Hand bilge pump

[redgirl]

I could do with a hand bilge pump to get rid of the stubborn half inch of water in my through bilge. Any feedback would be nice on which to avoid and which are good.

Thanks for reading

Tess

[Chris Pink]

This type;

 

http://marinestore.co.uk/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=MD100871&Category_Code=whale_pumps-manual&Store_Code=mrst

[Slim]

I could do with a hand bilge pump to get rid of the stubborn half inch of water in my through bilge. Any feedback would be nice on which to avoid and which are good.

Thanks for reading

Tess

 

 

If you've got 230v consider a wet & dry vac. Kracher do a reconditioned one (in fact mine was obviously new) for about £35 delivered. I have seen 12v W&Ds but don't know how they perform.

 

 

 

 

Frank

[ChrisPy]

If you've got 230v consider a wet & dry vac. Kracher do a reconditioned one (in fact mine was obviously new) for about £35 delivered. I have seen 12v W&Ds but don't know how they perform.

 

 

 

 

Frank

these are wonderful devices, and you don't need karcher quality. Screwfix do a basic one for £45.

[redgirl]

If you've got 230v consider a wet & dry vac. Kracher do a reconditioned one (in fact mine was obviously new) for about £35 delivered. I have seen 12v W&Ds but don't know how they perform.

 

 

 

 

Frank

 

Yes these are great but sadly I can't plug one in on the boat. I used to have one pre-boat then gave it away on freecycle....silly me!

[redgirl]

This type;

 

http://marinestore.co.uk/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=MD100871&Category_Code=whale_pumps-manual&Store_Code=mrst

 

I saw these and I think this is the best way to go.

Thanks.

[Guest wanted]

I saw these and I think this is the best way to go.

Thanks.

 

 

I think so, I have one of these, http://marinestore.co.uk/md012019.html and as good as I am sure they are, I don't have the space to screw it down so the whole thing is a bit of an effort!

[Naughty Cal]

We have a hand bilge pump factory installed on NC (for if it all goes tits up and the elctric one isnt man enough ) not sure of the make but will check it out for you next week. It does shift a lot of water, we use it to get the last dregs out that the electric bilge pump wont touch.

[Chris Pink]

I think so, I have one of these, http://marinestore.co.uk/md012019.html and as good as I am sure they are, I don't have the space to screw it down so the whole thing is a bit of an effort!

 

If you screw it at one end of a plank about 3 feet long then you can operate it by kneeling on the plank and still keep it portable.

[redgirl]

We have a hand bilge pump factory installed on NC (for if it all goes tits up and the elctric one isnt man enough ) not sure of the make but will check it out for you next week. It does shift a lot of water, we use it to get the last dregs out that the electric bilge pump wont touch.

Thanks Phylis. That is what I want it for. Not sure if I need one that is 'fitted' but it would be interesting to see it and weigh up my options. I have a through bilge on my boat and no cratch covers until spring, so the rain water really comes in through the decks and collects in the middle of the boat. I bought this boat last week and the stern gland looked like it hadn't been turned in years so I really want it dried out properly.

[Slim]

these are wonderful devices, and you don't need karcher quality. Screwfix do a basic one for £45.

 

 

Yes, but a kracher 'reconditioned' one is £35 and it's about the most compact one available. 12 litre capacity but I think 1400w motor.

 

 

(Delivered within 36 hours of ordering, at least mine was)

 

It also had manufacturers warranty with option of extended

 

 

 

Frank

Edited December 23, 2011 by Slim

[Guest wanted]

If you screw it at one end of a plank about 3 feet long then you can operate it by kneeling on the plank and still keep it portable.

 

I will give it a go but I also find that having two floppy bits of tube to control a bit of a faff too. I know this should be a relatively basic task but when you have one knee on the pump / plank one hand holding the hose where you want it and the other guiding the outlet before you have figured out how to pump the bloody thing it all becomes a little more problamatic. I think the bonus of the one that you linked is that it has a ridged inlet.

