Hi Tim, I've been kicking thoughts around in my head since last fall...I'd love to hear what you've come up with!

I'm thinking of installing something along the lines of Pete Roszyk's Guzzler, except that I'd make a larger pump body and diaphragm for more capacity. I have the inlet and outlet flapper valves and pickup figured out pretty well. I really have no idea what to use for a diaphragm. I've often considered inner tube, and while it's a good piston pump seal, I think it would be too fragile for a diaphragm.

I'm also still looking for the optimum pump body. My plan right now is 8" PVC SDR 35 pipe about 4" long. It's decent to glue to, and easily machinable, but slightly heavy. I'm still trying to figure out, too, how to securely attach the diaphragm to the end of the cylinder. Possibly a 1/4" thick ring of the same 8" PVC pipe with about 12 or 16 screws evenly spaced about the perimeter, screwed through the ring, through the tube, and into the end of the pipe.

I thought about making a short, fat woodstrip cylinder, but it's not as "machinable" and attaching the diaphragm to the top would be a bit more difficult.

I kind of like Dave Blodgett's idea about running a pickup down the keel line and under the seat; the lowest point in the boat. I'm not sure if making one strong enough to not break when stepped upon would be worth the extra weight, but it's a cool idea.

Shawn

: Shawn,

: It was your hand made bilge pump which inspired me to design a hand made foot
: pump. I've been kicking the idea around in my head for a month or so, but
: this discussion has spurred me to put it down on paper. I've sketched out
: the plans and I'll post them this evening when I get home from work. Of
: course, it's just a sketch, and the boat (a Pygmy Coho) that I plan to put
: it in isn't even started (not until Louise's Osprey is done), but I'd like
: to get some feedback.

: Stay tuned,

: Tim.