I use a sea kayakers bilge pump quite a bit to clear an inch or two of water from my boat. It works pretty well and I just stash it under my front air bag when I'm not using it. It is somewhat awkward finding a good position to get the most water and still be able to pump it, but it works OK. It's fairly inefficient though so if I take on a lot of water I will pull over and empty.
LEW had a similar system in "his" tandem where they had one of these pumps actually mounted in a nice accesible position. Seems like a good idea, but I haven't space in the detonator to do that and I'm worried it'd get in the way rolling if you don't place it really carefully.
NZMatt
Hmmm....new country, new rivers...-
Still not enough c-boaters....
I've got a hand pump like Matt is describing for my sea kayak that I have thought about mounting in the open boat. My pedestal has a lateral hole at the bottom to allow water to smoothly slosh from one side to the other, I had thought to bore a hole for the pump into that void from the front/top. I'd then run a short length of tubing from the discharge over the gunwale on my offside. The handle does not slide so easily that it would get in the way of my rolling.
It might look a little odd operating a pump right in front of my crotch, but it would affect stability the least and pull water from the deepest point in the boat.
I also have one of those manual bilge pumps and they do fine when you are able to pull out of the current regularly, but I will be putting in an automatic pump next week. Esquif is selling a complete package for installation that I picked up.
I agree that keeping water out of the boat and running a clean line is the best tactic, but in long contious class 3 or above I tent to take on water and there is not always an eddy available to pump.
A few weeks ago I rolled up and made the top eddy at Norman on the Ottawa. Not a great place to let go of your paddle to pump with the swirling water. That helped me make up my mine that an automatic pump would be an asset.
tandem where they had one of these pumps actually mounted in a nice accesible position. Seems like a good idea, but I haven't space in the detonator to do that and I'm worried it'd get in the way rolling if you don't place it really carefully.
and made the top eddy at Norman on the Ottawa. Not a great place to let go of your paddle to pump with the swirling water. That helped me make up my mine that an automatic pump would be an asset.