A bilge pump is an essential piece of boating equipment. When shopping for a new boat, take the time to compare the bilge-pump installations aboard the boats on your short list. I have found this to be a good barometer of the overall care a boatbuilder takes in rigging and equipping a new boat. While there’s more to a great bilge-pump installation than just what’s here, check out the following tips.

Accessible
American Boat and Yacht Council standards require the pump be accessible to remove debris or clean its intake screen. This seems logical, but I have found that it is less common than logic — and ABYC compliance — suggests.

Basic rules:
Sidelights are red (port) and green (starboard) and shine from dead ahead to 112.5° aft on either side.
Stern lights are white and shine aft and 67.5° forward on each side. (Thus, the sidelights and stern light create a full circle of light.)
All-round lights are white and shine through 360°.
Masthead lights are white and shine from 112.5° on the port side through dead ahead to 112.5° on the starboard side. They must be above the sidelights.