mushroom fitting on an unused thru hull, it works great with aerators or impeller pumps. It is so far below the waterline that there is no problem priming an aerator pump. I use a Rule 2000 gph fill pump on a 1" thru hull, it works fine. <BR> <BR>The trick with ballast systems is getting the drain pumps to prime;) Without jumping on bags while sitting at the ramp!

Most ballast bags now have a low side attachment value, which you would just keep an extra pump there for emptying. Like this... <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/354219.jpg" alt="Upload">