[Public-List] deck mounted bilge pump

[gdinwiddie at alberg30.org]

Hmmm...

On 9/15/21 3:59 PM, Stephen Gwyn via Public-List wrote:
> 
> A dissenting opinion: I find the Whale manual bilge pump incredibly 
> unreliable.

Me, too. Our boat was built in 1973 and we've replaced the pump twice, 
once with a used one and once with a new one. ;-)

> The slightest pinhole in the diaphragm or lack of seal in the flaps and 
> you can't get enough head to pull water up out of the bilge.

That's the nature of displacement pumps. All pumps don't work when 
they're broken. I keep a rebuild kit on board. I don't know how many 
years I go between rebuilds, as it's too infrequent to remember. I did 
have to replace the diaphragm a couple years ago when it tore around the 
washer.

> The aluminium body very is prone to corrosion
> if there is a scratch in the coating.

This is true. Still, our pumps have lasted quite well--better than any 
electric pump I've tried. I did patch one with marinetex to get another 
year or so out of it.

> And for some reason they use British Whitworth threads which make
> sourcing replacements difficult, expensive or both.

Not surprising, since they're from Northern Ireland. The screws are 
included in the rebuild kit. The fork bolts can be replaced with SAE.

> It's capacity in terms of GPH is much lower then the
> larger electric pumps.

Yeah, bigger pumps pump more water.

> The ergonomics of pumping are poor; pumping
> more than a few minutes with get very tiring, very quickly.

I've found that sitting across the cockpit, using both hands on the 
handle, and rocking my body, I can pump out a full bilge pretty 
efficiently. Yeah, I sometimes stop for a moment in the middle.

All in all, I've come to trust the whale more than electric pumps. The 
hose barb of last electric pump I had on board broke off (it was 
plastic), and I haven't gotten around to replacing it.

  - George


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