Bluewater Kayak Works was born of a desire to improve kayak safety and performance, and to help kayakers at all skill levels handle the unexpected with greater confidence.

Seattle inventor Mark Peloquin was never satisfied with manual bilge pumps. So, he launched Bluewater Kayak Works, to provide what he believes will become the “new normal” in kayak safety and performance-- a dependable, hands-free, electric bilge pump system for even the most adventurous sea kayaker.

“I think we are sitting on the cusp of a revolution in sea kayaking,” says Peloquin. “We are about to experience a paradigm shift in the sport. A manual bilge pump just doesn’t cut it. If it’s rough enough to knock you over and make you swim, after you get back in your kayak you’ll be hard pressed to pump the water out with a hand pump while the spray skirt is off. You need the spray skirt on, two hands on the paddle, and two feet on the foot pegs. The manual bilge pump is just not an adequate first line of defense when you really need it. I think our Freedom™ line of electric pumps is the answer, with a manual pump as your backup system. They’re easily installed in new or old kayaks. And with our solar panel charger and rechargeable battery, you’ve got a truly ‘green’ system. We think the Freedom™ electric bilge pump represents a paradigm shift for the industry. It will also accelerate learning by removing the apprehension that comes from wet exiting and hand pumping. You will soon find that your normal method of entering the kayak at the start of a paddle is a re-entry roll!”

This paradigm shift, says Peloquin, has three sweeping effects on your kayaking experience:

SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE. The Freedom™ 500 can pump a single-seat cockpit dry in approximately 1.5 minutes with the spray-skirt on and while you have both hands on the paddle and both feet on the foot-pegs. You can’t get that level of performance and safety from a manual bilge pump, not even from a foot pump.

SAFETY AND HANDLING. Whether you’re an experienced kayaker or just entering the sport, the Freedom™ 500 eliminates the burden and fatigue of manual pumping so you can explore the limits of hull stability and develop your skills. It makes the prospect of wet exiting much less of a dreaded exercise since it empties the cockpit so quickly. If you are practicing leaning, strokes, or rescue/re-entry skills, having an electric pump to empty your boat shortens your learning curve because you will push yourself more since you’re not wasting energy pumping water manually.

SAFETY IN ROUGH WATER. Experienced kayakers benefit because the Freedom™ provides a huge margin of safety in rough conditions. Let’s face it: even the most experienced kayakers can find themselves in situations where a “wet exit” is necessary. At times like this, you don’t want anything less than an electric pump for safety and stability.

1. Enter the kayak with a re-entry roll and your electric pump empties the cockpit in approximately 1.5 minutes, with the spray skirt on and both hands on your paddle and both feet on the foot-pegs.

2. If you do a paddle float re-entry, you can turn the pump on while you are floating in the water. By the time you get back in the cockpit, the Freedom system has pumped the cockpit dry. Stow your paddle float and away you go in minimum time and with maximum safety.

Order your Freedom™ pump today and join the revolution. Equipping your kayak with a Freedom™ pump can mean the difference between completing a trip and needing to be rescued.

Watch for our new product announcements, follow us on twitter, and join the ever growing fleet of freedom paddlers by giving your kayak a spout! With a Freedom™ pump installed in your kayak we say now you are Free to Explore!