While screwing into the fiberglass at the bottom of the keel can sometimes be "scarey" because you hate the diver (bottom cleaner) coming up and saying, "Hey, dude? Do you know you got two screws stickin' down out the bottom of your keel?"
Then you say like, "Oh, um, uh, the last guy that owned the boat did that. I think he drank a lot, you know? I'm going to fix that next time I haul it out."
The truth is, especially with the Rule
pumps, you only need screws about 5/8" (total) long to securely hold down a
pump. They won't go through. You can snap new
pumps into the plastic base over and over, and if that dies, use the same screw holes to mount a new
pump.
Leaving a
pump attached only to starboard amounts to leaving it almost loose in the bilge. A severe knockdown or wild rush through a violent squall can result in a
pump hung way up somewhere and out of play. Out of play until your engine suddenly shuts down and you realize your bilge is filled and water is sloshing on your electrics. This is particularly frightening at night and might result in the crew running in circles, waving their amrs over their heads and screaming, "OH MY GOD!!! WE'RE GONNA DIE!!!!
I do, however, mount my float switches on bent aluminum strapping, 1/8" x 1 1/2" and secure the top end of that to the engine beds or other high place that allows east replacement of the switch.
Bilgewater can stink. Get as much of it out as possible and don't provide a little crack/space under a piece of starboard to culivate some real stink, or living blob that crawls out at night and drinks your last beer.