Follow-up: inside pump storage

-- Last Updated: Apr-03-09 3:04 PM EST --

As a follow-up to my inside cockpit bungee post, I just found this product. Would be safer than bungees but one clip alone would not secure the pump that well. Perhaps two of them. I would not want to drill 4 holes in fiberglass to stow a $25 pump so pondering if strong adhesive alone on the brackets might secure them.

http://store.noc.com/store/11533

Do I remember that we’re dealing with
a composite boat? If so, there is a chance that adhesive alone would work. I recommend West G-Flex epoxy. You should thicken it quite a bit with microfibers (or perhaps colloidal silica), to the consistency of mayonaisse. The bottom and edges of each bracket should be sanded and cleaned with isopropyl alcohol. The surfaces on the inside of the boat should be sanded until fuzzy, and then cleaned with alcohol.



Once the epoxy is mixed and thickened, spread some on the bottom of each bracket and press the bracket in place. You should have the boat positioned so that each bracket tends to stay in place.



Apply additional G-flex epoxy so that it is built up around the edges of the brackets, and spreads over the top of the brackets. The thickened G-flex should extend outward from the edge of each bracket at least half an inch. G-flex will take 24 hours to get relatively hard, and 48 to achieve a full hold.



Two points:


  1. You would be better off to drill and use the screws. The base on those brackets is not very big.


  2. If yours is a poly boat, forget adhesives altogether. Use the screws. While G-flex can be made to stick to poly, with flaming and all that, it will not stick well enough to keep narrow base brackets in place.

Try some PC-11
PC-11 epoxy. It is available at Ace Hardware stores and probably Home Depot etc.



I used it to mount a footbrace in my Bell Northwoods a couple years ago and it’s ‘the stuff’.



I think it is very similar to Plexus which a number of boat makers use to mount footbraces and more in their boats and is a fraction of the price (general product vs a specialty product).



http://www.pcepoxy.com/

combo

– Last Updated: Apr-03-09 4:56 PM EST –

I may try this hybrid approach. . .

A 3 inch or thicker small piece of Minicel foam adhered to the front bulkhead with a hole cut out to accept the end of the pump, just as in Brian's website photo. On the cockpit side, the bracket in this post, or first trying heavy duty velcro. Test it, the worse that can happen is the pump falls off during a roll. No entrapment issues.

velcro
If you want to try velcro, then just skip the bracket. Put the velcro directly on the pump float. You’ll be able to use a larger piece of velcro, and you won’t dislodge the clip off the boat everytime you remove the pump, or try to clip it back in.

J
I’m going to send you a photo (which will probably look like BNystrom’s, but I haven’t looked at his album). I think you would be much better off with foam for ease of ingress, egress with and without pump. I also don’t like the idea of a couple of clips hanging down to catch on things or tear up your shin if you are not carrying the pump underdeck.

Best,

~wetzool

maybe an article one day…

– Last Updated: Apr-03-09 7:20 PM EST –

I submitted an article about mounting a pump under the deck to p.net, but they haven't decided whether to run it or not yet. Maybe one day...

The clip you show will hold with just one clip. The risk of using just one is that if you twist the pump (maybe it gets kicked during a wet exit or something), the clip could break. I installed mine using 2 clips.

The article does list some adhesives that would work for glass boats, but my example photos are all showing pumps installed in plastic (so holes drilled).

Article also shows other clips that will work, including one for Mag Light flashlights.

easy to make your own…
If you have a few simple shop tools, making your own pump clamps is a breeze. Take a 1 1/2" schedule-40 PVC pipe (available at any/all hardware stores) and slice off two pieces 1/2" in width. With these two rings, cut/remove +/- one-third the circumference of each ring. Use sandpaper (any grade) or file to dull any sharp edges off all pieces. Create a 1/2" tall riser (either out of wood (any type) or with the one-third circumference pieces turned upside down (need 1/2" riser to allow for the foam wrap/flotation that most all pumps have). Screw or bolt the two pieces together and epoxy in the center of the deck between your knees. Unless you have some type of really funky deck or cockpit set-up, it won’t be in your way and you’ll forget that it’s even there. I can post pics if interested. Whole thing will set you back no more than $10 (including epoxy) and 1/2 hour of your time.



Todd

thanks
got your e-mail and photos. Like it alot. Very low profile, zero % chance of safety issues, no hole drilling, if the foam comes off simply use new adhesive, minimal lateral movement, no permanent impact to boat if sold (remove them). Thank you!

Peter-CA: Sea Kayaker Magazine
Expand your article to encompass several methods of securing the pump and submit it to The Bible: Sea Kayaker Magazine.

Why not use Velcro?
I attach my pump to the insude peak of the deck with industrial strength velcro. This is mucg better than the plain vanilla stuff, and it holds the pump unless you give it a good tug to release. Simple and painless to install.

Why not use Velcro?
I attach my pump to the insude peak of the deck with industrial strength velcro. This is much better than the plain vanilla stuff, and it holds the pump unless you give it a good tug to release. Simple and painless to install. You can get it at most good hardware stores.

Another option
I installed an under deck bag such that there is just enough space between the top of the bag and the deck. The pump sits there just fine and is easy to retrieve. I also, of course, have the bag for water bottle, radio, etc. My deck is completely clear except for spare paddle.

It doesn’t work, at least not long-term
The adhesive on the hook side of industrial strength Velcro will not last long in a wet environment where it’s under tension from the weight of a pump. In cold temps, it’s not uncommon for the Velcro hook material to separate from the adhesive entirely. I’ve tried bonding it in with contact cement, but that’s not much better.

Again, foam blocks are simpler,…
…they don’t require drilling into the boat and they are more durable than fragile plastic clips.

Clips
Just a little nit-picking - those bilge pump clips are less expensive through Pygmy, a link I provided in response to your first post:

http://pygmyboats.com/mall/Safety.asp

Having said that, I agree that using smooth-profile foam blocks is a better method.


Have you tried West 105/205 , G-flex?
I’ve never seen any epoxy sold in hardware stores that could come close.

yep, same experience

– Last Updated: Apr-04-09 2:34 PM EST –

also when sand and grit gets in the velcro it's less effective

$.02
I’d rather have foam blocks or a bungied mesh bag than a clip that is exposed to breakage or catching things when the pump isn’t in place. Imagine your foot kicking the clip. You can experiment with contact cement and minicell a lot better than a glued or screwed clip.



I don’t see why folks think bungies are dangerous, it’s not like there’s a loose pile of line in there, it’s tight and flat against the underside of the deck.

Compared to kayaks with mondo adjustable back bands that have a foot of loose webbing flapping around it’s nothing.



When I used a small mesh bag with plastic stiffener in it there’s absolutely no danger of “entrapment”


velcro
Pop rivit it to a piece of aluminum then glue the piece of aluminum to the boat. Yep, the hook side of velcro resists gluing to much of anything. Luckily rigid fasteners hold it very well and it’s highly resistant to tearing.



Can also be sewn to a piece of vinyl that is again easy to attach to the boat with adhesives.



Bill H.