Incredible prop shaft driven bilge pump - Amazing volume pumped

[yachtwork]

I heard about the propeller shaft driven bilge pumps while doing an article about bilge pumps, but could not find one for sale.

I kept hearing about this fantastic emergency bilge pump driven from the propeller shaft that ran all the time and would just start pumping if the bilge ever filled with water. No switches, electrical, or other things to fail. "It will pump mud" they told me.

After much searching I found this information-

* The system works well but they were originally built in Sweden and it turned out they did not meet OSHA requirements for a lack of a threaded outlet or cam-lock outlet. The company in Sweden went belly up for this reason.
* The guy with the patent got his product back and built a heap of pumps that fit OSHA standards so they could be used on commercial boats and work sites, but then got sidetracked and did not market them.
* It took a lot of searching to find the guy with the new style pump.
* After finding him and talking he is willing to keep selling his kits

I built a webpage that shows the pump here -

http://www.tongacharter.com/bilge.htm

I have a pump on the way to us in Tonga and we'll take a better look at it.

The volume claimed is just amazing. Like 25,000 gallons peer hour. That is about eight 55 gallon drums per MINUTE. They claim they use this same pump hydraulically driven to pump mud for the oil industry. The marine market was just a side line.





Can this be real? Can't wait to get my pump. My pump should be here in a couple weeks.

In the mean time have a look at the webpage and I would love to hear any stories about this style, prop shaft bilge pump.

http://www.tongacharter.com/bilge.htm
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Scott Fratcher Marine Engineer/RYA Yachtmaster

[Greybarn]

These are Ericson Safety Pumps. They are very good at moving a lot of water. Last I knew, a guy by the name of Chris Mitchell in New Zealand had the inventory for these pumps.