New to boating

[anabolix]

Hey all, im new to boating and the whole scene, i was just wondering, to most of u it may sound like a really stupid question but do all boats need a bilge pump? are most fitted with them? also do i need to bung the hole that drains my live wells?

sorry for askin a stupid question, i just dont somehow wanna sink cause i CBF swimming :P

thank you

[tuckerboy]

You would have to give a better description of your boat. If the boat has a bilge you need a pump. If there is a way for unwanted water to enter your boat you need a way to plug it. There are no stupid questions.
There are some boats that have no bilge at all but have the area between the deck and hull completely sealed and filled with foam. If such a boat had wide scuppers to allow any water to drain quickly, almost instantly, you might get by without a bilge pump. There are not many boats that fit that description. Like I said, you need to describe your boat. Happy New Year.

[bumperfood]

If your boat has a hole (drainhole) at the bottom of the transom in the centreline of the boat and it is beneath what would be the waterline if the boat were in the water then a bilge pump of some sort is in order. An electric one is nice but not necessary, manual bilge pumps work fine. The expandaple plug that fits into the hole is often not 100% water tight. Many if not all states require that you carry a bailing bucket as part of the safety equipment on board your boat. A bailing bucket can be as simple as cutting the bottom out of an old bleach bottle or the like.

The hole that drains your livewells needs to have a removable plug, even if you just use it for storage.