[scook]

Welcome Twisted. You have no idea what a great bunch of characters are on this site. I'm pretty busy, so I don't post much, but I'm working on that and I check in often to restore a little sanity (woah, what's that say about me?)

About the pump(s) - I have two, one automatic with a manual override and one straight manual. The automatic is the solid state kind (no moving parts) and it seems to work OK.

I learned a couple of things reading this thread:

One (not suprisingly from MJ) about blocking them up - with any luck, I hope to have some fish scales to rinse off the deck, and I don't need a plugged up pump. On my '85, the deck "self bailes" by draining into the bilge, so the pump actually does the bailing.

The other is hooking them direct to different batteries.

Yes you want two batteries, battery #2 saved a day of boating when #1 decided it wasn't going to start the engine. I also like my installed smart charger - I plug it in when the boat's on the trailer and it maintains the batteries.

Absolutely take the boating course - Coast Guard Aux. or Power Squadron (call the Coast Guard or a local community college if you don't find one another way).

It's a great boat - hope you enjoy it.