Bilge
- Thread starter AADIVER
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Technically it should be dry but having water in there is not totally uncommon, although 2 inches may be a little excessive. Do you know where it's coming from? Common sources for seawater would be your packing gland, keel bolts or a leak somewhere in your raw water cooling system. Is your pump working?
Find the source of the leak.CAT 30 said:
Cat,
It took me a few years of ownership to get a dry bilge, it's a full time job keeping the water on the outside of the boat it seems!
If you don't have a dripless packing gland that is going to mean that you will generally have water in your bilge although I understand that there is some packing material out there now (gortex?) that allows one to run with virtually no drips of water.
Personally, I think the next biggest sources of water in our vintage of boats are the windows. Much has been written about trying to solve that source of leaking water.
Water will also run around the lid to the aft cockpit locker and drain down the rudder tube and find it's way into the bilge. In the winter I keep a cover over the area where the emergancy tiller attaches to prevent water from entering the cabin there. Also, a few dabs of silicone to direct the water in the rain gutter around this cover onto the cockpit floor instead of into the rudder tube helps considerably.
If you don't have a cover over the companionway rain water can come in at the base of that hatchboards. Some owners have added a small strip of wood here to help prevent this, I have an insulated hatch cover that snaps on.
I agree with Jack that two inches seems a bit excessive, but when your bilge pump shuts off water will run back down the hose and re-enter the bilge so that there will always be some water level that the bilge pump cannot pump out.
Take care, DanM.
It took me a few years of ownership to get a dry bilge, it's a full time job keeping the water on the outside of the boat it seems!
If you don't have a dripless packing gland that is going to mean that you will generally have water in your bilge although I understand that there is some packing material out there now (gortex?) that allows one to run with virtually no drips of water.
Personally, I think the next biggest sources of water in our vintage of boats are the windows. Much has been written about trying to solve that source of leaking water.
Water will also run around the lid to the aft cockpit locker and drain down the rudder tube and find it's way into the bilge. In the winter I keep a cover over the area where the emergancy tiller attaches to prevent water from entering the cabin there. Also, a few dabs of silicone to direct the water in the rain gutter around this cover onto the cockpit floor instead of into the rudder tube helps considerably.
If you don't have a cover over the companionway rain water can come in at the base of that hatchboards. Some owners have added a small strip of wood here to help prevent this, I have an insulated hatch cover that snaps on.
I agree with Jack that two inches seems a bit excessive, but when your bilge pump shuts off water will run back down the hose and re-enter the bilge so that there will always be some water level that the bilge pump cannot pump out.
Take care, DanM.
No rain here in Long Beach, CA and the bilge water is salty, so it must be from the packing gland. I'm going to drain the bilge dry and then run the motor in the slip and see if that's my "problem". Also, the drain hose in the bilge is about 2 inches wide at the mouth. If it was narrower I think more water would be sucked out.
I usually run my engine for about 40 minutes during every sail...20 out and about 20 back.
When I get to the dock there is about 1-2" of water from the packing gland. I just run the bilge pump and get most of the water out.
I took Don Casey's advice and installed 2 pumps. One is up on a little pedestal with a float switch the other is a small manual pump that pumps to a reduced 1/2" hose. This keeps the back flow to a minimum.
Please forgive the dirtiness of my bilge, that's a project for another year.
I do have one question....does anyone else thing they get water from the stern locker leaking in through the emergency rudder cap?
I've noticed that every winter, the bilge completely with water and I have to go down once or twice during thaws to remove the water. My windows don't leak, so I've never been able to figure where the water is coming from. I also tarp most of the boat.
I don't beleive it's coming from the mast down through the wiring access then out the bottom of the compression post, i would assume if that was the case, there would be major staining of the post and bulkhead...
Anyway, this isn't my post, sorry.
Good luck!
Chris
When I get to the dock there is about 1-2" of water from the packing gland. I just run the bilge pump and get most of the water out.
I took Don Casey's advice and installed 2 pumps. One is up on a little pedestal with a float switch the other is a small manual pump that pumps to a reduced 1/2" hose. This keeps the back flow to a minimum.
Please forgive the dirtiness of my bilge, that's a project for another year.
I do have one question....does anyone else thing they get water from the stern locker leaking in through the emergency rudder cap?
I've noticed that every winter, the bilge completely with water and I have to go down once or twice during thaws to remove the water. My windows don't leak, so I've never been able to figure where the water is coming from. I also tarp most of the boat.
I don't beleive it's coming from the mast down through the wiring access then out the bottom of the compression post, i would assume if that was the case, there would be major staining of the post and bulkhead...
Anyway, this isn't my post, sorry.
Good luck!
Chris
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I also have about 1" to 1.5" of bilge water down there, & standard bilge pumps seem to only pump till there's about 1" left as they loose suction below this level & my float switch doesn't turn on until it reaches over 1" high. Dan's right about water backing in from the bilge pump hose after the pump turns off. I also think I get water entry from the emergency rudder post & a lil from the steering pedestal base. I also want to install a dripless shaft seal - that is the major water leak culprit. When my boat was completely dry in the yard, it immediately took on 1/2" of water from the shaft seal when 1st launched. I've heard that the packing will dry out in dry dock & allow more water to flow through until it swells back up from moisture exposure. I wish I had installed a dripless shaft seal, but after already spending 5k on a refit, it will just have to wait till next year. Although I do always wonder about the salt water corrosion to the exposed keel bolts.
