Historical information

The Pacific Marine company was based in Seattle on the west coast of America and manufactured its first satisfactory portable fire pump 1925.

These early Type N pumps were replaced in 1933 by the more familiar Type Y pumps.

The updated pumps proved popular with the US Forest Service, and a large number were purchased by the Forests Commission as part of the equipment upgrade program in the wake of the 1939 bushfires.

The Pacific Marine had a 9.8 Hp, two-cylinder, two-stroke petrol motor running with a high oil mix ratio of 16:1, so it blew vast clouds of blue smoke as the motor screamed at 4500 rpm.

Part of its unique design was the water-cooled engine and muffler. But if the flow of water was interrupted the engine would quickly overheat and seize, so it needed constant monitoring and attention.

Water was driven through a pair of bronze impeller gears which also needed a constant flow of water otherwise they would also self-destruct.

When running properly, a Pacific Marine could pump 63 US gallons per minute, or about enough to fill a 200-litre drum.

But its main feature was its high pressure of up to 225 psi. Pacific Marine pumps were often mounted on top of departmental fire tankers and used to spray water into the tops of burning trees.

Compared to other pumps of the era it was light weight at only 70 pounds and was often mounted on a wooden stretcher frame.

But they were cantankerous things to start with the rope pull and many exasperated novices came away with skinned knuckles.

Modern Honda motors, which were more reliable and smoother running, replaced the Pacific Marines as the pump of choice for forest firefighters in the 1980s.

Physical description

High pressure Pacific marine Pump