Labor Day 2018 Lake Michigan
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 9:41 am
I went trailer camping and boating in Ludington, Michigan, [the] last week [of August] before the [September 3, 2018] Labor Day holiday. After arriving at the wonderful Ludington State Park on Sunday [August 26, 2018], I launched the 150 Montauk at Hamlin Lake, and I tied-off the boat at the boardwalk. Then 9-inches of rain fell.
On Monday [August 27, 2018] the weather was not good for boating. The boat’s the automatic bilge pump kept up [with the rain]. For 45 minutes or so we took out the boat out.
On Monday night another 6-inches of rain fell.
On Tuesday [August 28, 2018] morning I found the boat full of water. A very small stick and debris caused the pump to fail.
On Tuesday night we had another 8-inches of rain, tornados, and high winds. I saw cars flattened by limbs and fallen trees. Fourteen camper trailers got tumbled over at a dealer. It was scary and loud, but we survived with exception of a slight dent in the roof of our camper from a small branch that fell.
By morning, many tent campers and many pop-up trailer campers had left. Luckily nobody got hurt in this large campground. With the power off and therefore no bathrooms and no water many people left.
Thursday and Friday [August 30 and 31, 2018] were beautiful and we had a good time with friends on Lake Hamlin.
I was able to find a new pump (with built-in switch) in "Floodington" as we called it now. This pump happened to be an exact duplicate of the 10 year old Attwood Sahara 1100 bilge pump I had. How to wire [the new pump] was no question for me.
I had no tools—just my Leatherman and a multi-function screwdriver.
I cut out the old pump.
I stripped [insulation from electrical wires] and connected [the wires]. I used electrical tape [on the stripped wire connections]. I stuck the [stripped, connected, and taped wires] high up against the inside transom.
The wires were zip tied back and forth and originally were in the small bilge area where they could get wet. I need to redo these connections properly and making them water tight. I do have heat-shrink but soldering and using that doesn't really make them water tight.
I'm glad to have fixed the pump.
On Monday [August 27, 2018] the weather was not good for boating. The boat’s the automatic bilge pump kept up [with the rain]. For 45 minutes or so we took out the boat out.
On Monday night another 6-inches of rain fell.
On Tuesday [August 28, 2018] morning I found the boat full of water. A very small stick and debris caused the pump to fail.
On Tuesday night we had another 8-inches of rain, tornados, and high winds. I saw cars flattened by limbs and fallen trees. Fourteen camper trailers got tumbled over at a dealer. It was scary and loud, but we survived with exception of a slight dent in the roof of our camper from a small branch that fell.
By morning, many tent campers and many pop-up trailer campers had left. Luckily nobody got hurt in this large campground. With the power off and therefore no bathrooms and no water many people left.
Thursday and Friday [August 30 and 31, 2018] were beautiful and we had a good time with friends on Lake Hamlin.
I was able to find a new pump (with built-in switch) in "Floodington" as we called it now. This pump happened to be an exact duplicate of the 10 year old Attwood Sahara 1100 bilge pump I had. How to wire [the new pump] was no question for me.
I had no tools—just my Leatherman and a multi-function screwdriver.
I cut out the old pump.
I stripped [insulation from electrical wires] and connected [the wires]. I used electrical tape [on the stripped wire connections]. I stuck the [stripped, connected, and taped wires] high up against the inside transom.
The wires were zip tied back and forth and originally were in the small bilge area where they could get wet. I need to redo these connections properly and making them water tight. I do have heat-shrink but soldering and using that doesn't really make them water tight.
I'm glad to have fixed the pump.