Rule Bait Pump Stops Flowing

[Maverick]

I just recently replaced my bait pump with a Rule Pump that i bought from West Marine. I installed the intake to a small hose approximately 6 inches that is attached to my thru hall. I have to remove the hose that attaches to my bait tank from the pump, dip the pump on a sideways angle and the water will begin flowing. I then attach the hose to my bait tank and everything is fine until i hit a large wake. The pump gets air in the line and i have to remove the hose and repeat the process. I have obviously mounted this pump incorrectly, can anybody give me the proper mounting instructions.

Thanks

Bart

[Chesapeakechuck]

I have a Rule 360 pump that keeps the swimmers a swiming. Rather than having it's intake hooked to a thru-hull fitting, I have installed the pump outside the boat, on the transom below the waterline-----in other words, the whole damned thing is submerged. This requires mounting a blue bracket (plastic, available at Boat U.S. or Westmarine for about 65 bucks, including the pump) to the stern of your boat similar to how you'd mount an external transducer. It works well and doesn't loose prime. If you hit a big wake while you're sitting still it'll suck a bit of air and make a wierd noise, but it will quickly regain prime and keep on pumpin without having to fiddle with it. I can send ya a pic tomorrow if it will help.. My feed to the baittank runs from the pump, over the transom and then directly into the tank. I suppose you could run the feed through some sort of thruhull that has a male end on both sides, but this set-up seems to do well. Incidentally, the pumps are cheap----just got a spare one that ran about 15 bucks---it's the bracket that's a bit expensive, but well worth the money if it keeps ya from having to screw with it everytime you hit a wake and suck some air.

[Eye Problem]

Can you shorten the hose? It sounds like your pump is above the water line. Thus turning it sideways brings it below the waterline. I have a thru hull with a sentry pump and have never lost prime. Mine also has a tee from the pump feeding my washdown pump which is self priming. So if it ever lost prime I can run the washdown for a second to prime the inlet. I think yours just needs to be lower to the thru hull.

[Maverick]

I can remove the hose from the in-take and screw the pump directly to the thru-hall. I will go ahead and give that a shot, before i try the outside mounting bracket solution.

Thanks

Bart

[Papa "J"]

aer the way to go...thewy may be a little noisy, but I had one of my crew leave the pump on from SI to my house in Serra Mesa, about a 20 min drive..& no problems, magnetic drive saved me from having to buy another pump.