Bilge issue please help

[hummingbirdbassist]

I have a recent 1980 hunter that I acquired for pennies, it has a mast compression in bilge, I am reading this to be common with age. But here is my dilemma boat has been sitting for 5 yrs on the hard, so where do start with engine( yanmar qm15) and 2nd REAL dilemma there is always water in bilge at engine even after all these years and I can dry it up and it's back tommorrow! Any help out there I need , anyone close to de/pa willing to assist I need!
Thank you

 

[Paul F]

The engine bilge pan is very close to the hull allowing little space for the water from the stern to flow beneath the engine bilge pan. Take a thin rod or long flat bar and clean out the blockage under the engine bilge. You will still have water but it will drain to the main bilge.

 

[MLampner]

I have a 77 Hunter 30. I frequently had water in the engine bilge pan. The source proved to be the bolts holding the travel assembly. Given the tension applied and released these bolts loosen up if the traveler is not rebeddded periodically they will leak directly onto the engine and to its pan.

If you have not checked the bolts on the traveler I suggest you check that first. Even without rain dew collects on the metal which is cooler than the hull then drips down. A little bit of food coloring squirted on the screws and the seam with the traveler support will quickly answer if this is your source.

Meanwhile clearing the drain as recommended wont hurt even if it proves not to be the primary source.

 

[MLampner]

FYI Ian based in Baltimore and depending on where the boat is would be glad to see if I can spot anything else I have encountered with my 77.

 

[hummingbirdbassist]

Thank you guys, but where would this water be coming from over and over again with boat on the hard, cabin bilge dry as mohave! Water just in engine bay at transmission and in lower bay under engine. Question ? Is there a small hole that goes from under engine bay to the bilge in cabin floor? I read on post saying to take a small rod and clear for gunk. I just love this boat and haven't even sailed it yet!!!! Man I'm hooked

 

[Bob Poff]

How do your cockpit scuppers drain?

I had clear water appearing on the engine pan of my 34. While doing other work, I found one of the hoses leading from the scuppers had small cut in it at a place normally not accessible.

 

[Steve Dion]

You may want to rebed the traveler. Also check the cockpit drains and hoses. Drain fittings may need rebedding/replacing. The hoses can get cracked and brittle.

 

[onecoolair]

Thank you guys, but where would this water be coming from over and over again with boat on the hard, cabin bilge dry as mohave! Water just in engine bay at transmission and in lower bay under engine. Question ? Is there a small hole that goes from under engine bay to the bilge in cabin floor? I read on post saying to take a small rod and clear for gunk. I just love this boat and haven't even sailed it yet!!!! Man I'm hooked

Do you have a water heater?

 

[hummingbirdbassist]

robert i used to have water heater, but it has been out for a while, i will check scupper drains, i will check travelers and keep you posted

 

[hummingbirdbassist]

they crisscross under lazerrete at rear, i have poured water into each and watch them flow free to the ground, so im still in a dilemna

 

[JST123]

Although they are flowing to the ground, they might have a hole in them as mentioned above. I had a leak in one on a CAL 30 I owned some years back.

 

[onecoolair]

robert i used to have water heater, but it has been out for a while, i will check scupper drains, i will check travelers and keep you posted

You Used to have waterheater....hmmm? Are the lines for water heater still there and connected to main water tank or water pressure system?
My water heater was mounted on a laminated shelf just behind and to starboard of engine. When water heater sprung a leak most of the water end up in the engine bilge pan. The rest damaged part of the lower bulk head under bunk plus got the sub floor wet under the teak and holly floor panel. Ruining teak floor and Turning sub floor into mush. Another hunter design defect and error in that they used the wrong product material for sub floor on the entire boat. There are more design and construction defects that I will not go into for now!

 

[Dalliance]

The water heater behind the engine would be my first thought, but you seem to have ruled that out. I've gotten water in the pan under the engine from the heavy rain coming through the companion-way and dripping into the engine compartment around the lift out storage bin. Another possible source is the water supply hoses to the galley sink.

 

[hummingbirdbassist]

went to visit her today and DIRECTLY UNDER ENGINE AREA,,,,,,BONE DRY????? but at the shaft coming out from trans there was a sponge full laying there, dried it up and watched for a while and about a minute later a trickle came out from under the motor flowing back to the shaft, its seems as if its coming from under boat but inside floor(yep that sound crazy) like a puncture wound, pressure and a bandage, but remove both and it oozes out again. floor bilge bone dry in cabin( she been on hard about 3 years) so any water anywhere is a mystery to me! anyway we will continue to monitor! now to find someone to help with my mast compression issue. i took a good look at it today and im new to this , but it seems, the plywood used is by far larger than the surface of the i beam. and it seems to have given up on the port side causing it to lift my flooring on the starboard side, i beam does not appear to rusty, there is a ever so slight bend, not a break, any diy-ers that can send me to links or know a diy-er in balt-annap area, please send me links or email as this is one of the main things i need to address.