Bilge inspection

[Phil Herring]

Drop your... well, grab your socks, anyway. BILGE INSPECTION IN TWO MINUTES!

We've seen bilges that wouldn't budge a moisture meter and others that topped out at about 6 inches (Gunny does not approve).

Do you care about the condition of your bilge? How often do you check it and what steps do you take to keep it dry?

 

[kappykaplan]

Yes. Checked every time I'm on the boat. I use a shop vac to suck the water out when putting the boat to bed for the week.

 

[31seahorse]

Every time I went aboard our boat I checked the bilge, and I peeked in there at least once while we were aboard if we were there for more than a few hours. Just a habit. Usually all was well, but sometimes not. Currently, our day sailer sits on her trailer so no problem regarding sinking, but the cover is not completely waterproof. (I think the phrase is "water resistant".) It is disconcerting to bail water out of her after several years of only finding water in our previous boat if there was a problem. Water in the bilge worries me because I have repaired many ribs and other pieces of wood on small boats and have removed ruined items that had been stored there.

This "staged" photo of a bilge rat shows me discovering oil in our bilge following damage to the gear case cover on our Universal engine. That damage was caused by the vibration and subsequent cracking of the gear case cover. If any of you have the old style support arm on your Universal engine, please replace it ASAP with the newer style that does not connect to that little hole on the side of the gear case. Universal 25 Hp if I remember correctly.

 

[Justin_NSA]

We are part of the few fortunate ones whose bilge is always dry. The PO's admiral was very proud of that fact when they were listing the boat for sale. She kept it as clean as the rest of the boat.
I check it regularly to be sure it is staying that way. The dripless shaft seal has helped.

 

[oldlaxer1]

I check it every time I'm on the boat. I am able to put a styrofoam cup under the packing gland and capture the slow drips which helps keep things dry. With a keel stepped mast we do get some water when we have prolonged rains but I'm quick to shop vac it dry again.

 

[Sailing Vermont]

Our refrigerator/ice box drains into the bilge. When I bought the boat the ice box didn’t have a stopper. It drains into the bilge. After being out for a week cruising with a block of ice in the frig the bilge has been getting wet. I don’t dry it every day and it is ends out with the 1/2 inch of water the bilge pump can’t get. I always plan to dry the bilge when leaving the boat, but that doesn’t always happen. Any ideas for the ice box draining into the bilge? Or other suggestions?

 

[Justin_NSA]

Our refrigerator/ice box drains into the bilge. When I bought the boat the ice box didn’t have a stopper. It drains into the bilge. After being out for a week cruising with a block of ice in the frig the bilge has been getting wet. I don’t dry it every day and it is ends out with the 1/2 inch of water the bilge pump can’t get. I always plan to dry the bilge when leaving the boat, but that doesn’t always happen. Any ideas for the ice box draining into the bilge? Or other suggestions?

I would just sponge it out. At least it's clean water. And you have cold beer!

 

[dLj]

I check my bilge everytime I step onto the boat and again before I disembark. When water is present I sponge it out and pretty much dry out the bilge when leaving. I usually (this year) don't have much in the bilge upon arrival so I will dry it out when leaving.

If I'm on the boat for more than one day, I'll check the bilge at least once a day. My bilge is really easy to check.

dj

 

[Boomer54]

The bilge on my MH 37 is quite deep. The bilge is wet due to both A/C units draining into the bilge. I flush it weekly to keep it clean. Once the weather cools down, I then clean it and dry it out. It then stays dry until the next humid, warm summer.

 

[Davidasailor26]

Any ideas for the ice box draining into the bilge? Or other suggestions?

Older O'Days also had the ice box drain to the bilge. On later models they offered a hand pump that would pull water from the drain hole and pump into the sink. The pump was a bit of a pain, as ice cold water shrinks the metal causing friction, but I think it was still better than draining to the bilge. Yes it's usually clean ice water, but if food ever spills in the icebox, or worse milk, the smell could be pretty unpleasant.

 

[Hayden Watson]

As with many of these polls, there is no reasonable answer for most boats. My bilge is a well maintained wet bilge. I have two bilge pumps which keeps the water at 1" depth with emergency backup. I clean it completely 1-2 times per year.

 

[Justin_NSA]

PS: I am sad that R. Lee Ermey passed away.

 

[seasthemoment]

I have always a little bit of water in the bilge that I leave. Is it a problem?

 

[Dalliance]

It’s clean but wet while I’m on board because the ice box and stuffing box drain into the bilge. When I leave for the week it’s dry. I drain the bilge and check the float switch by lifting the float, then slurp out the remaining water with a turkey baster when I close up the boat. I check it when first get to the boat and pretty much daily while on the boat.

 

[RoyS]

Bilge is for such things as ice box drain.

 

[JamesG161]

Liquid Lysol in a 2 Gallons of Hot water, poured slowly at highest drain point to the main bilge. Every 2 months.
Keeps it Clean.
Jim...

 

[Sailing Vermont]

It’s clean but wet while I’m on board because the ice box and stuffing box drain into the bilge. When I leave for the week it’s dry. I drain the bilge and check the float switch by lifting the float, then slurp out the remaining water with a turkey baster when I close up the boat. I check it when first get to the boat and pretty much daily while on the boat.

I like the turkey baster idea. Great suggestion.

 

[FastOlson]

Lots of "right" answers and some that puzzle me.... just a good thread.
(I helped save --literally-- a large sailboat from sinking with our club's gas-powered pump a couple years ago -- bad hose from an old thru hull under the galley, IIRC)
Our boat has a big Whale manual pump cockpit-mounted, and two Jabsco electric bilge pumps with separate float switches. All factory standard. Over the years I have replaced all of the hoses and rebuilt/replaced two out of three of the pumps.
We have a PSS shaft seal and for two decades this keeps the bilge dry... except... in the winter rain water comes down the inside of the mast and I clean it up with the ever-reliable turkey baster! Talk about an example of "mature technology".

Speaking of the ice box, ours also came with a drain hose to the bilge. I put a plastic quarter-turn valve in it to keep the cold air in, and would drain the water into a pan; later I installed a 12 volt refrigeration conversion.

I check the bilge every visit to the boat. Just conservative and cautious, I guess.

 

[nightowle]

Short of a ruptured or split hose, our bilge is always dry. My last boat, an O'Day 27 had a standard stuffing box and an icebox so frequently there would be some water. All I can say is that in comparison it's a joy to have a clean and dry bilge.