Grease/Oil/Fuel in bilge or just dirty?

R

rcoleman67

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Mar 21, 2024
27
Skeeter 185 Clinton
Hey guys, I'm new to sailing but have been boating/fishing for over 30 years with power boats. I know what fuel/grease/bilge is in a fiberglass boat. My question is, in a 1989 monohulll, i.e. Catalina 30, does this bilge seem to indicate a problem or is is just dirty as heck? My boat bilge never looked like this...

I'm asking as I'm looking to buy a Catalina 30 and this is what the bilge looked like. Sailboats have been intested as I've always run new boats, traded up, etc. and never had to deal with a boat I didn't know or take care of. My wife used to compain we could eat off the floor in my boat yet our yard, garage, house etc. was definitely not keeping up with the Jones'.

Feedback and thoughts are very appreciated.


rc
 

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jssailem

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
23,139
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Looks pretty normal for a 30 plus year old boat bilge. Sure it could be cleand and given a fresh coat of paint.

The bolts look new. One might ask, has the keel been removed and rebuilt? You will want to inspect the bottom and keel stem.
 
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R

rcoleman67

.
Mar 21, 2024
27
Skeeter 185 Clinton
Thanks sir. Yeah, the bolts did look really, really good. I'm going to have her inspected in the next two weeks. "Fresh coat of paint", paint on a fiberglass boat is something I haven't gotten my head around as all my boats had gelcoat and were garage kept. I'd get the occassional scratch from rocks, dock, etc.but we'd just buff it out.
 
rgranger

rgranger

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Jan 19, 2010
12,562
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
jssailem said:
Looks pretty normal for a 30 plus year old boat bilge. Sure it could be cleand and given a fresh coat of paint.

The bolts look new. One might ask, has the keel been removed and rebuilt? You will want to inspect the bottom and keel stem.
Click to expand
+1

Yep looks normal. Bring an electric pressure washer and a shop vac into the boat and clean her out. Let it dry then…

C8C2C173-3D06-478E-BC49-86D03A045E6A.jpeg
 
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Tally Ho

Tally Ho

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Jan 7, 2011
5,587
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
She doesn’t look bad to me….my engine bilge (aft of the engine) looked terrible…

Some cleaning, sanding and painting makes a world of difference.

Before. After
IMG_2836.png IMG_2840.png

I don’t see a lot of standing “bilge water/oil” in your photos.


Greg
 
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MIGuy

MIGuy

.
Apr 27, 2016
14
Catalina 320 Anchorage Marina, Holland, MI
rcoleman67 said:
Hey guys, I'm new to sailing but have been boating/fishing for over 30 years with power boats. I know what fuel/grease/bilge is in a fiberglass boat. My question is, in a 1989 monohulll, i.e. Catalina 30, does this bilge seem to indicate a problem or is is just dirty as heck? My boat bilge never looked like this...

I'm asking as I'm looking to buy a Catalina 30 and this is what the bilge looked like. Sailboats have been intested as I've always run new boats, traded up, etc. and never had to deal with a boat I didn't know or take care of. My wife used to compain we could eat off the floor in my boat yet our yard, garage, house etc. was definitely not keeping up with the Jones'.

Feedback and thoughts are very appreciated.


rc
Click to expand
Older Catalina 30s (I think very possibly the year you are interested in) had a problem where plywood was used in the sole. Plywood use was discontinued in subsequent years. The plywood got wet in these older boats and turned to mush. So, the keel bolts were not seated in solid material. People have dug out all the plywood and rebuilt the keelbolt area. Your new keelbolts may indicate such a repair had been done ti that boat.
 
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