> I recently purchased a Guzzler 500S foot pump to mount in my Guillemot
> Exp. Single. Basically it is a 15 gallon/min bilge foot pump. I ordered it
> direct from Bozworth with an internal spring and a small cyliner footpad.
> You just push away with your feet to pump out water with no bungies or
> levers to get in the way. More importantly you can use your arms to brace
> when the cockpit is flooded and unstable

> I am trying to design the best way to mount it. The problem is with my
> size 12 feet and the foot pegs in the front of the Guillemot cockpit there
> is not a lot of real estate left to mount this thing. Can anyone share
> some ideas on the best way to do this. I have a couple of issues I'm
> trying to address.

> 1. I am thinking of mounting it flush on the hatch side of the bulkhead
> with the intake hose and foot cylinder coming through holes in the
> bulkhead. Clearly this creates issues on how to keep the bulkhead
> watertight.

I have the exact same pump in my boat. I have size 11 feet and it just fit between my footpegs. I mounted it on a board on the cockpit side of the front hatch. I put 1 1/2 inch laminated deck support arches on each side of the bulkhead to strengthen it. The pump, mounted just off vertical, has the intake about 1/2 inch from the bottom and the outflow about 1 inch from the deck.

> 2. The intake and outtake are 1-1/2 inch diameter. I wanted to make the
> outlet hole in the deck as unobtrusive as possible and would potentially
> like it to have a smaller diameter. If I step down the outlet to 1"
> diameter or smaller will I reduce the effective capacity of the pump or
> just make it harder to pump.

It does reduce it down to about 10-12 GPM. The same pump body with a 1 1/4 intake and outtake is rated at 12 gpm.

> 3. The pump has a check valve where the water exits the pump. Do I need
> another check valve in the deck to keep water out.

Not needed, but will keep a few inches of water from setting in the outtake pipe. I am putting a flapper valve on my deck to avoid this. I made a combination wooden compass mount and cover for the pump exit hole, sort of artsy-curvy.

> 4. Any thought about the best location on the deck for the exit hole. I
> thought about running a hose to the rear deck so the water won't be
> blowing back in my face as it exits. The logistics of running the hose
> back there seems like it won't be worth it. I remember some discussion a
> while back on placing an exit hole at chine level so water squirts out to
> the side.

I didn't want any holes below the deck line. I figure it I HAVE to use it, I am not going to worry about some spray hitting me in the face. Keep it Simple!

> 5. What kind of tubing is best for this. I have seen Clear flexable PVC
> Tubing and the corrugated VAC tubing used on pumps. I assume the
> corrugation helps the tubing bend around corners without crimping.

I don't have anything on the bottom, I figure 1/2 inch of water in inconsequential. On the top, I have a piece of pvc pipe that fits as an extension to the deck surface. I thot about elbows and tubes, etc., but it was just more clutter.

> 6. I currently have a minicell bulkhead temporally mounted in the front. I
> will need to replace it with a plywood version. Should this bulkhead be
> made of 1/4" , 1/2" or 3/4" plywood. I would guess that the
> forces produced by your leg on the bulkhead are large. Particularly when
> you have capsized and the adrenaline is pumping as fast as you are. Should
> I put a layer of glass on it before filleting it in place or just coat
> with epoxy.

I used 6 m plywood (1/4 inch), filleted on both sides, reinforcing deck beams at the top, and glassed with 6 ounce cloth on the cockpit side.

> Thoughts or ideas around any of these issues would be appreciated.

I have had a Guzzler for about 12 years in another motor boat. I use it for a trash pump, general water moving etc. It's very tough and efficient. Randy Knauff

> Jack