 

I have to say though, I think the passers bye often wonder what I am up to when using my one!

[redgirl]

I will give it a go but I also find that having two floppy bits of tube to control a bit of a faff too. I know this should be a relatively basic task but when you have one knee on the pump / plank one hand holding the hose where you want it and the other guiding the outlet before you have figured out how to pump the bloody thing it all becomes a little more problamatic. I think the bonus of the one that you linked is that it has a ridged inlet.

 

I have to say though, I think the passers bye often wonder what I am up to when using my one!

LOL Wanted! I know exactly what you mean. I passed a gentleman on the canal pumping his out....and I had to look carefully!

[koukouvagia]

If you screw it at one end of a plank about 3 feet long then you can operate it by kneeling on the plank and still keep it portable.

 

It's even easier with one of these Gusher foot pumps screwed to a short plank. Stand on the plank with one foot, operate the pump with the other foot and that leaves two hands free to direct inlet and outlet hoses.

 

 

 

I've connected the inlet hose to a 3' length of copper pipe with a strainer on the end. I can then aim this into hard-to-reach corners.

 

I use the same contraption for drawing off water from the diesel tank.

[Pentargon]

I could do with a hand bilge pump to get rid of the stubborn half inch of water in my through bilge. Any feedback would be nice on which to avoid and which are good.

Thanks for reading

Tess

 

Gusher and Whale are the main players in hand and foot boat pumps. Your problem is getting at the last 1/2" which most bilge pumps can't handle too well. You need a special nozzle which I've not seen since the 70s, which could handle very shallow pools of water. It is possible to convert a bicycle or car pump to suck up small amounts of water on the out-stroke which is then simply delivered to a bucket on the return-stroke. tedious but very effective for that last drop of water in a bilge.

Edited December 23, 2011 by Pentargon

[bizzard]

A vehicle 12v windscream washer pump is useful for this purpose too,with a couple of crocodile clips on its wires and tie an old sock or something over the pick up tube to act as a filter.

[Guest]

A vehicle 12v windscream washer pump is useful for this purpose too,with a couple of crocodile clips on its wires and tie an old sock or something over the pick up tube to act as a filter.

Excellent idea.

[ridders]

if you can access it a mop or a sponge can move a surprisingly large amount of water

[Pentargon]

if you can access it a mop or a sponge can move a surprisingly large amount of water

Well said Ridders. I was afraid to mention the oldest method of all in case someone asked about the power supply. Mr. Bizzard's idea looks good too. Just take one of the boat batteries down to to the disaster area with a wired up pump clip in on and away it wees. Into a bucket or two.

[mrsmelly]

I think so, I have one of these, http://marinestore.co.uk/md012019.html and as good as I am sure they are, I don't have the space to screw it down so the whole thing is a bit of an effort!

 

We have something similar fitted except it has an all alloy body and handle. It is permenantly mounted on a hefty steel plate. Not had to us it in anger but have pumped a bit out the bilge to try it out once. They certainly would shift some water PDQ.

[Pentargon]

We have something similar fitted except it has an all alloy body and handle. It is permenantly mounted on a hefty steel plate. Not had to us it in anger but have pumped a bit out the bilge to try it out once. They certainly would shift some water PDQ.

I realise this question is slightly off topic, but could any on you guys tell a newbie ditch-crawler where the water comes from that winds up in a canalboat bilge. I've come from the lumpy and tort these tubs were nominally watertight?

 

[The Pipe]

I realise this question is slightly off topic, but could any on you guys tell a newbie ditch-crawler where the water comes from that winds up in a canalboat bilge. I've come from the lumpy and tort these tubs were nominally watertight?

 

Leaky stern tubes, rain through side hatches etc. cruiser sterns through decking, condensation, kitchen spills, you name it and it's there, panic if it's comming from outside below the waterline.

