Bilge water in 02 460

[Kleis]

Have not been able to source from where water very slowly keeps filling the bilge. Been this way from before we took ownership in 05. Checked all water tank connections and flow thru. AC units and fridge/freezer all drain to sump boxes. Will be using coloured water before/after haul out to rule out tanks. Appreciate your suggestions.

 

[rgranger]

Could be condensation running down behind the liner and then slowly filling up the bilge? If you have ruled out a water tank and if you notice it is worse when the humidity is high, then I'd suspect condensation. Otherwise, your only other choices are a leak on deck (stanchion post, cleat etc) or a leaking through hull or your keel bolts need to be bedded. A leak on deck is hard to track down because it can get behind the liner and manifest someplace far from the actual leak. If it is a leak on deck, then you should notice it is worse after a rain. On my 26 I had a slow leak that I finally traced to a stanchion post. I re-bedded it and it is now dry.

Good luck, slow leaks are hard to run down.

 

[Benny17441]

There is likely many gallons of water trapped in the hull stringers below the sole. This is water that has been collected through the years from spills, wash downs, leaks, sea spray, wet bathing suits, condensation, you name it. This water gets dislodged as new water raises the level and it is pushed out and with boat motion and it flows into the bilge. The problem with this water is that it is likely contaminated with a little diesel fuel, engine oil and bacteria growth and will be spoiled and provide a foul smell. The bilge liner helps to keep the smell contained so I would resist the urge to open a hole so that the water can be pumped out. Best advice is to check for any leaks and correct them, be careful about spills and wash the boat down with as little water as possible and perhaps over time it will dry up to the point where no water flows regularly into the bilge.

 

[rgranger]

Benny's post made me think of an experiment. If you are going to be away from the boat for a 10-day stretch, try running a dehumidifier in the boat. You will need to run the drain into the sink. Shove towels or whatever into the vents and tape up the boat and really dry the air out (bone dry). This should also get any water behind the liner out. Drain the bilge on day 10 (if there is any water in it), then close the boat back up with the dehumidifier on. If water returns to the bilge, it is most likely not condensation. If the bilge is dry then the water is coming from the air (condensation).

 

[Rick486]

Have not been able to source from where water very slowly keeps filling the bilge. Been this way from before we took ownership in 05. Checked all water tank connections and flow thru. AC units and fridge/freezer all drain to sump boxes. Will be using coloured water before/after haul out to rule out tanks. Appreciate your suggestions.

When you say "...slowly filling the bilge..", can you quantify that? 1 cup in 4 hours.....like that. For example, unless I have an event that dumps water in the bilge, the bilge is dry as a feather. Living aboard with appliances running produces condensation of maybe a sheen in the bilge after a few days.

 

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[Kleis]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I will systematically utilize your suggestions accordingly. Also considered to add a bilge pump activation counter and calculate the amount of bilge water is pumped per cycle by pumping into a 5 gallon pail instead of overboard and systematically adding a food colour dye to each tank in sequence to rule out tank leakage. The search continues.

 

[JamesG161]

We had a nagging small leak that had similar Bilge effects.
We found it was associated with a Heavy Rain.

This is a technique of using your "Colored water" too.
On my H430, I noticed that all non diesel, "inner hull exposed" compartments flow to the main bilge.

We bought some cheap WHITE painter's rags [face cloths work too]
Then placed a White cloth "detector" in those compartments.
Finally only one "detector" was getting wet.
It was near the Port side life rail gate, also the main head area.

Then we used the Food Color dyed water on the weather deck near the gate. [5 gal bucket].
Found it!!!
The weather deck has a "rain/wave splash" dump area about 2 foot wide as a "spill way" overboard.
All of the Port side deck water, flows overboard through that "spill way" and over the rub rail.

Ours was a Deck to hull leak seam leak.
Jim...

PS: The leak was stopped by a simple trick, that took us 5 minutes to fix. Also the previous owner tried to solve it, but his crappy method didn't work.

 

[seadaddler]

JamesG161
So what was the trick fix can you give more details.
Nick

 

[JamesG161]

So what was the trick fix can you give more details.

I found the rub rail top grove filled with the PO's crappy caulking, that had pulled away from rub rail/hull.
Evidently he found the leak before.

1) I pressure water cleaned out the old caulking and the green algae. Easy.
2) I caulked 2 feet either side of the "spill way" with this.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Lexel-10-5-fl-oz-Clear-Paintable-Solvent-Caulk/4714985
I get the 5 oz size. Polyurethane sealant that is flexible and has great hot to cold adhesion properties.

3) Then at each end of the caulking run, we built a little "Dam", with the caulking. Why?
That heap of clear caulking prevented water running under the uncaulked rub rail and avoided a total rub rail removal and tons of caulking.

I know, worthless without pictures. I will get a picture in a few days.
______
When we got the boat the foam mattresses smelled "briny", as did the closed cabin. After finding that leak, no briny smell for ≈1.5 years,
Caulking is still in place.

Jim...

PS: That caulking is the best weather adhesive type sealant I have found. Landlubber use too.
PSS: The leak only occured on heavy rains that basically floods that "spill way" with about 2" deep water.