My center bilge pume kicks on about every 3.5 minutes and discharges about 2 cups of water (i.e. that's close to one callon per hour). I have checked all of the through hull fittings and they are dry (this includes all drains and water intakes, the packing box, etc.) The engine compartment is dry and all other accessible areas of the hull are dry. The water is seeping into the center bilge through the hole that the bilge pump extraction hose goes through. The seepage is very slight, but enough to produce about 2 cups of water every 3 to 4 minutes. I havenot yet pulled up the floor boards to look for cracks in the hull. But in talking to a Hunter technical support person, he seems to thing that would be unlikely. Has anyone else had this problem? Any ideas where else to look? Thanks
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Fresh water or salt?
Mark, Is your boat sitting in fresh water or salt water? If you are sitting in salt water, have you tasted the water in the bilge to see if its salty? Gary Wyngarden S/V Wanderlust h37.5
Mark, Is your boat sitting in fresh water or salt water? If you are sitting in salt water, have you tasted the water in the bilge to see if its salty? Gary Wyngarden S/V Wanderlust h37.5
Are you in fresh or salt water?
If you are in salt water, how about tasting it to see if the water is from the outside (salt water) or inside (water tank). If you are in fresh water, that will be a bit harder to tell. Up with the floorboards.
If you are in salt water, how about tasting it to see if the water is from the outside (salt water) or inside (water tank). If you are in fresh water, that will be a bit harder to tell. Up with the floorboards.
Check the prop shaft strut
The two bolts that hold the prop strut are thru hull and may be leaking. Mine were. If the leak is coming from behind the engine area this is a good place to check and of course the rudder shaft gland may also be leaking.
The two bolts that hold the prop strut are thru hull and may be leaking. Mine were. If the leak is coming from behind the engine area this is a good place to check and of course the rudder shaft gland may also be leaking.
Will try it, and "salty"
Thanks Paul. I will check those two areas. JC and Gary, yes, I was foolish enough to actually taste water from my bilge!!! It was salty. Also, at the rate of seepage, since this has been going on for a few weeks now, I would have drained whatever tank it was leaking from if it was internal. Thanks again for your responses. Any and all other ideas are welcome!!! Mark
Thanks Paul. I will check those two areas. JC and Gary, yes, I was foolish enough to actually taste water from my bilge!!! It was salty. Also, at the rate of seepage, since this has been going on for a few weeks now, I would have drained whatever tank it was leaking from if it was internal. Thanks again for your responses. Any and all other ideas are welcome!!! Mark
backflow
The shaft packing gland puts water in the bilge but at a much lower rate that you are experiencing. There will always be water in the bilge as the pump cannot expell it all and as soon as it turns off you get back flow. You do not indicate wether you are using a floating foot to turn on the pump or an automatic one which turns itsel on every couple of minutes. I run an automatic and every couple of minutes it will push water up the hose just to have it flow back when it turns off. Eventually it will get enough water to spurt out maybe a cup. It takes many cycles to do that however. Check your pressured water hoses and connectors, check and time the drip on the packing gland. Check all through the hulls including depth sounder and knot meter (found mine leaked only underway). Check for rain water leaks on deck drains and fittings. Don't forget keel bolts. Also remember the ice box drains into the bilge. The bilge on that boat is a lot larger than it looks, it is just not all accesible. One day I drained close to 4 gallons out of it after fully drying the center area. As long as the water stays under the floor boards you may consider the boat dry. Just keep the batteries charged and enjoy sailing.
The shaft packing gland puts water in the bilge but at a much lower rate that you are experiencing. There will always be water in the bilge as the pump cannot expell it all and as soon as it turns off you get back flow. You do not indicate wether you are using a floating foot to turn on the pump or an automatic one which turns itsel on every couple of minutes. I run an automatic and every couple of minutes it will push water up the hose just to have it flow back when it turns off. Eventually it will get enough water to spurt out maybe a cup. It takes many cycles to do that however. Check your pressured water hoses and connectors, check and time the drip on the packing gland. Check all through the hulls including depth sounder and knot meter (found mine leaked only underway). Check for rain water leaks on deck drains and fittings. Don't forget keel bolts. Also remember the ice box drains into the bilge. The bilge on that boat is a lot larger than it looks, it is just not all accesible. One day I drained close to 4 gallons out of it after fully drying the center area. As long as the water stays under the floor boards you may consider the boat dry. Just keep the batteries charged and enjoy sailing.
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