Bilge Water Under the Sole

Allan12210 · Jun 24, 2015

slooop said:
I had to replace the bilge pump to my 1985 Hunter 34. The old screw holes in the bilge seeped water into the bilge indicating the water level between the bilge and the outside skin of the boat is higher than the bottom of the bilge.
Need advice on how to get that water out.
I've thought of drilling a 1/4" hole in the bottom of the bilge, sticking a tube through the hole and sucking it out. But that is too scarey so will not do that.
Help!!!!

http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=970990&highlight=allan12210 bilge

This will tell you everything you need to do. Not scary at all. Start chopping.

waternwaves · Jun 24, 2015

I had a lot of success removing water between the hull and liner by using a shop vac with nylon and tygon tubing. if it refills, in a day or two you know you have something to address in the next haul out.

However, some moisture between the hull and liner is normal in most boats, (especially those with large temp swings per day and frequent use. this is what frequently provides the osmotic pressure through the fiberglass to blister some hulls, and is often present due to water vapor condensing on the cool inner hull surface. Good practice to periodically suck that moisture out with a small flex tube and your shop vac.

Benny17441 · Jun 24, 2015

Water gets trapped in the stringers below the sole and in a 30 year old boat there is bound to be quite a bit. The volume of trapped water will likely be measured in gallons. The problem is that this water will not flow down to the bilge all at once; it will rely on boat motion to slowly release portions that will trickle down to the bilge area. It could be a never ending task to try and get this water out of the boat as it gets replenished by rain leak, water spray, wash downs, packing gland drips and spills. This water is usually nasty and foul smelling. Before you drill holes into the liner be aware you could be inviting unwanted smells into the cabin. If it were me I would plug up those holes and would just draw the line at just keeping the bilge dry.

kloudie1 · Jun 25, 2015

Allan is right on .. There is a false bottom to the original bilge that many H-34 owners have removed to get the stagnant water underneath out of there. Instead of a hole saw, a multi-tool might be a better tool to get the bottom out.. A saw works... but the multi tool may let ya finish faster..
http://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/oscillating-tools.html
There are others available from several manufacturers, but one of those will do the job..

Allan12210 · Jun 25, 2015

kloudie1 said:
Allan is right on .. There is a false bottom to the original bilge that many H-34 owners have removed to get the stagnant water underneath out of there. Instead of a hole saw, a multi-tool might be a better tool to get the bottom out.. A saw works... but the multi tool may let ya finish faster..
http://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/oscillating-tools.html
There are others available from several manufacturers, but one of those will do the job..

I should have updated my post. As Claude says, that multi tool is the way to go. Later when I finally bought one I went back and cut those points off for a nice clean opening.

They just opened a new Harbor Freight store within 4 miles of my house yesterday. My wife is going to put me on an allowance.

Allan12210 · Jun 26, 2015

slooop said:
Wow, many thanks for info. I feel better that other H34 owners had similiar problems. Think I will drill a 1/2" hole in the bilge, periodically vacumn the water out and plug the hole rest of the time.
I do not feel comfortable about water normally trapped in the bilge pan running into the bottom.
Think I am over cautious?

This is a modification you will thank yourself for everyday. If you only take water out sometimes it will still build up and slosh around where it will become trapped. Then it will stink. The piece of permeatd plywood underneath the pan liner is already rotten and stinks. Do yourself a big favor and cut the bottom of the pan out so your bilge pump can evacuate everything always. You can also finish up with a sponge. My bilge is 100% dry whenever I leave. That way it doesn't contribute any humidity to the interior of the boat which promotes odors and mildew.

kloudie1 · Jun 26, 2015

Allan.. Laughing.. Our Harbor Freight is less than a mile away.. and right next door to a Chinese restaurant.. My sailing buddy and I usually have lunch at the restaurant on Mondays (the senior special day) then go and walk around the Harbor Freight for a while. We have truly embraced "Olde Fartism".

Allan12210 · Jun 26, 2015

kloudie1 said:
Allan.. Laughing.. Our Harbor Freight is less than a mile away.. and right next door to a Chinese restaurant.. My sailing buddy and I usually have lunch at the restaurant on Mondays (the senior special day) then go and walk around the Harbor Freight for a while. We have truly embraced "Olde Fartism".

Chinese food and Chinese tools. A perfect match. I need to come and visit you. And officially I will be of senior status in 3 weeks. Medicare starts on Wednesday :cry:

Allan12210 · Jun 26, 2015

slooop said:
OK, you convinced me. What did you fasten your bilge pump to? Your boat a shoal or deep draft? Mine is shoal and I have a very strong weather helm. I have to spill a lotta air to steer comfortably.

The hull there above the keel is 1 3/8" thick. I used some 1/2" screws to hold that strainer down. The bilge pump just snaps into it. I'm using a West Marine brand 2000 gph pump with the integrated water level switch.

I have the deep keel version and the exact same weather helm. We've just learned how to deal with it. Around here its either full main in the winter or double reef or no main the rest of the time. Single reef...what's that?

Allan

Mark48 · Jun 27, 2015

Sounds like another thread on weather helm is needed to be revised. Generally I think it is an issue of getting proper sail balance. I have had the issue in the past but am finding that a reefed main and furling the jib to about 110 gives decent balance above the 15knt range. I also just filled my starboard water tank and I am curious to see the effect on boat balance. As mostly a day cruiser I have not carried full tanks.

Claude L.-Auger · Jun 28, 2015

Don't procrastinate like I did trying to avoid the issue. After reading all I could find on the subject and seeing what the guys on this site had done (Thanks Allan and all the others), I finally took the plunge and did the job. Not bad and my boat now has a very pleasant odor because there is nothing rotting in that bilge anymore. I took a bunch of pics while doing it so I put the attached together to help you and others who want to tackle the project. Credits for the original drawing have to go to Neil Delisanti who had posted it on this site. Good luck.

Claude L.-Auger · Jun 30, 2015

slooop said:
Claude
Thanks for info and the pictures. I printed them and will use them for the work. I am still nervous about cutting/drilling. Don't understand the "Hunter made holes" depicted in the drawing.

If you lift the floor section that covers the bilge area, you will see 2 holes high up in the front section of the bilge. One normally has wires the other is for water trapped under the liner to flow to the bilge area. Now stick your head down and look under the floor on both sides of the bilge. You should see those "Hunter made" holes I'm talking about. They are about 1/4" too high and consequently allow water to be trapped, leading to bad odors. The pics here show the front one and one in the front port corner. There are also some under the floor section on the starboard side.

H3newdog · Jul 16, 2015

Starboard water tank???

Mark48 said:
Sounds like another thread on weather helm is needed to be revised. Generally I think it is an issue of getting proper sail balance. I have had the issue in the past but am finding that a reefed main and furling the jib to about 110 gives decent balance above the 15knt range. I also just filled my starboard water tank and I am curious to see the effect on boat balance. As mostly a day cruiser I have not carried full tanks.

I have #68 from 1983, only port and stern water tanks. As I/we already lean to stbd did you add the tank or was it original.

Mark48 · Jul 20, 2015

My error it is a port tank.

Bilge Water Under the Sole

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