Our 29.5 Hunter has required no major maintainance or repair in the 2 years that we've had the boat. Still it seems to me that there is more water in the bilge than before,even when we haven't been out for a long sail. There isn't a lot and the bilge pump kicks on every so often but I don't believe there should be any water in the bilge. So, my question for you...is how much is too much? Do you typically have water in the bilge? Any advice or suggestions on diagnosing the situation is appreciated.
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Skipp McKenzie
Some water is normal
Some water is normal. It comes in from the packing seal where the propeller shaft exits the boat. Have your boatyard check this and the other water inlets for leaks.
Some water is normal. It comes in from the packing seal where the propeller shaft exits the boat. Have your boatyard check this and the other water inlets for leaks.
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Russ Garecht
Some water is OK
The bilge takes on water from the prop shaft packing, shower, and ice chest. As long as the float switch is activating the pump you are probably OK. Additionally, there is no reverse flow block on the line to the through hull so if you watch the pump action you will find that it never completely can empty the bilge because of the back flow. If you want to test the pulp you can always lift up the float switch or flip the manual switch on the circuit breaker panel. Check out the HOW store for stuff to keep it smelling good. Russ Her Diamond Ring
The bilge takes on water from the prop shaft packing, shower, and ice chest. As long as the float switch is activating the pump you are probably OK. Additionally, there is no reverse flow block on the line to the through hull so if you watch the pump action you will find that it never completely can empty the bilge because of the back flow. If you want to test the pulp you can always lift up the float switch or flip the manual switch on the circuit breaker panel. Check out the HOW store for stuff to keep it smelling good. Russ Her Diamond Ring
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Stevec
Karen, you didn't mention if...
the water in the bilge is fresh or salt.. The reason I ask is that if it's fresh, the water may be coming from above when it rains, your freshwater system, ice box drain, etc. If its salt, maybe from a traditional stuffing box, or some thruhull, or a combination of both. Water from a traditional stuffing box should be visible as a slight drip, drip when you motor and eventually stop when the engine is turned off. That's about all the water I would expect in the bilge. It's taken me YEARS to track down a multitude of leaks from various sources but that's a story for another day.
the water in the bilge is fresh or salt.. The reason I ask is that if it's fresh, the water may be coming from above when it rains, your freshwater system, ice box drain, etc. If its salt, maybe from a traditional stuffing box, or some thruhull, or a combination of both. Water from a traditional stuffing box should be visible as a slight drip, drip when you motor and eventually stop when the engine is turned off. That's about all the water I would expect in the bilge. It's taken me YEARS to track down a multitude of leaks from various sources but that's a story for another day.
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Been there
Dry is normal
There are various opinions on this, but I prefer a dry bilge. How much water in a bilge is too much? Let me turn the question around: Do you know where it all comes from? If you don't, then it's too much. If your bilge is normally dry, it is easier to figure out new sources. Showers should never drain into the bilge, unless you want your bilge to stink. They should drain into a separate sump, one that is easily cleaned. Anything else is a design flaw that should be fixed, if you plan on using the shower much. Put a plastic valve on the end of the ice box drain. Open it to drain into a container. Close it, otherwise. This also keeps your icebox cold longer. The packing box will weep only a little, if you have it adjusted right. If your mast is keel stepped, the rain that enters the top will come out the bottom. These are small amounts that quickly evaporate. In my view, bilge pumps are for emergencies. Ours runs only when we clean the bilge. If it runs otherwise, something is wrong, because something is leaking that shouldn't.
There are various opinions on this, but I prefer a dry bilge. How much water in a bilge is too much? Let me turn the question around: Do you know where it all comes from? If you don't, then it's too much. If your bilge is normally dry, it is easier to figure out new sources. Showers should never drain into the bilge, unless you want your bilge to stink. They should drain into a separate sump, one that is easily cleaned. Anything else is a design flaw that should be fixed, if you plan on using the shower much. Put a plastic valve on the end of the ice box drain. Open it to drain into a container. Close it, otherwise. This also keeps your icebox cold longer. The packing box will weep only a little, if you have it adjusted right. If your mast is keel stepped, the rain that enters the top will come out the bottom. These are small amounts that quickly evaporate. In my view, bilge pumps are for emergencies. Ours runs only when we clean the bilge. If it runs otherwise, something is wrong, because something is leaking that shouldn't.
