Manual Hand Bilge Pumps

Fire99

Fire99

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Evening folks,

My manual bilge pump, though attractive (in a classic way) appears to be about as old as the boat... OLD! and more importantly, doesn't work.

Can anyone recommend a reasonable fixed hand pump that I can mount in one of the cockpit lockers. I've seen them from around 20 -30 quid but are there any which forum members have found favourable?

She's only 23ft and distance from bilge to pump is about 8ft or so, so it doesn't need to be anything special.

As ever, thanks in advance.

Nik
 
Try a google for the Whale Gusher brand of bilge pumps;long lasting and reliable with virtually no maintenance for years, and then generally replacement valve rubbers.
Not cheap but durable items. Those I've used need no priming and are very efficient indeed.

ianat182
 
Thanks for that.

The Gusher Urchin looks like it might do the trick. Good to know spares are available, and a 5 year warranty is never a bad thing..
 
Most diaphragm bilge pump designs haven't changed in a long time. Perhaps you can still get spares for the existing one?

Or perhaps it pre-dates diaphragm pumps?

Pete
 
Bilge pump

I am inclined to suggest that if it is not a diaphragm type then throw it away. If it is a diaphragm type then as said you may be able to get spares. There are 2 rubber valves in the pump and the diaphragm. Unless it is double acting.in which case 4 valves. Open it up and all will be obvious especially the condition of the diaphragm.
I can't help thinking that 8 ft presumably about 4 ft of height is a long lift for the diaphragm type pump. It will take some pumping to get it primed and working. You may be far better off fitting it down stairs closer to the bilge. Although for a small boat it is said that nothing beats a frightened man with a bucket. So for my 21fter I don't have a bilge pump. Never needed one despite having 2 in the shed. Safety regs here both Govmt and Yachting Assn. allow for bucket for small boats. good luck olewill
 
William_H said:
Although for a small boat it is said that nothing beats a frightened man with a bucket. So for my 21fter I don't have a bilge pump. Never needed one despite having 2 in the shed. Safety regs here both Govmt and Yachting Assn. allow for bucket for small boats. good luck olewill
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My experience is that this is far from true, although the companionway sill on my 34 may be somewhat higher than yours. My boat was partly flooded and at the time I had no pump that could empty the saloon sole, which was where the water was. Emptying with a bucket was extremely strenuous, and although I was a good deal younger then, there is no way I could have emptied a bigger flood than we had using that method.

I subsequently wrote an article for YM about the emergency bilge pump that I fitted after the incident. The main point is that having done a few calculations it was clear that you could need to pump for an hour to empty my boat, with the water below locker lid level. The main requirement is therefore that the pump be fitted at around waist height so that it can be operated standing up, using the legs for power, as efficiently as possible.

I chose a Whale Gusher 10 for mine and fortunately have never needed to use it.
 
Thanks for the info, guys.

Firstly, nope it's not a diaphragm pump, it looks more like a sump pump but is extremely old (probably about 40 years) and does precisely nothing :-) so it's going up as an antique at the next boat jumble. haha

I certainly can't get by with a bucket. The bilge in my boat would probably only fit a 1pt jug so i'll be damned if i'm bailing out that slowly.

And thanks for the last post re: Patay pumps. I've actually ordered a 'Gusher' now but fortunately it's not vastly dearer than the Patay.
 
Fire99 said:
Firstly, nope it's not a diaphragm pump, it looks more like a sump pump but is extremely old (probably about 40 years) and does precisely nothing :-)
Click to expand...

Ah. Probably dried out leather washers on the piston, no longer making a seal in the barrel. Best got shot of :)

Pete
 
prv said:
Ah. Probably dried out leather washers on the piston, no longer making a seal in the barrel. Best got shot of :)

Pete
Click to expand...

Think you're right Pete. Kinda sad in an odd way. Sounds very 'classic' having leather washers etc.. That said, the nostalgia trip would be short lived if my boat was full of water and it wouldn't pump.
 
I just replaced a Henderson Mk5 with the new version (made by Whale), which was fitted new to the boat in 1963. It still worked, but the body had corroded and it was leaking. As it is the outlet pump for the heads this was a matter of urgency!! The new ones are plastic bodied, so should last longer. I don't expect to have to replace it again myself.
 
In 1972 I was on a pilchard driver still fitted with the original pump from 1902. This was a large lead tube with a smaller one down to the bilge, simple clack valve at the bottom of the big tube, long 'T' handle with a wood plunger on the end with another valve and a leather seal, the water just spilled out of a side tube over the deck. You can just see it in this film from 1952, front port corner of the wheelhouse.
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/echo-fishing/query/fishing+newlyn
It was very efficient until the plunger parted from the handle and shot me over the side.
 
In exactly the same circumstance as the OP I just bought a new diaphragm pump for my 24ft snappie. I'd just looked in to ask exactly the same question... mount it in the locker so I'm close to the exits or down by the engine cos this is where the waters going to sit? TBH the main reason for using the manual pump will be that it will remove much more water than the electric pump as the bilge is so narrow I cannot get an electric pump to sit low enough. (well not without spending much more than the manual pump cost)


Steve
 
SteveTibbetts said:
mount it in the locker so I'm close to the exits or down by the engine cos this is where the waters going to sit?
Click to expand...

Mount it so you can work it from the helm. If you sometimes sail singlehanded this is vital (if you ever have a significant leak, how else will you keep the water down while sailing for shore?) and if you don't sail singlehanded it lets the helmsman pump while the other person tries to fix the problem.

Pete
 
prv said:
Mount it so you can work it from the helm. If you sometimes sail singlehanded this is vital (if you ever have a significant leak, how else will you keep the water down while sailing for shore?) and if you don't sail singlehanded it lets the helmsman pump while the other person tries to fix the problem.

Pete
Click to expand...

Follow up to my post higher up the thread. This is a good point and my bilge pump was set up like that by Sadlers. Unfortunately the strum box is in the engine bilge with no connection to the rest of the boat. Any leak forward of the companionway could not be pumped out at all. Just a reminder that all eventualities need to be considered beforehand.
 
vyv_cox said:
Follow up to my post higher up the thread. This is a good point and my bilge pump was set up like that by Sadlers. Unfortunately the strum box is in the engine bilge with no connection to the rest of the boat. Any leak forward of the companionway could not be pumped out at all. Just a reminder that all eventualities need to be considered beforehand.
Click to expand...

Of course the strum box has to be mounted somewhere sensible (and the engine bilge seems an odd choice for several reasons) - but I'm not sure what that has to do with my suggestion of where to mount the pump.

Pete
 
Not sure about the 24, but the Snapdragon 23 has a centre bilge that collects everything. It's quite narrow but the manual pumps are located in the Stbd cockpit locker with outlets through skin fittings. Totally fine location for single-handed sailing.

I'll take some pics of my setup when i'm next down the boat. Just for prosperity :)
 
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