Looking for a Source - Water

[Long Story]

This is a minor one, but hoped that maybe someone can help me with my head scratching.

Our boats (the C-310) and the three (3) section bilge areas has the tendency to pretty much separate (until it gets to high) the area where the water is coming from. (front water from a lose water fill hose, coolant under the engine an so-forth)

This weekend while making a pre-sail inspection of the bilge, there was water in my bilge most forward and most aft but very little in center section. Front was easy, found a lose clamp on the hose that drains the anchor locker - problem solved. But the aft one has me baffled. Water was dark colored, almost brown / rust color. No oil feel to it at all, no stink like a leaking head hose. Under the engine 100% dry. No sign of coming down the sides. In doing the smell test it smelled like rust, and stained like rusty water. (I am on Lake Michigan so fresh water not salt) My thinking is the only place it could be coming from (and show signs of rust) would be if the hot water heater was failing? Seemed dry back there, but as I said I am baffled, there is just no trail and there was only about 3 cups in the bilge.

Any thoughts on where to look next would be appreciated. I lost a couple hours of sailing trying to hunt this down. (I have a bone dry bilge most of the time. )

Also, did someone change out a hot water heater not long ago? Trying to see how big a project that would be year end.

Thanks
Russ
s/v Long Story

 

[paulj]

This is a minor one, but hoped that maybe someone can help me with my head scratching.

Our boats (the C-310) and the three (3) section bilge areas has the tendency to pretty much separate (until it gets to high) the area where the water is coming from. (front water from a lose water fill hose, coolant under the engine an so-forth)

This weekend while making a pre-sail inspection of the bilge, there was water in my bilge most forward and most aft but very little in center section. Front was easy, found a lose clamp on the hose that drains the anchor locker - problem solved. But the aft one has me baffled. Water was dark colored, almost brown / rust color. No oil feel to it at all, no stink like a leaking head hose. Under the engine 100% dry. No sign of coming down the sides. In doing the smell test it smelled like rust, and stained like rusty water. (I am on Lake Michigan so fresh water not salt) My thinking is the only place it could be coming from (and show signs of rust) would be if the hot water heater was failing? Seemed dry back there, but as I said I am baffled, there is just no trail and there was only about 3 cups in the bilge.

Any thoughts on where to look next would be appreciated. I lost a couple hours of sailing trying to hunt this down. (I have a bone dry bilge most of the time. )

Also, did someone change out a hot water heater not long ago? Trying to see how big a project that would be year end.

Thanks
Russ
s/v Long Story

Very easy...............



paulj :troll:

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

Very easy............... paulj :troll:

Is that a 20 gallon tank?

 

[rpwillia]

Interesting

My first thought was that one of your water heater connections could be leaking. But with it being colored that eliminates the fresh water connections. Did you check the engine supply and return lines to the water heater?

Another thought was that you could have a leak in a fitting in the deck that is getting stained from the balsa core deteriorating and that would be leaking down into the bilge. Are there any stain lines in the bilge to indicate direction?

That is all I got. I did have some problems with my supply line connections to the water heater this summer that started with a small leak on the fresh water pump. Fixing that with a newer model with 10 additional psi caused one and then the other fittings to leak on the water heater. Replacing them with properly sized adapters (the originals from the factory were an RCH too small) fixed the problem.

 

[paulj]

Is that a 20 gallon tank?[/QUOTE]



11 gallons............




paulj :troll:

 

[Tom J]

Long Story, I would check your wet exhaust hose for possible leaks. My hose had been leaking for a while, and left the rust colored stain in the aft bilge you described. It was just a pin hole in the middle of the hose. The rest of the hose was fine. I purchased a bronze coupling and cut out the bad section of hose and rejoined the hose. No problems since.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

11 gallons............




paulj [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] :troll:

Paulj,

The standard water heater in our boats is 20 gallons. Not very easy at all to get out. I suspect the 11 gallon is much easier to deal with. For instance, when I take off that wood cover, all I see is the side of the tank. You have to crawl around the steering/rudder stock to get behind the heater and undo the bracket. Then it's a game to try and fit the 20 gallon tank through the hole in the bulkhead.

If/when my 20 gallon tank goes, I will put an 11 gallon in and probably use the gained space as storage. Never can have enough storage. I feel like I am packed to the gills right now. I am going to have to give up some more tools and I am not happy about that.

 

[CraigS]

A handy trick I have used for finding the source of bilge water is the use of colored chalk. Just draw a thick line in the bilge - high enough to be out of the sloshing water. Any water coming into the bilge will wash away the chlk on its way and leve you an indicator of the source path. This has been especially helpful for leaks that only show up during rain or other intermittent situations.

 

[Long Story]

Thanks to all who posted so far - in order:

Paul J - Thank you for the photos. My question much like JK, once it all disconnected did the old one come out that opening? As stated, all I see is gray steel when I open that port. I also will go smaller, 11 gal is plenty for sure, and will sure go back in easier. Also makes it easier when flipping valves and draining in winter. (Something JK will soon forget when he heads off in a week or so)

Ray - Yes I did, checked connections all over the place. Hoses, and such even tightened a few just to be sure. Will look again this weekend as left the boat with a dry bilge. I have no deck leaks that I am aware of at least. Boat always is dry and so is bilge so would be odd given the amount of water and the lack of rain the past week. But again will check next wash or rainfall. (holiday weekend I am sure it will rain)

Tom J - Good tip (these are all good tips) That is one thing I did not look at, and would most likely only see while running the engine, or right after a trip on the water as a collection of water. I will get in there fist thing Friday evening and run awhile to look for water spray, or drips. Thank you. What type coupling did you use to join the hose? In any case if needed I have (at last) a WM within 10 min of the boat.

