Electric bilge pump placement

[Grasshopper07]

Setting up my new Native watercraft Slayer 12 and would like to know where is the best position in the hull to mount bilge pump (bow, stern or amidships) and the outlet. I can access the hull through the electronic console behind the front hatch.I am guessing I need some kind of one way valve in the outlet pipe to prevent water entering the hull. Any help would be much appreciated. Cheers

[laneends]

If it is switch operated rather than auto, then a bung in the outlet would do. Check valves could block. I think you can use back flow loop.

Below seat is usually lowest point when stationary.. Bow or stern could high or low depending on buoyancy and water collection.

At the end of the day few SOT users end up using electric pumps as they are readily accessible for manual pumping.

[Grasshopper07]

Thanks Keith, maybe I'll get a hand pump and use purchased pump for live bait tank, esky.

[laneends]

Thanks Keith, maybe I'll get a hand pump and use purchased pump for live bait tank, esky.

Should have a hand pump regardless. You would hardly ever have use for an electric, and then it may fail when you do, Touring SIKs sometimes do due to risk of having to empty after rolling.

[Jacko]

I've only ever read of one electric bilge pump being fitted to a SOT kayak.
If everything goes pear shaped, you have capsized, hatches opened, hull fills before you right it & self rescue, you would probably really appreciate an electric pump.
On a SOT if you have one fitted, it is one of those things you hope you never need to use.

http://www.vyak.net/forum/viewtopic.php ... Bilge+pump.

Hand pumps are on special at Rays this week for $20 reduced from $30.

[Smish]

I have an electric pump on my SOT, very reliable, test it each session before I head out and it has been flawless. Keep in mind that you don't have to get every last drop of water out, just enough to keep you afloat so put it in a place where it wont get knocked or damaged and close'ish to the lowest centre of gravity of the base of the hull. I have a 20ah LiFePO battery on board and the pump draws about 2 amps and pumps around 1400 litres per hour so even if somehow I got a decent crack or hole in the hull and I'm 20kms offshore I know I've got plenty of juice to keep the yak on the water to get me home, without an electric pump you could keep yourself afloat but not much else. I'd also like to add that if you have to bail or manually pump then you need to keep a hatch open to the hull which is fine if the conditions are good but usually things go wrong when everything turns to sh_t, so good luck bailing or pumping while waves are crashing over your kayak. I attached a cord I keep within easy reach to the bung that stops water from entering the bilge pump outlet. I also have a bailing bucket as a backup.

[laneends]

I have an electric pump on my SOT, very reliable, test it each session before I head out and it has been flawless. Keep in mind that you don't have to get every last drop of water out, just enough to keep you afloat so put it in a place where it wont get knocked or damaged and close'ish to the lowest centre of gravity of the base of the hull. I have a 20ah LiFePO battery on board and the pump draws about 2 amps and pumps around 1400 litres per hour so even if somehow I got a decent crack or hole in the hull and I'm 20kms offshore I know I've got plenty of juice to keep the yak on the water to get me home, without an electric pump you could keep yourself afloat but not much else. I'd also like to add that if you have to bail or manually pump then you need to keep a hatch open to the hull which is fine if the conditions are good but usually things go wrong when everything turns to sh_t, so good luck bailing or pumping while waves are crashing over your kayak. I attached a cord I keep within easy reach to the bung that stops water from entering the bilge pump outlet. I also have a bailing bucket as a backup.

Got any pics of your set up, particularly discharge arrangement? Problem with a revo is that the hatch would be too swamped to leave open if it was too rough and you had taken much water on.

The time I had to pump it as I had left the drain cock out, but I could hand pump as it is a pedal yak. Would have been a different story if it was a paddler.

I actually have a couple of bilge pumps I got a while back and intended to install but never did.

[Grasshopper07]

Thanks to your comments, I will install the bilge pump and float switch just under the seat. Working on a mounting system at the moment. Will also have hand pump. As mine is a paddle yak, I realise I need an electric pump so my hands are free to paddle, etc. Safety is my greatest concern and I will not be going out on the water until I am confident that my yak and my self are set up to my satisfaction. Cheers, Andrew.