88-94 H30 Bilge Question..

[Famos_Amos]

Do any of the other 88-94 H30 owners have (or can you take) a picture of your aft most bilge/ keel bolt compartment and post it here? I'm trying to figure out if what I'm looking at is factory-original in mine. It looks like at some point a repair job or modification may have occurred, but it is hard to tell. I should have taken a picture when I was there, but it appears to be a large glob of something hard (glass or other 2-part material) filling the aft point of the bilge and surrounding a smaller diameter keel bolt. The keel bolt nut is atop a wide stainless bar that spans the top of the bilge there. The concern is that there appears to be stress cracks along and around the filler.
Anyhow, thanks for the help-

 

[Ken Cross]

I'll try to remember next time I get down there.
Ken

 

[Dan_Y]

My 91 H 30 has same arrangement for the most aft ("aft-est"??) keel bolt that you describe. I have wondered if that was factory.

These photos were taken when we bought the boat in '07 and are shot from the port side looking toward the starboard. There is a foward (compression post is on the left just out of the photo), middle and rear bilge. I have not checked the tightness of the bolts mainly because the bondline between the keel and hull is not visible (no crack or seam).

A few things to note. The water line and rust deposits were due to a leaking mast, pedestal bolts and stuffing box (in salt water), and the rule float switch didn't seem to activate until at a steep floating angle. Note the mast and chain plate #8 AWG wires in the foward bilge for lightning grounds. I re-crimped the chainplate wires with sealed connectors and changed the mast to #4 AWG and a sealed lug. Couldn't get to the chainplate wires where they connect to the chain plates. The mess in the middle is from the PO. Once the leaks were fixed the bilge stays bone dry.
Dan

 

[whatfiero]

h30

yep my '90 looks just like picts above factory bar

 

[Famos_Amos]

Thanks for the input guys. That is exactly how mine looks with the aft most bolt.. so apparently that's a factory thing. I do wish it would be possible to get to the hull underneath the floor pans. Looking up there with a light, I can there's a lot grime that has built up over the years that I wouldn't want flaking up and clogging the pump.
As far as "bone dry", though- my ice box and shower still drain to the bilge. I contemplated fabricating a bilge box to collect it- and with a pump to expel it- but I don't think there's enough room for that (has anyone done this?) Instead, I'm going to put an elbow on the shower drain hose so that it runs directly into the bilge (as opposed to draining into the enclosed area above the bilge) and possibly install a backup pump elevated over the primary.

 

[Dan_Y]

We have an AB refer so no dripping from icebox into bildge. Thought about putting a shower sump in the floor pan just to the port of the aft bilge but cant figure out how to plumb the shower drain into that floor pan.

I did mount a small plastic box (about 2 x 7 x 10 ") with a Whale electronically activated low profile pump in it to collect condensate from the air conditioner. THe Whale pumps it up into the sink drain line in the head. That is a great little pump. Has the electronic float switch built in.

BTW - by "bone dry" I was refering to no salt water leaks from keel bolt penetrations or fresh water leaks from rain.

 

[Benny17441]

http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=86928&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1428804595

Dan, what is it with all that black tape?

 

[Dan_Y]

http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=86928&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1428804595

Dan, what is it with all that black tape?

Hahaha - When that photo was taken in 2007 the surveyor told me I should "take care" of that bilge wiring problem. It was electrical tape over soldered connections. It's actually where the float sw and power were rats nested together. That's all fixed now but considering a high water alarm now.

 

[danstanford]

Dan, How did you fix this up? I need to put a new pump and switch in and was considering just this approach of soldering in the new wire but wasn't sure how to waterproof the joints?

Dan

 

[Dan_Y]

Before you start...

Before you do anything, go to Mainsail's site at http://www.marinehowto.com/ and read the "marine wire termination" article. This is about the best "how to make reliable connections in a marine environment" I have ever read. I'm not a fan of soldering, but many are. Seems to take more effort to then water proof the 3-way joint you need. When making the "3-way" connection that allows either the bilge switch or momentary panel switch to power the pump, don't be tempted to try crimping two wires in one end of a butt splice connector and one in the other. The adhesive lined heat shrink won't seal the 2 wire end for one thing. And you obviously need waterproof connections in the bilge.

I ran the wires up into the starboard seat where the water heater is and terminated them with adhesive lined HS ring connectors on a terminal strip. I coated the strip well with dialectic grease to keep this critical connection in good shape. I had to extend a few wire using adhesive lined heat shrink butt splice connectors and have full confidence they would work when submerged in salt water... but you must read Maine's article first. I have not read any tests on if liquid electrical tape would waterproof a three-way solder joint for example. There are 3-way connectors, but none that I would submerge in saltwater, so I went the terminal strip route. Makes changing the pump and switch easy as well. Good thing because I had to change the rule float switch later and the pump after that because the manual control in the panel was a breaker switch and I left it on for a few days once. I then installed the recommended momentary manual switch/fuse off the breaker.

MS or mitiempo probably have better approaches as they are professional marine electricians.
We sold the boat last month otherwise I would post a photo.
Dan