Catalina 320 (1994) Mystery Water in bilge compartments

[busted buttons]

I have clean clear water that accumulates in the bilge compartment at base of mast and the one adjacent to it towards stern. The water is clean and clear so not lake water. My bilge pump compartment collects some water too but not much. The water seems to seep in until it hits a certain level (head pressure) and then that it. Bilge pump never kick on. I'm going to do the kool aid test on my fresh water tanks to eliminate them as sources.

I've read on this site and others the older C320s have a rather goofy bilge system. The boat is not sinking...bilge never comes on...I reset all chain plates last year so its a mystery.

Has anyone else had this similar experience? I've contacted Catalina and they say to drill holes to ensure all compartments drain to bilge pump compartment but I'm a bit nervous drilling that close to the hull.

Any ideas?

 

[Scott T-Bird]

You'll have to describe in more detail the circumstances under which you find water. After rain event? All the time? Only when you sail? or motor? Are you running reverse cycle AC? What is a "kool aid test"? Is that dyed water?

 

[JoeWhite]

On my c36, I found leaky windlass shaft seals were the source of the water reaching the bilge location you described. You can test this by removing the panel at the v berth to expose the windlass and have someone spray water on the windlass while you observe below.

 

[rgranger]

Don’t use kool aid
Use food coloring

 

[higgs]

Rain?

 

[busted buttons]

You'll have to describe in more detail the circumstances under which you find water. After rain event? All the time? Only when you sail? or motor? Are you running reverse cycle AC? What is a "kool aid test"? Is that dyed water?

Hey Scott...find water collecting to a certain level (all the time). The AC condensate does drain into the bilge compartment where the bilge pump is located. When I hauled her out last year for a bottom job I purposely left the water in the bilge compartments to see if it would drain (indicating a leak in the keel bolts). The water didn't drain!

Yes...kool aid test is a colored water test to rule out the fresh water tanks...doing that this weekend.

Stay tuned...

 

[busted buttons]

Don’t use kool aid
Use food coloring

Why food coloring and not koolaid?

 

[rgranger]

Why food coloring and not koolaid?

koolaid is sticky

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Does it make any difference which tank you are using? I have a leak from my bow tank when I open the valve, but only after running the pump. It doesn't leak if I fill the tank, don't open the valve and don't pump any water out. It doesn't make sense because the leak is on the tank side of the valve, but that's what's happening. It's a problem waiting for a fix! Lately, I've been getting along only with the aft tank.

 

[busted buttons]

Does it make any difference which tank you are using? I have a leak from my bow tank when I open the valve, but only after running the pump. It doesn't leak if I fill the tank, don't open the valve and don't pump any water out. It doesn't make sense because the leak is on the tank side of the valve, but that's what's happening. It's a problem waiting for a fix! Lately, I've been getting along only with the aft tank.

I need to get down below and check all hose clamps and fresh water tank integrity. No one has more fun!

 

[busted buttons]

I also have a hot water heater which run pretty hot and I've been told that the relief valve discharges into the bilge compartment...I need to look at this as well...

 

[jssailem]

No one has more fun!

Have you read my experience with the “the engine that could.... Then didn't” here on SBO? That turned out to be 22 months of fun.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I don't have any knowledge about these small water heaters but I know that when the pressure relief valve leaks water at my house, the valve is trash and needs to be replaced. We have this problem due to excessive pressure in the system. We have a pressure reducing valve on the feed to the house and when it fails, we will only know it when the pressure relief valve on the tank starts to leak.

If your leak does happen to be related to the water heater, it's about time to change that thing out anyway. If it is original, it's approaching 30 years old? These things were never intended to last forever!

 

[busted buttons]

Update - Upon closer inspection...there is a drain hole for packing gland dripping and it drains to the main bilge compartment BUT very difficult to see (re : pics).
In this pic you see the mold for the drain line underneath the engine :

You can see the drain hole in this one :

Its at the base of the small bulkhead that separates the under engine drain pan
Packing gland drippings drain into the main bilge compartment BUT from the bow end NOT the stern end where its draining from.
The drain hole is a small slit underneath the drain overflow pipe into the other compartments

Using green food coloring I discovered it was my packing gland leaking way too much...1 drip every 3 to 4 seconds doesn't sound or look like much but when you do the math of over a 2 week or 3 week period...it adds up to 20 to 30 gallons.

Anyways...mystery solved and I discovered there is a drain from packing gland to main bilge on the old C320s.

dave
s/v ABEO
Hull No. : 40 (1994)

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Great find! If I'm not mistaken, the packing gland shouldn't be dripping when the shaft isn't turning. I'm also curious, where are your keel bolts? Is this a bilge compartment forward or behind the keel bolts? My model is 1999 so it has a deeper bilge, but it is so narrow and filled with keel bolts that there isn't even room for a submersible bilge pump. There is barely room for the hose pick-ups and a float valve.

 

[busted buttons]

You can see my keel bolts in the last attachment...they are distributed across three individual bilge compartments. One is too shallow and nothing drains into it the other keel bolts you can see in the pic...

Does this answer your question?

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Yes! I must have missed that attachment. I also now notice your Hey Dudes! I've been wearing them as well.