Electric raw water pump??

I am faced with replacing my pump fpr my westerbeke w70 - Sherwood R105. By the time I get the rebuild kit and the shaft I have just about bought a new one.

Just thinking, if I match the pump specs, I could use a electric water pump - I would not have to worry about belts/belt dust, belt tension...

Tell me why this is a stupid idea? Stupid yes because a quality electric pump would cost as much or more as a Sherwood unit - Oh, of course the new 20 amp circuit I would have to run too.

Hell, its a boat -

 

Actually it is not such a bad idea at all.
The electric pump can be located where it is most convenient. Life expectancy is very good because there is less bearing wear (no belt).

The only con is that if it dies, it does so suddenly and you cannot improvise something to get it going again, so you'll need a spare one.

 

...you can have the shaft metal sprayed and ground for a fraction of the cost of a new one, it is about $80 here.

 

I looked at a boat with a small one cylinder diesel belt drive AC generator that was equipped that way. It had a 120 volt centrifugal pump installed for raw water cooling. It was one of the water cooled type pumps that looks like a plastic brick that is submersible. Nice pump to use since the impeller doesn't die from age every couple of years

It would need to be set-up so it can only run when the generator does. Most generator installations use a can type lift muffler with an outlet higher than the generator engine exhaust manifold. Generator engine combustion gases are required to push water out of the muffler. If the pump ran when while the generator engine was stopped it could fill it with water.

Also about every third generator I look at in a sound shield is badly corroded from the raw water pump seal leaking )out of sight out of mind). Remote mounting an AC electric pump would eliminate that particular issue.