Craig S - Thanks also. Yes I use this trick a lot, and had chalk lines drawn to search for leaks into the center section I was seeing. (found a battery had been over filled and leaking to bilge this way) All the lines are dry so I know the water has to be following the lower route and not coming from the sides, ports, fittings or such. I was going to lift the cover under the back bunk and run some lines the width of the boat to see if I can trace a trickle coming from the water heater, maybe an exhaust hose, or some place forward or aft.

Any other thoughts please let me know...

Thanks again to all.

Russ

 

[Tom J]

I used a standard hose coupling and doubled up on the stainless steel clamps, just like the connection to the exhaust riser.

 

[Clydo]

This is a minor one, but hoped that maybe someone can help me with my head scratching.

Our boats (the C-310) and the three (3) section bilge areas has the tendency to pretty much separate (until it gets to high) the area where the water is coming from. (front water from a lose water fill hose, coolant under the engine an so-forth)

This weekend while making a pre-sail inspection of the bilge, there was water in my bilge most forward and most aft but very little in center section. Front was easy, found a lose clamp on the hose that drains the anchor locker - problem solved. But the aft one has me baffled. Water was dark colored, almost brown / rust color. No oil feel to it at all, no stink like a leaking head hose. Under the engine 100% dry. No sign of coming down the sides. In doing the smell test it smelled like rust, and stained like rusty water. (I am on Lake Michigan so fresh water not salt) My thinking is the only place it could be coming from (and show signs of rust) would be if the hot water heater was failing? Seemed dry back there, but as I said I am baffled, there is just no trail and there was only about 3 cups in the bilge.

Any thoughts on where to look next would be appreciated. I lost a couple hours of sailing trying to hunt this down. (I have a bone dry bilge most of the time. )

Also, did someone change out a hot water heater not long ago? Trying to see how big a project that would be year end.

Thanks
Russ
s/v Long Story

Same problem but water clear and area under engine bone dry. Given bilge
water flow: from under stuffing box through cut in "cross member"
under engine through limber hole to first "box" in bilge through
limber hole to second "box" through limber hole to last "box" in
bilge how would below comments regarding leaking water heater
arrive in second box? Engine heat dry any water under engine?
Pad under my engine doesn't look or feel like every been wet. Engine
heat? In any event have several inches of clear water in second
box. Ran fresh water in galley and head sinks without disturbing
water? Will keep looking and try baby powder barrier to see if can
find flow.

Clyde Thorington
C310 # 245
ILEAN TOO
San Jose, CA

 

[Clydo]

This is a minor one, but hoped that maybe someone can help me with my head scratching.

Our boats (the C-310) and the three (3) section bilge areas has the tendency to pretty much separate (until it gets to high) the area where the water is coming from. (front water from a lose water fill hose, coolant under the engine an so-forth)

This weekend while making a pre-sail inspection of the bilge, there was water in my bilge most forward and most aft but very little in center section. Front was easy, found a lose clamp on the hose that drains the anchor locker - problem solved. But the aft one has me baffled. Water was dark colored, almost brown / rust color. No oil feel to it at all, no stink like a leaking head hose. Under the engine 100% dry. No sign of coming down the sides. In doing the smell test it smelled like rust, and stained like rusty water. (I am on Lake Michigan so fresh water not salt) My thinking is the only place it could be coming from (and show signs of rust) would be if the hot water heater was failing? Seemed dry back there, but as I said I am baffled, there is just no trail and there was only about 3 cups in the bilge.

Any thoughts on where to look next would be appreciated. I lost a couple hours of sailing trying to hunt this down. (I have a bone dry bilge most of the time. )

Also, did someone change out a hot water heater not long ago? Trying to see how big a project that would be year end.

Thanks
Russ
s/v Long Story

Russ - any luck finding your leak? I too checked to other day and found
a fair amount of water in first bilge section just forward of engine.
Did all the checks mentioned on this theme. Used baby powder (next
time will try chalk). Looked at past posts and someone indicated two
bypass limber holes that go around each side of engine and into this
bilge section. Suppose to keep oil out of bilge and under engine only??
Interesting thing. Dried out all water in bilge. Went for sail in fair amount
of wind. Back in dock ran all interior water galley sink and head. Next
morning bilge dry as bone?? Could be exterior from power wash boat
but baby powder still dry.

Clyde Thorington
C310 # 245
ILEAN TOO
San Jose, CA

 

[Long Story]

Clyde,
Never found the source. It did not come back, kind of eliminating hoses or hot water heater (that I was ready to replace) so I am at a loss. The boat is now out of the water and on the hard for the winter. (I know an odd word to people living in CA) So I will watch to see if any accumulated before the cover is on, (which would say it is a top side leak) or give me something to be concerned about in the spring.

Thanks for checking
Russ
s/v long story