I'm impressed with two things about the suggestion: The pump itself and the color of the double. I may steal that color scheme, as it gives the "dayglo" color effect when you need it most--when capsized. The pumps y'all use are probably similar to submersible pumps available as outdoor pond units. I've used them for other things, and they'd be useful for kayaks as well. They are available from places like Lowe's and Home Depot, as well as aquarium and garden supply sources. Be sure you're getting one that operates on DC power, rather than AC. I seem to remember they aren't too expensive. Get a 6-volt gel-cell battery (such as Yuasa brand). Your yellow pages will list "battery dealers, retail". $6 US. Your hardware store will sell silicone "milk tubing" for the drain, as well as an inline filter for the intake. Fine screen mesh should work well. Get some RTV or silicone to glob on the terminals of the battery and pump (as Andrew suggests) Wynne Americus, GA USA At 02:55 PM 4/28/98 +1000, you wrote: > >The Tasmanians have been using electric bilge pumps for decades. They only >insulate one terminal of the battery, with BluTak (or however you spell >it). Seawater is not sufficiently conductive to pose the threat of electric >shock. The pumps are _designed_ to be submersible in seawater. The switch >is usually the weak link. Buy a good marine switch from a marine electrician. > >The Rule pumps are available up to 1100 (US) gallons per hour - that's 3700 >litres per hour - enough to empty your cockpit in less than two minutes! >The 350 gph (100 litre per hour) model is the most popular. People most >usually power them from a 3 Ah 12 V gel-cell. That's enough stored charge >to empty your cockpit about two dozen times over. > >Through-the-hull fittings and spiral tubing are available from your nearest >ships chandler, anywhere in the world. Weight of a complete pump system is >about a kilogram (35 ounces). > >I saw one in action in a tide rip last year. There was five knots of tide >opposed by 25 knots of wind. The pump was truly impressive in such hairy >conditions! We just slipped the paddler back in his boat (could not empty >the boat because of the weight of the load and because of 1.5 metre - five >foot - standing waves), put his skirt on and flipped the switch. He was out >of trouble in under two minutes. > >See Jeff Jennings' picture of a typical installation at: >http://www.vision.net.au/~jennings/gear/gear.html <snip> Wynne Americus, GA USA *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Apr 28 1998 - 15:53:14 PDT
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