Edited December 23, 2011 by Jim Evans

[mrsmelly]

I realise this question is slightly off topic, but could any on you guys tell a newbie ditch-crawler where the water comes from that winds up in a canalboat bilge. I've come from the lumpy and tort these tubs were nominally watertight?

 

 

Funny you should ask. All my boats including this one have had some water under the floor at the back end of the boat, there is never much on this boat but there is a bit. Cant be coming from the engine room at the back as there is a steel bit stopping it. The only boat I have owned that remained totaly bone dry was my last 70 footer built by S M Hudson, that was always totaly dry for some reason. I think its a bit of this that and the other normally.

[Starcoaster]

Arghh I just had this whole hand bilge pump issue last week when I realised there was about 6" of water under the stern floor and threw a mad wobbler in chat after I convinced myself that a dramatic and immediate sinking was imminent.

After my very good friends here took the right piss out of me for the requisite time period, they eventually stopped laughing sufficiently to advise me on what to do about it, should I in fact want to.

 

I was strongly cautioned against getting one of these http://tinyurl.com/d5d88l4 tube pump ones and told to get one of these- http://tinyurl.com/bpfduoz instead, which I did.

 

Jesus Jones. 20 minutes of hard labour later, I had drained maybe two litres of the grimey deathwater out of the bilge, lost the will to live, and stopped caring if I was about to sink anyway, because frankly by that point death would have seemed like a merciful release.

 

 

I have now ordered this 12v one (which I will need to hook up to the battery charger and manage when I want to use it, rather than a fitted one on a float switch) http://tinyurl.com/csxq69n which I got for £11 plus free shipping (cheaper than the manual ones!!) which I avoided looking at initially as I thought 12v ones were complicated thingies that you needed an engineer to install, rather than it being something I could just wedge in the deepest bit of water and connect to the clips of my battery charger.

Though it's not here yet, I already prefer it. I can't imagine it will remove significantly less water than the manual one would anyway?

 

Anyway, I hated the manual one, but if you're set on having one, I have a used- once version of the very one in the given ebay listing, complete with tubing that cost a few quid additional that you're welcome to relieve me of if you're anywhere near the Braunston area!

Edited December 24, 2011 by Starcoaster

[bizzard]

Arghh I just had this whole hand bilge pump issue last week when I realised there was about 6" of water under the stern floor and threw a mad wobbler in chat after convinced myself that sinking was imminent.

After my very good friends here took the right piss out of me for the requisite time period, they eventually stopped laughing sufficiently to advise me on what to do about it, should I in fact want to.

 

I was strongly cautioned against getting one of these http://tinyurl.com/d5d88l4 tube pump ones and told to get one of these- http://tinyurl.com/bpfduoz instead, which I did.

 

Jesus Jones. 20 minutes of hard labour later, I had drained maybe two litres of the grimey deathwater out of the bilge, lost the will to live, and stopped caring if I was about to sink anyway, because frankly by that point death would have seemed like a merciful release.

 

 

I have now ordered this 12v one (which I will need to hook up to the battery charger and manage when I want to use it, rather than a fitted one on a float switch) http://tinyurl.com/csxq69n which I got for £11 plus free shipping (cheaper than the manual ones!!) which I avoided looking at initially as I thought 12v ones were complicated thingies that you needed an engineer to install, rather than it being something I could just wedge in the deepest bit of water and connect to the clips of my battery charger.

Though it's not here yet, I already prefer it. I can't imagine it will remove significantly less water than the manual one would anyway?

 

Anyway, I hated the manual one, but if you're set on having one, I have a used- once version of the very one in the given ebay listing, complete with tubing that cost a few quid additional that you're welcome to relieve me of if you're anywhee near the Braunston area!

You need to get that rear canopy on Star,also to prevent the swim tops from rusting away with rain water.Make a higher one with a cheap Tarp.