Bilge Sludge

[Steve Hall]

Hello all. This weekend I want to clean and spray out the bilge in our Hunter 25. There is some nasty looking stuff in there and I don't want to discharge it overboard. Can any of you offer suggestions on how to collect this stuff and get rid of it safely?Thanks in advance,Steve HallS/V Helen Highwater

 

[Jerry Smith]

I use a shop vac...

Steve,When I want to remove dirty water etc. from my bilge I remove the fuse to my automatic bilge pump and use a shop vac. I bring a water hose on board and spray the area at the same time that I am using the shop vac. You can then dispense with the dirty water etc. appropriately from the shop vac reservoir. I sponge out any remaining moisture.Jerry SmithS/V Windseeker

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

Unless it's oil or diesel sludge, no reason not to

discharge it overboard...it's just primordial ooze. Regardless of which it is, disable your bilge pump and put a STRONG solution of detergent and water in the soup and let it stand a while--like overnight--agitating it occasionally to emulsify it. Scrub to get as much loose as possible. (You may have to do this more than once if the problem is severe)If it's oil/diesel, use a shop vac and dispose of it in the location provided for oil etc by your marina. If it's not oil, turn on the bilge pump and rinse with a hose or pressure washer till your bilge is clean and the water running out is clean enough to drink.And in the future, don't wait till stuff hardens in the bilge to remove it!

 

[Bill O'Donovan]

Try FSH

FSH is a blue gel in a plastic jar at your ship's store that is used to clean the grunge off the water line of the hull. Works well in blige too.

 

[Steve Dion]

Simple Green is environmentally friendly too!

[nm]

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

All detegent cleaners are environmentally friendly

However, if whatever is in the bilge is not environmentally friendly (oil, diesel) it doesn't matter whether the cleaning product is or not...no cleaning product can make it "friendly."