Does anyone have any suggestions as to the best place to install the discharge hole for the RR bilge pump?
canoe or kayak
are ya talking canoe or kayak
Bilge placement.
Sorry. I should have added in a kayak.
Some considerations
Some considerations for placement that were paramount for me at least. I am an instructor, leader, etc. so I like having room behind my seat for lay back rolls, wet re-entry demonstrations, and for safety nothing behind the seat that interferes with quick exit and re-entry in general. So, although there are considerations for putting the pump there, for reasons above I don’t, and then some. A few additional reasons for forward placement are: Having the pump mounted to a removable foam sheet custom cut to fit against front bulkhead, allows the pump to be recessed and out of way of feet, the foot switch to be mounted recessed into foam up high and between foot rests, and to use the foam as your foot rests and remove the rails and foot pads, saving weight, increasing room for feet and to angle to footrests for comfort and excellent fit. The wiring is thus not run along the cockpit, increasing durability of the set up imo. I then drilled a small (1’4" hole) in bulkhead 8/10 of way up the wall with a silicone hole grommet to prevent chafing the of pump and switch wires and used marine silicone to seal it. The Li Polymer battery in its mini-case is secured in the FRONT compartment right up next to the bulkhead, where it is protected and easily removable for recharging. The wires in the cockpit to the pump have a securely waterproof quick disconnect fitting allowing for easy 10 second removal too. The outlet (a 45 degree 3/4 inside diameter) fitting he supplies is affixed about .5 inches behind where the front bulkhead is just above where the side seam of the top and bottom hull meet. It keeps it out of the way for spare paddles and yet not in way of rescues and recoveries, etc.
The only small downside imo of front placement is perhaps a half cup of water left in bottom of cockpit by dint of the forward pump placement. This is easily remedied if one cares by simply paddling forward with pump on and coming to a slow stop, pushing the water in cockpit forward and out it goes.
You, can of course choose to behind the seat placement. However, make sure it does not cramp your ability to enter exit, lay back for rolls, etc., and that there is sufficient space under your seat for water to run back there! I recommend that you place the batter in your day hatch compartment or rear compartment and not place it behind the seat. Over time the movement of things in the cockpit will risk failures of the battery and wiring if left there.
I installed this in such a way as to allow for 10 second removal and replacement in my other kayak (I have both the NDK Explorer and an Impex carbon-kevlar Outer Island.
If you feel the above is as clear as mud, I can without a great hassle take some pictures if helpful.
Let me know if you have further questions.
I find that this is not an elite extravagance, but more like one feels about a major appliance once ones installs this, and several of my fellow guides have also done so. Reasoning here is that for both self rescue and responsibility to others, being able to empty water from one’s own boat with no effort and with both hands on paddle allows for a significant safety margin, for repeated capsizes, a likely event in real kayak life, and the increased ability to help others during such events.
Evan
MedicineMan
just installed one in his kayak you might want to email him and see what he has to say. The above post seems like it is pretty informative to me.
I opted for a manual foot pump and my install does not really apply to your situation. However, I put the output on the front deck about two inchs from the shearline, (hull to deck joint). I debated where to put the thru hull and in the end wound up on the side deck about a foot in front of the cockpit. Where ever you decide run your hoses first without makeing any holes or mounts and sit in the boat and make sure that nothing gets in your way.
I had to special order a thru hull for my install which I could not find, not for lack of trying. I finally found a thru hull elbow that would accept a 1 inch hose, and could be cut for the very thin hull thickness in the kayak. Otherwise the thru hulls that I was able to find protruded into the boat so far that it would have been real difficult to find a good place.
The previous poster is right on about his pick up placement. I considered exactly what he had to say but in the end elected to place my pickup behind the seat anyway.
Happy Paddling,
Mark
Outer Island
Hi Evan,
Thanks for the very useful information. I’m still waiting for them to get their site up and running, but plan to get the Li 1000 Amp pump for the OI. No room behind the seat, and water flow is mostly blocked anyway. I have a front mounted foot pump in my Quest and a strum box behind the seat in my Pintail, and planned to mount the pump forward in the Outer Island. I’d very much appreciate seeing pictures of how you rigged the install.
On another note, how do you like the OI, and why did you get one and when do you use it relative to the Explorer? I wanted a fast long distance day boat and a boat that would help me learn all those lovely Greenland rolls.
Thanks,
John
Many thanks, Evan.
Did you have any difficulty installing the pump such as getting your body in the cockpit that far forward? What type of adhesive did you use?
Some pics would help but only if it’s not too inconvenient.
Thanks again.
Install and removal not a problem
We were able to install with no problmems even in the Outer Island, one of the smallest volume production boats going and a very forward bulkhead.
The secret is that you don’t glute the minicell foam into the boat!
Instead you glued the pump mount (it has a quick disconnect built onto it as well), and the pump switch recessed into the minicell. Then you simply push the foam into the cockpit and it snuggly fits. The only reaching is is the quick connect disconnect large tension tie for the outlet hose.
I recommend you go online to the RR website and view the accessories. It shows the 45 degree outlet fitting there.
My only caveat is to make sure that you have enough room forward of your foot pedals that this set up works for you. The foam can be as thin as 1/2 inch to work, your can recess the pump and switch. If you have more room as most folks do make the foam the correct thickness so you can reach the switch easily. You should make the pump be close to your out strectched feet as the futher back it is the more water it will suck up and less left behind.
I am in upper NY and we just went through the huge wind storm up here so may be a few days befor I can show you pictures.
Evan
OI is nice complement to Explorer
I am an instructor, leader, organizer so I very much enjoy having two boats to cover all conditions for my own needs and also to put students in as well.
The Explorer is one of a very few boats that is great as a day boat and expedition boat, and great for novices and more advanced students. It fits a wide range of people. It really excels for showing people how to handle big following seas and how a boat built longer and for more speed may not be any faster than it in following seas.
The OI on the other hand despite its very small volume fits a surprisingly wide range of paddlers. The fact that is does not turn as quickly as some kayaks is a boon to novices as we can focus more on their stroke.
Although the Explorer is a very fine boat for teaching rolls and sculling, bracing, edging, the OI is simply amazing here. I believe that success breeds confidence so I often put someone in the OI and begin roll practice with Greenland style lay out positions, laybacks, and greenland braces. I find that students can learn rolling in one to two hours if we begin with this sequence first and in this boat. This then translates quickly to their own boats.
As for me, a day spent in the ocean last fall off Mt. Dessert Island, Bar Harbor, Maine shows why I I like the OI. With winds buidling to 25k from the SW and 4’5 foot waves, with 6 foot swells from the SE and coming back 8 miles from the Cranberry Islands in shallow seas and ledges a plenty, the OI felt very confidence inspiriing, handling the quartering and following surges, the buiding conditions, never a problem broaching, speed was over 5k the whole time, quite a ride.
Evan
Thanks
Thanks Evan, That’s exactly why I bought the OI. I do wish it had a compass recess and some place to thread a locking cable, but it is a lovely boat. I’ll look forward to the pics if you get a chance to put them up. The RR Bilge Pump folks called me to let me know that the website was still having problems, and that they were going to a more reliable Li battery charger. I was very impressed with the RR approach, and ordered another pump and mounting gear to replace the foot pump in my Pintail as well. Best, John
