Bilge question? How much water is normal in the bilge, or how much volume should be normal to have in the bilge in a day? I have hunter 30 T and had some bilge pump promblems and was shocked how much water was standing after a week. also where should one look for possible leak promblems TIA John Dorsett SV Alcyone
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schaefer
drip drip drip
john...check you stuffing box...the few drops per min should be only when the shaft is turning...if it is dripping at the dock tighen it up or re pack it....i just did mine see my post...the funny thing is after a few hours of trying to get the old flax out and re packing..when running the engine i found the leak to be on my exhaust hose going from the mixing elbow to the muffler..it dripped right on the nut...oigh...of course water can be from other sources..melting ice in ice box...shower ..leaky deck hardware..etc...schaefer
john...check you stuffing box...the few drops per min should be only when the shaft is turning...if it is dripping at the dock tighen it up or re pack it....i just did mine see my post...the funny thing is after a few hours of trying to get the old flax out and re packing..when running the engine i found the leak to be on my exhaust hose going from the mixing elbow to the muffler..it dripped right on the nut...oigh...of course water can be from other sources..melting ice in ice box...shower ..leaky deck hardware..etc...schaefer
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Rene Schmidt
Another possiblity
I also noticed that I was getting more water accumalting in the bilge. So when I had the boat hauled out last week for its yearly haul-out, I decided to replace all of the through-hull fittings, and replace the stuffing box on my '86 285. Much to my suprise, when the boat was sitting on the dock, water came out quite liberally from where the strut attached to the hull. Interestingly, the previous owner replaced the strut about 2 years ago. The boat yard figures that probably the prop is unbalanced, or the shaft is not true. Anyways, this is another possible area of leakage!
I also noticed that I was getting more water accumalting in the bilge. So when I had the boat hauled out last week for its yearly haul-out, I decided to replace all of the through-hull fittings, and replace the stuffing box on my '86 285. Much to my suprise, when the boat was sitting on the dock, water came out quite liberally from where the strut attached to the hull. Interestingly, the previous owner replaced the strut about 2 years ago. The boat yard figures that probably the prop is unbalanced, or the shaft is not true. Anyways, this is another possible area of leakage!
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Scott B
Bilge Water Problems
I chased water problems two years ago. Afer checking the steering post, windows, through hulls, stuffing box etc I had no luck. Eventually after hauling I found the fiberglass exhaust through hull had cracked. It was a hairline crack almost impossible to see. The way it was found was by opening all access/inspection areas and using baby powder after drying to see where it gets wet first. Also look for a trail of mold anywhere which might indicate continuous water. AFter reglassing, the water in the bilge stopped 100%. The only water now is the drips in the pan from the stuffing box amounting to a cup or two after a day sail. Nice to see dust in the bilge for a change.
I chased water problems two years ago. Afer checking the steering post, windows, through hulls, stuffing box etc I had no luck. Eventually after hauling I found the fiberglass exhaust through hull had cracked. It was a hairline crack almost impossible to see. The way it was found was by opening all access/inspection areas and using baby powder after drying to see where it gets wet first. Also look for a trail of mold anywhere which might indicate continuous water. AFter reglassing, the water in the bilge stopped 100%. The only water now is the drips in the pan from the stuffing box amounting to a cup or two after a day sail. Nice to see dust in the bilge for a change.
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Bill O'Donovan
Bilge matters
Aside from sinking the boat in the worst case, bilge water matters because it stinks up the place. If you can ever dry it out and clean up the oil and muck, try putting rolled towels in strategic places to intercept the water before it gets to the bilge. Then you will have narrowed the source to some extent. Inexplicably, water seeps through the stanchion posts and between the headliners to saturate the foam. I removed the wooden slats so I could use a roller to squeeze out the standing water--every week! And mine is a 1995 29.5, so this problem is not isolated to older boats. You can entertain yourself for minutes on this subject by doing a word search in the archives for "bilge water" and such.
Aside from sinking the boat in the worst case, bilge water matters because it stinks up the place. If you can ever dry it out and clean up the oil and muck, try putting rolled towels in strategic places to intercept the water before it gets to the bilge. Then you will have narrowed the source to some extent. Inexplicably, water seeps through the stanchion posts and between the headliners to saturate the foam. I removed the wooden slats so I could use a roller to squeeze out the standing water--every week! And mine is a 1995 29.5, so this problem is not isolated to older boats. You can entertain yourself for minutes on this subject by doing a word search in the archives for "bilge water" and such.
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Roy Mosteller
Keep The Bilge Dry
Bilge on my 30T (1991) is always dry except for two occasions. When I am cruising the icebox water drains into bilge and when removing speed transducer for cleaning I get about a quart into bilge. On these occasions I immediately remove the water. Only time my shaft drips is when motoring and I periodically remove water from the catch basin before it gets into bilge. Have never permitted oil to reach bilge. All of this has kept my boat interior smelling clean (which it is). To answer your first question, I don't think it is appropriate to have any water in the bilge so I agree with the others that you need to isolate the source and cure it. I recently had a yard mechanic replace a thruhull and the bilge was so clean and water free he asked whether it was a new boat. What a compliment. Good luck.
Bilge on my 30T (1991) is always dry except for two occasions. When I am cruising the icebox water drains into bilge and when removing speed transducer for cleaning I get about a quart into bilge. On these occasions I immediately remove the water. Only time my shaft drips is when motoring and I periodically remove water from the catch basin before it gets into bilge. Have never permitted oil to reach bilge. All of this has kept my boat interior smelling clean (which it is). To answer your first question, I don't think it is appropriate to have any water in the bilge so I agree with the others that you need to isolate the source and cure it. I recently had a yard mechanic replace a thruhull and the bilge was so clean and water free he asked whether it was a new boat. What a compliment. Good luck.
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