Section 4 • Bilge & Underwater Gear; Bilge; Fuel And Oil Spillage; Drain Plug - Sea Ray 185 Sport Owner's Manual

S
ECTION
1. B
ILGE
A. F O S
UEL AND IL PILLAGE
Regulations prohibit discharging fuel or oily waste
in navigable waters. Discharge is defined as any
action which causes a film, sheen or discoloration
on the water surface, or causes a sludge or emulsion
beneath the water surface. A common violation is
bilge discharge. Use rags or sponges to soak up fuel
or oily waste, then dispose of them properly ashore.
If there is much fuel or oil in the bilge, contact a
knowledgeable marine service to remove it. Never
pump contaminated bilge water overboard.
Fill fuel tank to less than rated capacity. Allow for
fuel expansion.
B. D P
RAIN LUG
! DANGER
Install and tighten drain plug before launching boat.
Boat will sink if drain plug is not in place and tight.
The bottom of the engine compartment is called
the "bilge". It is the lowest and inner part of the hull.
Water and other liquids will collect there.
After removing your boat from the water, unthread
the drain plug to drain the bilge (Fig. 4.1.1).
D P
RAIN LUG
(F . 4.1.1)
IG
TRANSOM HULL
URETHANE
CAULK
185 Sport
4 • B
ILGE
GARBOARD
DRAIN

DRAIN PLUG

& U
NDERWATER
C. B P
ILGE UMP
SINKING HAZARD – Ensure the bilge pumps are
operating properly.
Run bilge pumps in the manual position only as
long as necessary to remove water. Running bilge
pumps dry can damage the pump motor.
A bilge pump and float switch are located in the
bottom of the bilge (see Fig. 4.7.1). The bilge pump
can be manually activated from the switch located
on the Switch Panel at the helm.
Before starting the engine, push up on the bilge
pump switch so that the switch light comes ON.
Make sure the pump is working by opening the
engine compartment, listening to hear the pump
running and checking to see that liquid is being
pumped out from the bilge pump through hull
discharge (See Fig. 2.6.1). If the bilge has more
liquid than normal, see Maintenance Section for
locating and correcting the problem.
Except for checking the operation of the bilge pump
by using the ON position, leave the switch in the
OFF (AUTO) position. In the OFF (AUTO) position,
when the bilge liquid is deep enough to activate the
float switch, the bilge pump turns on and pumps
out the bilge liquid until the float switch drops and
shuts off the pump.
B P
ILGE UMP AND
(F . 4.1.2)
IG

BILGE PUMP

G
EAR
! WARNING
! CAUTION
F S
LOAT WITCH
LOCK TAB
FLOAT SWITCH
KNOB TO MANUALLY TEST
FLOAT SWITCH AND PUMP
4.1