Best material for bilge pump hose?

[Maestro]

All of the bilge pump, sink drain, and scupper drain hoses on my boat are in need of replacement this spring.

Anyone have a material that they like better than the typical corrugated plastic hose? All of my current bilge pump hoses are of this material and I found cracks in several places.

I feel like the braided/reinforced vinyl tubing available at most hardware stores might be a better choice. Thoughts?

[jralbert]

Your friendly neighborhood boat store can help you here. Just two cents worth from here: You are right on not wanting the corrugated hose on your bilge pump output. Tests long have shown that the corrugation is a big drag on the output capability of the pump. Use smooth stuff here. The sink drains (and other drains not under pressure) don't have to be reinforced hose - there's little strain on them and I wouldn't use corrugated here, either because it might trap some food particles and create some slime over time (rhyme unintended).

[bcassedy]

I actually replaced my aft bilge hose this past season. I used the braided/reinforced hose just as a precaution (you don't get the moniker "Overkill Bill" from family for nuthin'!! ). What bothered me, both with the reinforced and what I perceived would be even a greater potential for non-braided/reinforced hose, was the fact that the hose seemed to flatten as it made a bend near the hull's fitting. I opted to use a couple of pieces of 3/4" plastic Schedule 40 pipe glued (welded?) into a 45 degree female fitting. This gave me the opportunity to use a long enough section of pipe on both ends to double clamp the hose to the pipe. Ensures there won't be a slip off of the hose and having the bilge pump just pump water back into the bilge.

Bill

[GB49]

Check this site. Lots of info on bilge pump install.

http://www.chipford.com/bilge_pump.htm

He is using the same hose that I currently have on all my pumps. Ribbed on outside, smooth inside. Works well.

[Maestro]

GB - any idea on the brand of that bilge hose? The site doesn't seem to mention that. Excellent reference page though.

[GB49]

West Marine has it. Probably find it online too.

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/shields-r ... 33_001_011