Re: [Paddlewise] FW: Foot pumps

Philip;
I don't know of any kayak-specific electric pumps for sale in the US.  I
could well be wrong about this though.  I have two electric pumps.  One
was marketed by a kayak company (Eddyline) a number of years ago but is
no longer sold by them.  I could never find a place to mount it and I'm
a little nervous about fully trusting it because of its history.  It was
designed to mount in the boat and it has a rechargable battery pack. 
They stopped carrying them because of failures in the system.  The other
is a "D" cell operated pump that is self contained and simply sits in
the bottom of the kayak.  This pump is sold a number of places.  The
problem I have with it is that it is a bit too big to fit anywhere
comfortably in my English style boats.  I do use it when I paddle my
Feathercraft K-1 but I paddle that boat very rarely.  
I don't really know if they aren't sold much in the US because no one
ever buys them and it isn't cost effective or because of fear of legal
reprisals in the event of failure.  (We Americans are known for sueing
at the drop of a hat.)
I have purchased gear and had it sent to me from Australia before and
I'd be willing to order a good, small pump if you have a lead.  I'd
appreciate a lead if you have one.
A dependable electric pump would constitute the best of both worlds.  
Thanks
John Winskill

Philip Wylie wrote:

> John,
> 
> I most certainly respect your observations and experience and consequently
> I would ask of you, that in light of Laurie Ford's experiences as well
> as yours, why is it that an electric bilge pump fails to find popularity
> amongst North American Kayakers as it does in Australia, New Zealand and
> Tasmania?
> 
> Laurie Ford writes in his article on Electric Bilge Pumps  http://www.tassie.net.au/~lford/epumps.htm
> 
> "Back in 1979 it seemed to me that I needed some means of getting water out of a kayak, without taking my
> hands off my
> paddle. Back in those days there weren't many options of any sorts of pumps for kayaks. There was a hand pump
> which was
> fitted behind the cockpit, but which I considered fairly useless. I used to read about people demonstrating
> this sort of pump in a
> swimming pool - but that's not where I intended to do all my paddling. If conditions were so bad that I'd
> capsize in the first place,
> then I hardly thought I was going to get back in the kayak and start pumping out with one hand - I'd need both
> hands for
> supporting. I dismissed hand pumps as out of the question - despite world wide acceptance of them. There were
> some foot
> pumps about at that time - but they were only designed to remove dribbles of water that might get in through a
> spray deck....."
> 
> (From my Bass Strait Trip report)
> "Slept in and missed the last of the tide, so walked the full length of the beach to Stackies Bight, till
> 2.00pm when the tide was
> again in the right direction. Not that the tide would be much help, but at least it wouldn't be assisting the
> 25 - 30 knot winds
> that were still whipping up big seas from the west. Alf was a little doubtful that it was really suitable
> weather for rounding Cape
> Frankland, but after two nights in the caravan I felt I would get fat and lazy if I stayed another night. A
> couple of hours later I was
> regretting this decision, particularly as the forecast for the next day had been for moderating conditions.
> The seas off Cape
> Frankland were huge, there is no other word to describe it. I have been out in big seas off the south-west
> coast before, and tried
> out a 50 knot gale in Bass Strait off Low Head - but this was terrifying. The westerly gale was meeting a
> shallow bottom and a 6
> knot tide, and it took all my concentration to hang in there. At the bottom of the swells I was looking up a
> 60 degree mountain, a
> good 40 feet high, taking 8 to 10 paddle strokes to reach the top, then having the bow drop about 8 feet down
> the other side
> before hitting the water again. Usually about half-way up the slope the top would topple and a wall of white
> water would come
> careering down to check your upward rise, often flattening you along the rear deck. Progress was slow, it was
> imperative to
> keep at least half a mile off shore - any closer and the Longboat would have been fibreglass splinters amongst
> the breakers in
> the shallow water. I was sort of ferry-gliding along the shore, rounding up into the worst breakers, then
> bearing away again. I
> would have dearly loved to whip out the camera to photograph the conditions, but for three hours was not game
> to even take
> one hand off the paddle for more than a second, and then only to flick the pump switch on or off."
> 
> Try using a hand pump in these conditions!
> Laurie Ford
> 
> John, knowing that a foot pump would serve as great back up, why would an
> electric pump system not be considered the more right thing and more
> popular thing to do? Curious to know given the severity of conditions
> the ocean can dish out.
> 
> Best Regards,
> 
> Philip
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