Engine bilge drainage

[Pat]

The area under the enging on my Hunter 27 1980 does not seem to have any drainage into the bilge, anyone have the same problem and if so what did you do about it?.

 

[Bob La Salle]

It's not supposed to drain into your main bilge

Because if it did, then your bilge pump would just pump your engine bilge stuff out of the boat (including petroleum products) along with your main bilge stuff, which is just grey water. Not nice to the environment. Use an absorbent mat under your engine, about $1.00 each at any of the marine stores. This will absorb any oil or diesel drippings or other engine fluids. Replace it as necessary and throw out the old one properly.

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

Small correction

Bilge water is not gray water. Gray water, by definition, is limited to "galley, bath andd shower water." Bilge water is bilge water.Btw, the oil pads will not work if there's any detergent or bilge cleaner in the mix. Bilge cleaners and detergents emulsify oil, gas, diesel etc...it breaks up the molecules so they mix with water. Once that happens, the oil pads can no longer absorb the oil...they repel it along with th rest of the water.