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Clint
help for water in the bilge
I have owned my 1996 29.5 since it was new. Water from the ice box and the shower drain into the bilge. Not the greatest of designs, but very common on all smaller production boats. You could install a pump under the shower drain and direct the water to the sea cock in the head sink. I have considered this but the wirering and work involved are not worth it. My bilge has about 3 or 4 inches at all times. The reason the bilge pump won't pump all the water out is because of back flow . A simple fix which I am about to do is a check valve ( page 231- west marine-$10.00) I put a bilge cleaner in the standing bilge water and a little into the shower drain. The natural rocking of the boat , sloshes it arround keeping everything nice and clean. My boat has no odor.
I have owned my 1996 29.5 since it was new. Water from the ice box and the shower drain into the bilge. Not the greatest of designs, but very common on all smaller production boats. You could install a pump under the shower drain and direct the water to the sea cock in the head sink. I have considered this but the wirering and work involved are not worth it. My bilge has about 3 or 4 inches at all times. The reason the bilge pump won't pump all the water out is because of back flow . A simple fix which I am about to do is a check valve ( page 231- west marine-$10.00) I put a bilge cleaner in the standing bilge water and a little into the shower drain. The natural rocking of the boat , sloshes it arround keeping everything nice and clean. My boat has no odor.
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Douglas
No water Karen - Check valve Clint
Two replies - First to Karen: If you ask about water in the bilge you'll get two answers; should be none; there will always be water. I prefer to have none. Other thoughts are - its a boat, it will have water in the bilge. For Clint - When I read your reply about using a check valve it jogged my memory about an article in the October issue of Seaworthy, BoatU.S' Damage Avoidance Program. In short, "According to ABYC, a check valve should only be used when necessary to prevent an automatic bilge pump from cycling on and off due to backflow from the discharge line, e.g., when the column of water in the discharge line is sufficient to turn the pump on as it runs back into the bilge after the pump is cut off. This typically occurs only with submersible pumps installed at the bottom of a bilge with a deep bilge sump with a small footprint."
Two replies - First to Karen: If you ask about water in the bilge you'll get two answers; should be none; there will always be water. I prefer to have none. Other thoughts are - its a boat, it will have water in the bilge. For Clint - When I read your reply about using a check valve it jogged my memory about an article in the October issue of Seaworthy, BoatU.S' Damage Avoidance Program. In short, "According to ABYC, a check valve should only be used when necessary to prevent an automatic bilge pump from cycling on and off due to backflow from the discharge line, e.g., when the column of water in the discharge line is sufficient to turn the pump on as it runs back into the bilge after the pump is cut off. This typically occurs only with submersible pumps installed at the bottom of a bilge with a deep bilge sump with a small footprint."
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Karen Parker "Hi"Biscus!
Problem solved
Thank you all for the suggestions and advice. We traced the leak to the packing in the prop shaft. The packing was done about 1 1/2 yrs. ago. It took about a 1/2 wrench turn or more to stop the leak. Then we checked it again w/ the motor running to ensure there is a small drip every so many seconds. It was our first time for this type of adjustment...and I was reassured that we diagnosed the problem before there were any surprises. Many thanks!
Thank you all for the suggestions and advice. We traced the leak to the packing in the prop shaft. The packing was done about 1 1/2 yrs. ago. It took about a 1/2 wrench turn or more to stop the leak. Then we checked it again w/ the motor running to ensure there is a small drip every so many seconds. It was our first time for this type of adjustment...and I was reassured that we diagnosed the problem before there were any surprises. Many thanks!
B
Bill O'Donovan
More leaks
Among other places the 29.5 leaks is from the soft wall liners above the settee cushions. Moisture from leaking stanchion posts and accumulated dew seeps into the foam of the liners and builds up until it drips down the back of the cushions and into the storage compartments, where it runs into the bilge. To see if you have this problem, check for mildew on the strips and on the back of the cushions. I solved this by removing the half-inch strips of teak so the liners can breathe, and I run a roller over them to squeeze the water out. Dry bilge is better, eliminates the pesky smell.
Among other places the 29.5 leaks is from the soft wall liners above the settee cushions. Moisture from leaking stanchion posts and accumulated dew seeps into the foam of the liners and builds up until it drips down the back of the cushions and into the storage compartments, where it runs into the bilge. To see if you have this problem, check for mildew on the strips and on the back of the cushions. I solved this by removing the half-inch strips of teak so the liners can breathe, and I run a roller over them to squeeze the water out. Dry bilge is better, eliminates the pesky smell.
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