Both bilges in my 84 Hunter 34 have holes at various places. Some of them have wires routed through them some of them don't. When healed over water gets into these areas which is why, I believe because the water lays in there an stagnates, I can't get rid of bilge oders. The oders are more prominent in the main blige. Has anyone figured a way to resolve this problem. Can these holes be sealed off or would that create more of a problem? The odor airs out pretty quickly, or else we just get use to it, but when you open the bilge the odor is very evident.
Holes in bilge???
- Thread starter Damspacher
- Start date
- Status
Those holes are called limber holes...
They allow water to drain instead of becoming trapped to stagnate and stink. However, all bilges require a THOROUGH cleaning--lots of detergent and water, followed by flushing all the dirty water out--at least once a year to remove all the odor-causing bacteria and other things that turn bilge water into a smelly primordial soup. Your boat will smell much better after you've done it.
They allow water to drain instead of becoming trapped to stagnate and stink. However, all bilges require a THOROUGH cleaning--lots of detergent and water, followed by flushing all the dirty water out--at least once a year to remove all the odor-causing bacteria and other things that turn bilge water into a smelly primordial soup. Your boat will smell much better after you've done it.
KO
Right on re cleaning but in meantime i have put a little KO here and there, pour some under the packig gland, pour some into shower drain, pour some whre a/c or fridge discharges and every other place you can get to . it is not a permanent fix but it follows the water and does a great "patch" on the bilge until you can do it properly per Pegs correct method t
Right on re cleaning but in meantime i have put a little KO here and there, pour some under the packig gland, pour some into shower drain, pour some whre a/c or fridge discharges and every other place you can get to . it is not a permanent fix but it follows the water and does a great "patch" on the bilge until you can do it properly per Pegs correct method t
Bilge Drains
Dave I have a H31 that I rescued which sat for 7 years with about 6" of diesel and water slopping around in it. The 34 and the 31 are very similar in design (83 - 87 models anyway) Once I thoroughly cleaned the interior (I stripped everything out of the boat and hot pressure washed everything) I then added more holes in the corners of the bilges and did some major cleaning with lots of hot saopy water. Now that the boat is in the water and sailing I regularily pour a couple of quarts of "Simple Green" into these side bilges (access under the port side settee, in galley area, under engine, etc.) then go out sailing and let this stuff run through the liner and into the bilge where I pump it out. My bilge is always bone dry except for when I do my monthly cleaning ritual and my boat doesen't have much of an odour problem. You have to make sure that you open holes up in the bilge into the liner to allow the water and cleaning stuff to flow through the back of the liner into the bilge. Hunter was not very good at this and probably felt that water would NEVER get behind the liner anyway!!!! In reality water gets behind the liner in a dozen different ways. I had the advantage of having to take the boat apart to the bare liner, in your case I would make sure you add more limber holes and make them a decent size and then try pouring the cleaner in so that it gets behind the liner. And for sure seal up the cooler drain - it just runs into the back of the liner and that is the worst water to have in your bilge. Good Luck! Mike
Dave I have a H31 that I rescued which sat for 7 years with about 6" of diesel and water slopping around in it. The 34 and the 31 are very similar in design (83 - 87 models anyway) Once I thoroughly cleaned the interior (I stripped everything out of the boat and hot pressure washed everything) I then added more holes in the corners of the bilges and did some major cleaning with lots of hot saopy water. Now that the boat is in the water and sailing I regularily pour a couple of quarts of "Simple Green" into these side bilges (access under the port side settee, in galley area, under engine, etc.) then go out sailing and let this stuff run through the liner and into the bilge where I pump it out. My bilge is always bone dry except for when I do my monthly cleaning ritual and my boat doesen't have much of an odour problem. You have to make sure that you open holes up in the bilge into the liner to allow the water and cleaning stuff to flow through the back of the liner into the bilge. Hunter was not very good at this and probably felt that water would NEVER get behind the liner anyway!!!! In reality water gets behind the liner in a dozen different ways. I had the advantage of having to take the boat apart to the bare liner, in your case I would make sure you add more limber holes and make them a decent size and then try pouring the cleaner in so that it gets behind the liner. And for sure seal up the cooler drain - it just runs into the back of the liner and that is the worst water to have in your bilge. Good Luck! Mike
Mike, at least once a year...
You need to follow the detergent cleaner with a THOROUGH clean water rinse to wash down all the surfaces and flush it all out. You wouldn't just pull the plug on a kitchen sink full of soapy dirty dishwater without also rinsing it out...or just add detergent to a bathtub full of dirty water and then pull the plug without rinsing it down. A bilge is no different.
You need to follow the detergent cleaner with a THOROUGH clean water rinse to wash down all the surfaces and flush it all out. You wouldn't just pull the plug on a kitchen sink full of soapy dirty dishwater without also rinsing it out...or just add detergent to a bathtub full of dirty water and then pull the plug without rinsing it down. A bilge is no different.
I do all the above
Plus I let the boat get lots of air by leaving the small deck hatches open and one of the hatch boards out. Of course I check the weather first. This gives lots of air movement and the boat has never smelled as good. I also have a dry bilge for the first time since owning the boat which helps. I only use fresh water when flushing the toilet. This also helps with head odor which has been very good since using only fresh water to flush. I leave the floor board off the covers the main bilge when leaving the boat.
Plus I let the boat get lots of air by leaving the small deck hatches open and one of the hatch boards out. Of course I check the weather first. This gives lots of air movement and the boat has never smelled as good. I also have a dry bilge for the first time since owning the boat which helps. I only use fresh water when flushing the toilet. This also helps with head odor which has been very good since using only fresh water to flush. I leave the floor board off the covers the main bilge when leaving the boat.
Bilge Drains
Peggie Yes I fresh water rinse as well - I like to use real hot water, I will do that again on my last sail of the season coming up on the 16th of October then we haul out on the 23rd. Then the boat gets covered over well enough that I leave all the hatches open and have a fan running which ventilates the boat. Plus I take everything off of the boat - cushions, lids for lockers, sails, loose paper, etc., this has worked well on all my past boats in keeping them fresh and mold free. Good point though on rinsing - sorry I left that out! Good Sailing! Mike
Peggie Yes I fresh water rinse as well - I like to use real hot water, I will do that again on my last sail of the season coming up on the 16th of October then we haul out on the 23rd. Then the boat gets covered over well enough that I leave all the hatches open and have a fan running which ventilates the boat. Plus I take everything off of the boat - cushions, lids for lockers, sails, loose paper, etc., this has worked well on all my past boats in keeping them fresh and mold free. Good point though on rinsing - sorry I left that out! Good Sailing! Mike
- Status