This is a fairly bad quality picture of one solution to the rain water that drains down the rudder tube near the aft locker.
Basically I built a little Life Caulk dam around the outside of tube and there are also dams of silicone that divert the water out of the locker drain area and onto the cockpit floor prior to it reaching the rudder tube.
DanM.
Basically I built a little Life Caulk dam around the outside of tube and there are also dams of silicone that divert the water out of the locker drain area and onto the cockpit floor prior to it reaching the rudder tube.
DanM.
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There are two nuts. The thicker gland nut and a locking nut. You have to loosen the locking nut before you can tighten the gland nut, then retighten the locking nut after you make your adjustments.
With a wrench on both nuts, pulling the wrenched together loosens, pushing apart tightens.
With a wrench on both nuts, pulling the wrenched together loosens, pushing apart tightens.
Don't over tighten. It is far better to have too much than too little. If you have never packed your packing gland it may be a good thing to do next haul out. Mainesail has a great post on that if you search it.
i'll be doing mine this winter... and use the drippless packing..
http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=1352&ParentCat=391
http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=1352&ParentCat=391
The anchor locker is another source of rain water. If the drain hole gets clogged, it can back up and find its way down under the vee-berth. Also deck fittings can leak if not bedded securely.
Water In Bilge
I have a 1977 Catalina 30 MKI with an Atomic 4 engine. I had leaking windows which were replaced this year with Cruising Concepts Window upgrade - that helped stop many of my topside leaks. I still have a leak at the wheel pedestal which I'll get to this year. As for sources of leaks in prior years... my chainplates leaked in the past, my stanchions leaked, there was a leak at the base of the mast, as well as where others have said.
The Atomic 4 leaks at the water pump, there is a small hole at the top of it, it's usually filled with grease from the grease cup but water does enter the bilge from there. It also comes in at my shaft packing as I don't have a dripless one. I remove any leftover water in my bilge (after pump runs) with a super soaker squirt gun (gets 99% of it) and a sponge. Leaving my bilge dry which allows me to find topside leaks when I'm in the slip.
One cautionary note: This year I am removing the Keel Stub. In our vintage Catalina 30's, Catalina put plywood under the fiberglass roving in your bilge. Previous owners drilled through the roving and mounted the whale pump and electronic bilge pumps. Over the course of 33 years that plywood has become wet and de-laminated. Others have found theirs to be rotten. I removed mine this past week and found it wet and de-laminated but not rotten. I will be replacing all the wood in my bilge with plastic, fiberglass mat and roving, and finally a custom stainless plate over the 7 bilge keel bolts I can see in the bilge. I'm doing this job BEFORE I have a problem with a loose keel. I would recommend, those of you who have a wet bilge, check this area for rot and de-lamination. This website has been really helpful: clewedin.com/article/catalina-30-restoration-floor-keel-bolts
Regards,
Joe
I have a 1977 Catalina 30 MKI with an Atomic 4 engine. I had leaking windows which were replaced this year with Cruising Concepts Window upgrade - that helped stop many of my topside leaks. I still have a leak at the wheel pedestal which I'll get to this year. As for sources of leaks in prior years... my chainplates leaked in the past, my stanchions leaked, there was a leak at the base of the mast, as well as where others have said.
The Atomic 4 leaks at the water pump, there is a small hole at the top of it, it's usually filled with grease from the grease cup but water does enter the bilge from there. It also comes in at my shaft packing as I don't have a dripless one. I remove any leftover water in my bilge (after pump runs) with a super soaker squirt gun (gets 99% of it) and a sponge. Leaving my bilge dry which allows me to find topside leaks when I'm in the slip.
One cautionary note: This year I am removing the Keel Stub. In our vintage Catalina 30's, Catalina put plywood under the fiberglass roving in your bilge. Previous owners drilled through the roving and mounted the whale pump and electronic bilge pumps. Over the course of 33 years that plywood has become wet and de-laminated. Others have found theirs to be rotten. I removed mine this past week and found it wet and de-laminated but not rotten. I will be replacing all the wood in my bilge with plastic, fiberglass mat and roving, and finally a custom stainless plate over the 7 bilge keel bolts I can see in the bilge. I'm doing this job BEFORE I have a problem with a loose keel. I would recommend, those of you who have a wet bilge, check this area for rot and de-lamination. This website has been really helpful: clewedin.com/article/catalina-30-restoration-floor-keel-bolts
Regards,
Joe
CAT, how many threads are still visible right now? that's usually a pretty good indicator of how much flax you have in there.
Don't forget to check
Steve
the rudder packing gland. Mine dried out during the winter lay up and then began leaking pretty severely when we launched in the Spring. I retorqued the gland nut after it was wet for awhile and it seemed to stop. Eventually replaced the packing because it would leak heavily while we were under power and sailing. While docked the gland is above the waterline so it never leak while it sat stationary.
Steve
Joe, the water pump should not leak. There are two seals in the pump..one to keep the water out, and one to keep the oil in. If you have water coming thru the weep hole (in between the two seals), the seal closest to the impeller is likely shot. Moyer Marine sells seals for the Oberdorfer pumps so you can rebuild it.
Thanks for the reminder on the grease cup..time to refill!
Thanks I'll put that on my list of replacements... it only leaked a tiny bit so I was never worried and I don't have water in my oil.
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