I've completed a prototype for the breath-powered pump, and tested it in the bathtub (yes, another use for a bathtub). The pump works brilliantly! I managed to pump 19 liters a minute, even while out of breath after some serious exercise. Of course a bath-tub-test is no real-life bailing condition, but lets say I will manage 15 liters per minute in real life. I think that passes most foot- and handpumps. I will go ahead and install it in my boat. For those interested in the design: The pump house is a PVC drainpipe, 12 cm diameter, 30 cm length, closed at both ends. This makes a container of 3 liters. This pipe is laying flat behind the seat in my boat. The pipe fills with water from the cockpit through 5 holes, 22 mm diameter. With a strip of soft vinyl covering the holes, I made one-way valves. Once the pipe is filled, I pressurize it by blowing on a 12 mm gardenhose. This pressure pushes out the water through a 25 mm hose. When the pump is completely submerged, it fills with water in 2 seconds. It takes 5 seconds to blow the water out. When the pump is not submerged, it will not fill spontaniously. Maybe I'll have to suck the air out, but I hope that pushing my sprayskirt will do the trick. In my "humble" opinion, I created a serious alternative to foot-, hand and electric pumps. Anybody who wants to pay me a million dollars for the design is quite welcome. Anybody who likes the idea and wants to create his own for his own kayak is also welcome, although not quite as much. Niels. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Dec 11 2001 - 01:26:52 PST
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