What's new in bilge pumps?
Chris Hogan, 25th August 2015, Boat
Just the word 'bilge' has dingy connotations (as opposed to dinghy) and we weren't expecting to find any innovation for years. We were surprised to find some exciting new developments, although it appears not all of them will see the light of day.
It was coming across the Unimar Drainman that kicked off the idea for this article. It's an automatic bilge pump that doesn't need any power, perfect for moored boats. Unimar is a Swedish company using advanced technology to provide ecologically-friendly products and Drainman is an clever example.
Natural energy
It's a small pump you connect to the bow or stern eye that you usually use for a line, then connect the line to the pump, meaning it's between the deck and the line. There's a hose with a filter on the end that goes into the bilge. When the boat moves and pulls on the line, even slightly, the movement extends and contracts the pump, causing it to expel water.
Any movement will do – tidal, waves, wind, even the wash of passing boats, and it's strong enough to keep the boat in place too. It's perfect for pumping water out of boats when they are moored because and you don't have to worry about the battery running out, because there isn't one – it's genuinely 'fit and forget'.
First launched in 2009, the second generation Drainman was launched last year and we'd be particularly interested to hear anyone's experiences. Lots of people dismiss the idea in sailing forums but they have never used it, so we'd be intrigued to find out from someone actually has.
Manual pumping
Another ecologically-friendly way of keep the bilges clear – and this one WILL work on the move – is to use human power. The venerable scoop is usually employed on dinghies and other small boats but manual bilge pumps are a step up worth taking for larger boats. It does at least mean you don't have to have power on board, or it can act as a backup to an electrical or mechanical pump.
Whale Marine have been producing bilge pumps for decades and the small, lightweight Compac50 caught our eye. It's designed to fit in very tight spaces with a very low profile pump and an easy to remove clamping ring for maintenance or head rotation.
High-tech manual pump
We also came across a very high-specification manual bilge pump designed as a very reliable backup, but unfortunately it doesn't seem to have made it to the market.
The Maricuda manual bilge pump was a precision-engineered design made of aluminium with no seals in the pump, removing that source of potential weakness. The pump would shift three litres a second, making it feasible to use it as a fire-fighting pump as well.
Unfortunately, as we said, we couldn't find it for sale and the company's websites don't appear to have been updated for a couple of years. It's a shame, it sounds like a good idea and maybe it will resurface some day.
Switching technology
Finally, just to recognise innovation, as it's really aimed at boat builders rather than boat users, Energy Solutions launched a completely re-worked system for controlling and switching bilge pumps that does away with a great deal of the wiring and connections of a traditional setup for an electrically operated pump.
Every connection is a possible source of failure, particularly in marine applications where damage from water ingress is inevitable. So the Bilge Pro system collects all the sensors and switches into one sealed unit. It introduces manual or remote control and features that protect the pump, such as switching the pump on for a few seconds periodically to prevent bearings from seizing due to inactivity.
For boat owners it's easier to use, more reliable and prolongs the life of the pump, for builders it does away with two switches, a junction box and the associated wiring and connections, so it's quicker and easier to fit.
What's your experience?
Have you used a Drainman, a Whale or any other manual bilge pump? Or does an electrical or mechanical done do the job for you with no problems?
Email us today – we'd like to hear people's real experiences.
