RE: [Paddlewise] Electric Bilge Pumps

I have a Rule 1100 mounted in my CD Storm.  I put it behind the seat.  I use
a 7 amp-hour gel cell battery.  Based on the amp-hour capacity of the
battery, the current draw of the pump and a fudge factor just because I
expect the battery could last for about 3 hours of use before it needed to
be recharged.  I have used it extensively when I was practicing self rescue
and learning to roll, these were far more intensive use than I would expect
to need in real situations and I never depleted the battery.  My battery is
about the size of two video cassettes, smaller and lower capacity batteries
are available.

I have had lots of problems with the switch getting water in it and failing.
My latest attempt is to coat the switch body with two layers of silicone and
to seal around the switch lever with silicone grease and a boot from the
switch manufacturer.  The last attempt was just sealing at the cracks on the
switch and using the boot, that failed after a couple of months of
intermittent use.  The mounting location for the switch is an issue. While I
am experimenting I Have kept the switch mounted under the spray skirt on the
side of the seat, a protected out of the way location.  When I am satisfied
this will all work consistently I will take the suggestion of the one of
south pacific subscribers and mount the switch on my foredeck with a
protective shroud. 

The other problem with the electric pump is that the Rule 1100 loses suction
with about 3/4 inch of water in the bilge.  That is enough water to make the
boat noticably less stable. OTOH, it talks less of my energy to pump the
boat with the switch and supplement with the hand pump than to hand pump the
whole cockpit dry.  This may be amenable to a fix with creative
fiberglassing or the use of a pump that will take a pickup hose like I have
seen with foot operated pumps.

Dana Dickson

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
[mailto:owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net]
Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 1999 12:24 PM
To: paddlewise-digest_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subject: PaddleWise V1 #357



Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 06:52:32 EST
From: JCMARTIN43_at_aol.com
Subject: [Paddlewise] Electric bilge pumps

We've kicked this issue around on Paddlewise in the past, and I think I
remember that it was our folks in OZ and Kiwi-land who'd done the most work
on
mounting small electric pumps in kayaks.  Maybe not.  Just looking for some
ideas.

I'm in the last steps prior to installing the deck panels on a Chesapeake
Light Craft (CLC) North Bay, and wanted to stop to consider mounting a Rule
or
other small pump and battery pack in the boat while it's still workable.
Any
suggestions, pro or con, and, if pro, which pump and ways in which it can be
most effectively installed?  How big a battery pack?  What kind?  How to
install a switch and where ... foot operated or thru-deck?  A caution: any
post-installation maintenance is going to require going into the aft
compartment through a 4.5" diameter access plate in the rear bulkhead, and
replacement battery packs are going to have to live with that restriction,
as
well.  This is a new, low volume "Greenland" style boat at CLC, and the
maneuvering room inside the hull, once the deck goes on and the ring nails
go
in and the epoxy cooks off, is extremely limited.

With those caveats, any ideas?

Jack Martin

------------------------------

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
***************************************************************************