Thank you everyone. Decided to do the easy stuff first...
I took the cap off the wake plate reservoir and found a cut red wire. Also, the wiring was being pinched by the cover so I rerouted the wires properly and butt connected the red wire and siliconed the butt connection to waterproof it. the wake plate now moves as it should but the indicator doesn't! I wonder why the red wire was cut, it looks like someone cut it with a wire cutter. It wasn't cut due to the pinch.
Anyway the new bilge pump also works fine, the old one was just gummed up. Tried just plugging it in and it worked fine. Now getting to the bottom of the bilge with my hands twsted between the engine belt is going to stink. It looks like the bottom part of the bilge pump casing is glued to the floor, not screwed...is that common? I may just try to use the old base and snap in the new upper pump casing and screen. All I'd have to do then is connect the drain tube.
Still haven't gotten to test the ballast valves for a leak, but I'll troubleshoot tomorrow.
Glad I'm making some progress!
Thanks again for your advice and responses.