Bilge pump on a 19th C brigantine/whaler

Let's say you're iced in on a late-19th century brigantine and ice staves in your hull. You're not sinking yet (the ice jabbing into the hull actually helps to prop you up) so you use the bilge pump to pump out water and postpone the inevitable. From what I can tell, the bilge pump itself is in the lowest part of the bilge, with perhaps a secondary pump a bit higher up. But the crank --- is that above decks? Or is it within the bilge? Where would you actually be carrying out the labor to pump?

BIG THANKS in advance to anyone with insight.

WeaselFire said:

Depends on the pump. Many are similar to an old well pump, up and down on the handle and it pumps water. The intake is low in the ship but the pump itself is higher up so it can discharge overboard. Some are screw pumps and the handle can be anywhere. Again, the output has to be above the waterline and the handles are usually at or near the output. In most ships, the draft isn't that deep so the normal waterline is 6-8 feet above the keel.

Jeff

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Thanks, Jeff! Sounds like my scene is incorrect, but I'll leave it for now and do some further research into the particular ship I've modeled mine after + check out the different pumps. What I had found online was a pump where you could attach a crank to the flywheel and turn it. But in my imagination I had envisioned an up-and-down well pump, as you describe. Nice to know I can pick whatever works best for the scene and probably get away with it!

@M.C.Statz - I imagine that film is well researched and fairly accurate. I'm actually reading the novel now! Figured it would be good to beef up while writing my story. It's been a few years since I've seen the movie, but it's one of my favorites. I think I'm due for another screening...