Another Hit and Run Shark incident
 

Off Northern California

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2020/05/kay...Zi30_qdQnvGUY0

I think the bigger takeaway from that story is "ALWAYS HAVE A BILGE PUMP"

That's what I was thinking. he could have been pumping out some of the water by having the bilge pump in the hatch between the legs while still being able to use the mirage drive to make it to shore. Glad he's OK.

I have often wondered about using the bait tank pump to empty the bulge in an emergency. I built my tank with the battery in a dry box. I could tie the tank to the side of the yak with the pump inside the bilge. Water would be pumped out of the bilge and into the tank which would be outside the kayak.

Hope I never have to find out if it would work, but the bait pump is an asset in an emergency

Too risky
 

Too risky worrying about whether or not the pump is gonna prime. Safe bet is to carry a pump. After the shark bite into the kayak, he should have been paddling with hatch open and inspecting for a leak which is pretty much a given. A hand pump and he would have been home free.

Good Share
 

Every year someone gets attacked up north.

Agreed, I always carry a hand pump. My bait pump is at the end of the intake hose that hangs over the side so priming is not a concern

Another thing for people to consider if you're not already doing this. Leash you bait pump to the flange of your hatch. That way if it slides back in the hull you can always get to it.

Seems wise to carry a manual bilge pump but what other situations have you seen it useful beyond a shark puncturing the yak?

The Hobie rudder line grommet popped out at launch and after 4hrs of fishing I noticed the boat's handling was off. Opened the hatch and noticed lots of water in the hull. The manual pump helped here. I glued the grommet so it doesn't happen again.

I also use the pump to clean the deck after cleaning a fish. Wasn't sure if I should include this since this is a shark thread and another thread about chum...:o

Not the only one
 

This was on Friday...

https://www.facebook.com/david.alexa...29573487065660

I have and almost always carry my hand bilge pump. Of course the one day I forgot it in my truck, was the really slow fishing day at LJ that got so boring the I started taking video of the shore, etc. After a while I was not paying attention to the rollers and as I was panning with my camera from behind to the front of the kayak my movement on my Hobie Revo 13 CT seat caused a shift towards the shore side of my kayak just as a large roller lifted the rear of the kayak. Before I could even say "OH SHIT!" my body was going over the side and over my rod in the holder. By total reaction as I'm going over I reach to try and catch myself by grabbing the rod. Of course that caused the kayak to roll and turtle. Not the first time I've rolled a kayak in deep water, 110' but the first on the Hobie. I try to roll it back over and all the leashes on the rods and tackle box keep getting tangled on my legs. As I get untangled and try to roll it back over, I realize that it is not as easy as the Malibu X13 I had done it with once in the past. As I'm trying to roll it back over I see that a bunch of other kayakers saw me and are coming to help. I feel stupid because I know I have the knowledge and self rescue step to do it. But I swallow my pride and let them help me. After I get back in I realize the kayak has a lot of water from just being upside down and water entering the front hatch. The one time I did not have my pump had me making my way back 1 1/2 miles with 25+ gallons of water inside and the Hobie wanting to roll and list every time a roller caught up and passed me, as the water inside would shift toward the front of the kayak. It was a horrible feeling, that would have been an easy remedy had I had my hand bilge pump. I also could have just continued fishing the rest of the day instead of calling it early. It only takes one time of not having it to possibly make it life or death.

To pump out water
 

after you notice your Hobie leaning from taking on water in the hull. Occasionally someone forgets to put the drain plug back in after rinsing the kayak, or worse case scenario is a crack in the mirage drive well.

Good advice ~ thanks gents. I've got a bailer I keep with me to keep my "bait tank" (er - plastic bucket) aerated. I think that will suffice if the boat is taking on water.