Bilge pump (emptying the cockpit after a capsize)

After a capsize and a rescue, you are sitting in the kayak with your feet in seawater. The cockpit of a typical sea kayak holds 40-60 litres of water when it is full, and before you can paddle on, most of it has to come out. The bilge pump is the simple, mechanical solution — a pump you draw up and down by hand, and which throws water out over the rim of the cockpit into the sea beside you.

It is not a piece of kit that is fun to talk about, but it is one that is nearly always carried on a sea kayak trip, and that it is surprisingly common never to have used. That does not mean it is not needed — it just means that people who paddle in an organised setting rarely capsize involuntarily.

When you actually use it

The bilge pump has one primary use: emptying the cockpit after you have got back into the kayak following a capsize and rescue, but before you can paddle on effectively.

The sit-in kayak is what needs a pump. Sit-on-top kayaks have drain holes in the seat well and drain without help. SUPs and packrafts do not have the same need either. The bilge pump is therefore specific to the sit-in kayaks such as sea kayaks, touring kayaks and river kayaks.

Secondarily, the pump is used for a slow leak from a leaky spray deck or a hatch that lets water in over time. On a long day trip there can be 5-10 litres of water in the cockpit after many hours in waves — it is worth pumping it out before there is enough to affect your balance.

How much water and how long it takes

A typical sea kayak cockpit holds between 40 and 60 litres of water when it is completely full. A standard handheld bilge pump throws out roughly 0.5-1 litre per stroke, and you can manage 40-60 strokes per minute at a steady pace. That means:

40 litres out in around one to two minutes.
60 litres out in around one and a half to three minutes.

In practice it goes more slowly than this calculation suggests, because you have to pump in waves, keep your balance, and often pause to breathe. Reckon on 2-4 minutes to pump out most of it — the last layer of water you simply leave.

Handheld vs fixed-mount

There are two main solutions:

Handheld is a cylinder you draw up and down with your hand. It packs easily under the deck bungee or in the cockpit, can be shared between several kayaks, and needs no installation. It is the most common type in touring and sea paddling, and what comes with club hire kayaks.

Fixed-mount is integrated into the kayak — typically behind you, between your hips and the bulkhead. It is driven by a foot pedal or a handle by the hip, and you can use it without letting go of the paddle. It is common on expedition kayaks and among paddlers who do a lot of rolling and self-rescue. It packs more space-efficiently, but needs installation and is not transferable between kayaks.

For most touring and sea paddlers, handheld is the right choice. It is simple, cheap and it works. Fixed-mount becomes relevant for expeditions or for paddlers who are on the water hundreds of hours a year.

Materials and capacity

Plastic is the most common — typically a PVC or HDPE cylinder with a plastic shaft. Light, cheap, and copes reasonably well with salt and UV over a few seasons.

Aluminium is found in the more premium handheld pumps and in many fixed-mount ones. Stronger and lighter than plastic for the same wall thickness, and lasts longer, but more expensive.

Capacity is often given as litres per minute — typical handheld pumps are around 40-100 l/min with steady pumping, while fixed-mount ones can reach 60-120 l/min with foot pumping. The figure is theoretical; in reality you get out about half of that under actual conditions.

The length should match the cockpit depth. A pump that is too short does not reach down to the water in the bottom of the cockpit. The standard length is 45-55 cm, and that works for most touring and sea kayaks.

Specific brands and price

Beckson Thirsty-Mate — American, a classic handheld pump in plastic, cheap and reliable.
NRS Bilge Pump — a solid handheld pump with a float so that it does not sink if you lose your grip.
Eckla — a German brand, both handheld and fixed-mount.
Henderson — a maker of fixed-mount foot pumps for expedition kayaks.

Price level:

200-500 kr for a handheld bilge pump in plastic or aluminium.
1500-3500 kr for a complete fixed-mount system with pump, mounting and hose.

For beginners and club paddlers, a handheld pump around 300 kr is standard. It is not the kit you need to spend a lot of money on.

Placement on the kayak

The pump should be accessible — not hidden away in a hatch. Common placements:

Under the deck bungee behind the cockpit — visible, easy to grab, but it can float away if the strap slips.
In the seat well between your legs — a good grip, but it is in the way of the spray deck.
On a floating leash — tied with thin bungee or twine to the kayak so that the pump does not float away if you drop it in the sea.

The most important thing is that you know where it is, and that you can find it without looking down — you rarely have time to search for the pump in a rescue situation.

Maintenance

The bilge pump needs little, but some:

Rinse with fresh water after seawater. Salt settles in the O-rings and makes the pump sluggish.
Dry it inside — turn the pump upside down and pump dry air through it a couple of times before you put it away.
Check the O-rings and seals every season. Seals that are cracked do not seal, and the pump loses capacity.
A plastic handle can crack in the cold. If the handle is cracked, it can still work, but its replacement time is approaching.

A good handheld bilge pump lasts 5-15 years with normal use. Fixed-mount foot pumps last longer, but need more frequent servicing of the O-rings.

Next steps

Paddle float — the other rescue tool in the cockpit; the float to get up, the pump to get dry
Spray deck — keeps the water out in the first place, so you have less to pump
Buoyancy aid — the first thing you put on when a capsize becomes real
Rescue in a kayak — the technique the pump is part of
What goes in the pack — where the pump belongs in your standard packing

Learn more

Text: Snuitide (2026).