Re: [Paddlewise] FW: Foot pumps

John,

The 'RULE 1000 GPH Bilge Pump which I bought at Hunter's RV & Marine
should be easily available at most marine dealers.
I paid $55.00 if I recall. Here are the specifications for the
pump:


FULL FLOW PERFORMANCE =  1000 Gallons/Hour  16.7 Gallons/Minute
3Ft. Head                 700 Gallons/Hour  11.7 Gallons/Minute
12 Volt at 4 amps -  five amp fuse- requiring 16 gauge stranded wire.  
Fittings required 1 1/8th" Hose, two hose clamps, 11/8" thu-hull fitting.

It is designed with a water cooled motor thereby reducing operating temperatures-overheating is one of the
major causes of pump failure.
Also features a non-airlocking mechanism- which helps eliminate
the number one problem of all centrifugal-type pumps.

In addition to the RULE 1000 Pump, I also have a RULE model 35
Automatic Float switch which automatically activates the pump
and a manuel overide on/off automatic controll as well which 
features an LED indicator. So then, the electric pump becomes
your primary line of defence to combat flooding. A manuel back
up system (still nice to have a contingency) would be secondary. 

Hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Philip

______________________________________________________________________
	

John C. Winskill wrote:
> 
> 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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