Bilge pumps

I hate to tell on myself but I have never had a bilge pump. I need to get one. Can any of you pump experts tell me which pumps work good and which pumps don't?

I bought one of these:

http://www.archronicles.com/Harmony-Bilge-Pump-with-Float-Collar.asp

about 15 years ago when I got my first sea kayak.    It works very well, floats (tho I'm sure they all must float) and its rugged.   I have a small landscape business on the side and Ive used this in a pinch to suck muddy water out of holes to fix sprinkler pipes.  Rinse it out and it just keeps on going.    Ive looked at newer ones and they all seem to be about the same concept and more or less same price.   Definitely worth having on the boat.

I got mine from West Marine, 24" size, needed it twice, once before I bought it which made for a scary trip back in, then the first time out with it I needed it due to a hole in a brand new yak, worked great.

The ones at WM are all plastic, no metal, and don't have a flotation collar.

The ones at WM are all plastic, no metal, and don't have a flotation collar.

The ones I have from West Marine have metal in the pump rods.  I have no complaints about them.  And I guess they now have a kayak version with floatation.

I also use the Scotty ones and no complaints there either.

-Allen

I have one of these.  On sale for $13 at rei-outlet.com.  Plastic, floats, seems pretty robust.  Have used it in the yak and around the house, very happy with it.

http://www.rei.com/outlet/product/785136

I have one of these.  On sale for $13 at rei-outlet.com.  Plastic, floats, seems pretty robust.  Have used it in the yak and around the house, very happy with it.

http://www.rei.com/outlet/product/785136

I have the same one. Never needed it. But I pump it a few times every so often to make sure it still works.

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,17484.0.html

I have the kayak model with floatation from West Marine ($19.99 I think) - works well when I tested it.  No particular reason for getting this model other than there is a WM close by my house that had one.

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,17484.0.html

For people who didn't click on the link, it's a warning from someone about a bilge pump that is branded differently but appears to be the same pump as that one I have.  I don't know, I've used mine to pump saltwater and grungy water a number of times and it didn't mind a bit.  Maybe there was a bad batch?  Or maybe mine is waiting to break.  YMMV.