What capacity pumps are large enough?

The intent of a bilge pump is to remove water that enters the bilge, but at what rate? A bilge pump is most needed at the worst of times, and often that is when their inadequacy is discovered. George Day discusses a recent incident in the Cruising Compass report:

The sinking of the Swedish-flag 46-footer IdaLina 300 miles from the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia began when the boat’s rudder shaft broke in half and the stub attached to the rudder created a crack or hole in the hull at the bearing that was estimated to be 15 centimeters or six inches wide.

While the yacht’s pumps were working, they could not keep up with the water ingress. Are there pumps normally installed that could have kept the boat afloat long enough to make the needed repairs? I don’t know, but I do know that on the boats I have owned and prepared for blue water sailing, I’ve installed 4,000-gallon-per-hour pumps.

Two of those might have kept IdaLina afloat as long as the engine was still working and the batteries remained dry. But, I am certainly not sure of it. What are your thoughts on the sinking of IdaLina and on preparing a boat and crew for such an ultimate test? Email us at george@bwsailing.com