We are looking at purchase our first sailboat, a Catalina 22. When we were checking out the boat everything seemed good. The one thing I was not sure of was the fact that there was maybe 1 inch of water in the bilge. Is it normal to have a small bit of water in the bilge? I assume pumps are not capable of removing everything. Also should I be thinking about installing another bilge pump as a backup?
Builge Queston. Buying First Boat
- Thread starter kcizins1
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We all wish our boats would never gather any water in the bilge. The fact is that most of us get water in our bilges. It may be rain water that overflows locker channels or leaks from elsewhere. It might come from a stuffing box or who knows where. The fact is that most boats do take in ay least a little water.
I assume a boat of that size does not have an inboard, so no shaft seal to leak. Does it have any other thru-hulls that could be leaking? It could be rainwater.
A second bilge pump (positioned a bit higher than the first), along with a water alarm, are on my list of things to do. A second bilge pump alone I think is of limited usefulness... if the first fails, or is unable to keep up with the rate of water ingress, the second pump would just buy some time, and there's a good chance the problem wouldn't be noticed in a timely manner. An alarm would take care of that.
Although I live 45 minutes away from the boat, I have several slip neighbors who are at their boats almost daily, along with security guards who patrol the piers, so if the alarm were sounding, someone would hear it.
--Michael
my catalina 22 leaks about a cup a day. If left unattended for 2 or more weeks it stops at 3 inchs and never gets any deeper. a swing keel c 22 can leak in three places that will not hurt anything
1. the keel locking bolt will seep iff not coated often with grease.
2. the keel cable hose can leak( easy fix).
3. scupper drains at the rear of the keel. a dripping faucet (in a house) accounts for 28 gallons in 24 hours.
any leak can be fixed as far as I know. mine could but it doesn't hurt it so I don't bother.
1. the keel locking bolt will seep iff not coated often with grease.
2. the keel cable hose can leak( easy fix).
3. scupper drains at the rear of the keel. a dripping faucet (in a house) accounts for 28 gallons in 24 hours.
any leak can be fixed as far as I know. mine could but it doesn't hurt it so I don't bother.
I am pretty sure it is just rain water. But was not sure of the pump was able to get it all out of there. It is a outboard. Though It does have a swing keel. I am fairly confidant it is rain. Just feel better about thing when I hear that other boats tend to have a little of water in them.
Never
the water never gets emptied out of the bilge by the pump,backup of any thing is always good on a boat.
It's always good to keep the bilge or any part of the boat dry with a sponge.
Nick
the water never gets emptied out of the bilge by the pump,backup of any thing is always good on a boat.
It's always good to keep the bilge or any part of the boat dry with a sponge.
Nick
My bilge stays mostly dry, what most gets in there is not enough to kick on the pump. and I sop it up with a sponge. There have been time when more has gotten depending on the weather. My shaft packing does drip a little but it has it's own little hollowed out space underneath it and I usually sop that up before it gets deep enough to run into the bilge. My cooler drains into the bilge but it has a shut off valve that I keep closed and I'm so anal about the bugle being dry I usually pump the cooler water out with a pump before I leave the boat. It depends on the boat as to how much water is in the bilge. The bilge is made to collect water so I guess it's to be expected to some degree.
I always thought a little water in the bilge was helpful. I thought it would reduce corrosion of the keel bolts and keep foul odors from the stringer compartments at bay. I guess I must have been wrong if folks take the trouble to sponge dry their bilges.
Actually just the opposite, Benny
[FONT="]A wet bilge is a dark stagnant pond, a swamp in fact. And it behaves like one, growing a variety of molds, fungi and bacteria—some that thrive in dark stagnant water, others that just like damp dark places. The warmer the weather and water, the faster they grow. Add some dead and decaying sea water micro-organisms, dirt, food particles, rain water, wash water, hot weather and humidity, plus a little oil or diesel, and you have a real primordial soup that can make a whole boat smell like a swamp or even a sewer!
Bilges aren't the only places on a boat that should be kept as dry as possible...'cuz molds and mildew just love damp dark drawers and lockers. Keeping a boat dry can be a real challenge and generates a lot of conversation around here.
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[FONT="]A wet bilge is a dark stagnant pond, a swamp in fact. And it behaves like one, growing a variety of molds, fungi and bacteria—some that thrive in dark stagnant water, others that just like damp dark places. The warmer the weather and water, the faster they grow. Add some dead and decaying sea water micro-organisms, dirt, food particles, rain water, wash water, hot weather and humidity, plus a little oil or diesel, and you have a real primordial soup that can make a whole boat smell like a swamp or even a sewer!
Bilges aren't the only places on a boat that should be kept as dry as possible...'cuz molds and mildew just love damp dark drawers and lockers. Keeping a boat dry can be a real challenge and generates a lot of conversation around here.
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New beginner question.
I have another question this time about outboard engines. When looking at the cat 22 the owner said to always pull the outboard out of the water before you turn it off. To get the water out of it. I always thought that the water was needed to cool it. IS that ok to do if you remove it from the water and shut it down pretty quick? The engine seems to work fine. Starts with 1 pull. I was just not sure if removing the prop form the water before turning off was common practice.
I have another question this time about outboard engines. When looking at the cat 22 the owner said to always pull the outboard out of the water before you turn it off. To get the water out of it. I always thought that the water was needed to cool it. IS that ok to do if you remove it from the water and shut it down pretty quick? The engine seems to work fine. Starts with 1 pull. I was just not sure if removing the prop form the water before turning off was common practice.
not good
Manny
You'll ruin the impeller by running it out of the water. Impellers are inexpensive but can be a pain to change on an outboard depending on the design. If the previous owner did that I would make an impeller change top priority. If you lift it out of the water some will drain out and occasionally you can flush the engine using a bucket and a hose. You want to get the water out if it is going below freezing but you just run antifreeze through it.
Manny
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Everything I've ever heard about operating outboards has been that you do not run it unless there is a source of cooling water for it. The notion of keeping it running until after you pull it out of the water seems expensively absurd.
Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
No, do not run the outboard when the lower unit is not submersed in water. The previous owner is an idiot. The water will drain just fine without doing something so risky and stupid.
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