Why do you feel the need to reply to every post on this site especially when you have no knowledge or experience about the topic…give it up 'cause most of us think you are a Dufus
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Why would you say that?
The skirt from that video was a neoprene skirt with some sort of custom hard plastic bracket added to ensure that it doesn’t come off.
It looked to me like a randed skirt, but I wasn’t sure. But I found a post that said it was an Immersion Research Klingon, which only comes with bungee.
Because he/she,it comments on just about every post on the site
That is what I was trying to figure out, that plastic bracket. That is not a common bracket on White Water Skirts, that is a custom bracket for this extreme drop they were doing ? In your opinion, did it look like a factory job or some homemade job they cooked up?
A lot of good points above.
FWIW, I’ve been paddling a Nordkapp HM (ocean cockpit with the old rear deck Chimp pump) for nearly 30 years. The disadvantages of the ocean cockpit are always raised, and there’s no doubt it’s tougher to enter & exit as you get less agile & flexible with the years. BUT… the small “deck” of the ocean cockpit sprayskirt makes it near impossible for rough water to implode it. Also, if you are able to re-enter & roll, you scoop up way less water than with a standard cockpit. For a solo expeditioner, who can re-enter & roll, it has advantages.
On the issue of rands vs bungees for sprayskirts–if you make certain to keep the grab loop out, I’ve never seen a difference in the ease of getting them off. If you forget and get the grab loop beneath the sprayskirt when you fit it to the coaming, then, yes, I agree, you will be more easily able to pop the skirt if it uses bungees.
The problem with any mechanical pump other than a foot pump, whether deck mounted aft (Chimp pump), forward (Henderson), or a standard separate pump, is that it’s very tough to use in rough conditions when you are most likely to need it. I recall reading years ago that the concept behind the Chimp pump was that your partner would work it while you were rafted together. That works, but is not applicable for a solo paddler. While imperfect, a mechanical (not electric) foot pump is probably the most functional option for a solo paddler in rougher water.
Finally, on pulling the chimp pump and replacing it with a hatch, and adding a bulkhead for the day compartment–many have done this and been happy with the results. I’ve found that a float bag or drybag with gear/supplies in the open space behind the seat works fine for keeping flooding water volume in the cockpit low. Of course, you can’t access anything there while afloat, but a small deck bag can keep essential supplies at hand on the water with minimal bulk.
I am not familiar with NDKs, does the OP’s boat have an Ocean Cockpit?
Here is the spray skirt implosion I had with my P&H Delpin that I caught on video (a dumping wave lip dropped on and imploded my skirt at 5:40):
I got in ok with a water filled cockpit with a lot of cursing and bracing . The worse would have been a lousy swim in since it was a beach break. But, this episode got me thinking, how would I pump out one of my solo surf trips on offshore reefs or in rock play? What if it were winter conditions where my hands were in mitts and/or were cold and not having the greatest dexterity to pump water and reattach a skirt. I thought of a foot pump, which would probably be better for multiday expedition where I don’t have readily access to power for recharging. But, since I am usually day tripping, I went ahead and installed an electrical bilge pump with a magnetic switch in my plastic Stratos 14.5s, a boat I prefer for solo offshore shore play involving rocks and reefs. The electrical pump does a great job of pumping out the boat while I brace and/or paddle to keep the boat upright until the cockpit is pumped out is. Once done, the boat is more stable and I can go about reattaching the neo skirt as quickly as possible, which in winter requires me to remove my mitts and and expose my hands to the cold wetness. If I don’t do this fast enough my hands can go numb and become useless.
I guess if I were to use the electrical pump for multiday expeditions, I would either get a solar charge and/or have an extra battery pack for the pump.
-sing
Does your kayak have an “ Ocean Cockpit”?
Hi everyone thanks for all the info.
So my boat has an ocean cockpit and the chimp pump installed currently.
Because I’m going for such a long multiday an electric pump isn’t something I’m interested in. Trying to have as few electronics as possible.
Im using a reed spray deck and am really happy with it. Am going to be buying a spare one for it.
For any of the people who have gone with the foot pump, do you have any recommendations on brands? I’m finding it really hard to source one. So far the only one available in Europe I can find is by a brand called whale and reading reviews they’re not suitable for kayaks, or are not meant to be very good for using as a bilge.
The bosworth one I can’t seem to find outside of the US and Canada
Henderson foot pumps seems to have disappeared outside of people mentioning how good they are.
So can anyone give me a brand recommendation and ideally a link to buy available in Europe?
Thanks
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Oh, thats it.
I don’t have personal experience with this particular foot pump, but it is available for purchase in US & Canada, and, in design, appears fit for purpose:
Bosworth (manufacturer): Guzzler 450-S
Guzzler 450S
This company also makes other models that should work:
Bosworth Company - Application
The Bosworth Guzzler is definitely available in the US (and some on PNet posted about installing and using this in the past threads). Apparently, it is not in the UK, according to OP. FWIW, I tried searching for it on Amazon UK and had no luck in finding it.
-sing
Wow, thank you very much for reaching out to them for me. Have an awful lot of prep to do here so that is really really appreciated!
I really thought they could point you in the right direction, but this is the message they sent in return, I was surprised.