Using an Emergency Dewatering Pump
Procedures for Removing Water from a Flooded Vessel
Learning to use a dewatering pump can greatly improve your ability to deal effectively with on-board flooding emergencies
A leading cause of death for commercial fishermen is the uncontrolled flooding of their vessels. Flooding forces a boat deeper into the water, reduces stability, and it then founders. Without quick corrective action, the vessel will eventually capsize and sink. Recreational vessels face the very same risks that flooding can cause problems for fishing boats. Taking time to maintain vessel thru-hull fittings and learning damage control procedures will improve your chances of surviving a flooding incident.
Another tool in your response kit is knowing how to utilize emergency dewatering pumps. A quickly placed pump can stop a flooding problem from becoming worse. The Coast Guard has emergency pump kits available for delivery to vessels in distress. A little familiarization with these pumps and the procedures used to deliver them will greatly increase your response time during an actual emergency.
Pump Delivery - Portable dewatering pumps can be delivered to a flooding boat by the Coast Guard in a couple of ways. If a vessel is within the operating range of their helicopters, the pumps can be hoisted directly to the deck or in the water immediately next to the boat. Vessels further ashore can have pump kits dropped to them from Coast Guard C-130 Hercules aircraft.
USCG P6 Dewatering Pump - A commonly used emergency dewatering pump deployed by the Coast Guard is the P6 pump. This pump can be delivered to a boat by a number of means in the event of flooding. The pump has a rated output capacity of 250 gallons per minute, lifting water from a height of ten feet. P6 pumps are delivered as part of a pump kit that includes an instruction card, flashlight, suction and discharge hoses, fuel containers and spare parts enclosed in a floating container. Pump kits come with two one gallon fuel tanks and the pump will run more than four hours with the fuel provided.
Training - Opportunities abound for boaters interested in learning about dewatering pump use. The Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary offer many hands-on classes in numerous coastal communities. The Alaska Marine Safety Education Association (AMSEA) has produced a good instructional DVD on helicopter and dewatering pump operations. The video is available from the Alaska Sea Grant College Program. There is even a short video clip showing a P6 pump in use on YouTube.
Proper maintenance of thru-hull fittings, developing damage control kits, learning to use a dewatering pump, effective communications and drilling in emergency procedures are tools available to you that will greatly improve the outcome of an at sea emergency. The sea is unforgiving of the unprepared and you self-interest in boating safety will serve crew and passengers well while on the water.
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