For the Multi-tasker: Bridgenorth Bailer

Boat hook/deck brush/hand pump gets those hard-to-reach places.

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The Bridgenorth Bailer is a combination hand-pump, telescoping boat hook, and deck brush, but it has more than three uses. As a boat hook, it is&emdash;as Dr. Evil says&emdash;pretty standard, really. The hook tip is smaller than many, but stout, and will work to snag lines and pendants up to about 3/4 of an inch. The tip of the hook has the intake/discharge hole for the pump, and can be fitted into the deck brush.

Bridgenorth Bailer?s

Unlike a typical boat pump like the Beckson Thirsty-Mate, the Bridgenorth has no flow-through valve for a separate discharge&emdash;you push out what you pull in through the same hole, so its not meant for serious de-bailing. Instead, the first purpose of the Bridgenorth is to suck water out of hard-to-reach places like the catacombs of the bilge, a dinghy skeg well, or under floorboards. The second is clean-water squirting. The volume is not great, but the pressure is excellent. Its ideal for spot rinse-offs, and with the brush attached, decks can be scrubbed without hauling around a bucket or hose.

Bridgenorth Bailer?s

The Bridgenorth has nitrile pump seals, a Lexan plastic tip, and foam grips. The pole is anodized aluminum and stainless steel. Its as robust as any telescoping boat hook weve seen, with a pin-lock system thats more secure than twist-locks. The piston seals can withstand the effects of oil and salt, and can be lubricated or replaced.

Weve used the 5-foot Bridgenorth for three months, with no complaints. Boaters World sells the devices for $40 (5 feet) and $50 (8 feet) with a no-rust guarantee.

CONTACT:

BRIDGENORTH BAILER
866/551-2245, bridgenorthbailer.com

Darrell Nicholson
Darrell Nicholson is editor emeritus of Practical Sailor. He is a longtime liveaboard sailor and has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans. A winner of dozens of writing awards in disparate genres, he currently edits Marine Electronics Journal for the National Marine Electronics Association. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license and sails his S&S-designed Yankee 30, Opal, out of St. Petersburg, Florida. He can be reached at darrellnicholson.com.

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