Need a little help I am looking at a 1985 Hunter 34 to purchase. Today I looked the boat over again, checked the sales etc. When I was looking at the bilge area things looks o.k. but in the main bilge there are some holes one on port one on starboard I guess they are drain holes for water that gets into areas under the floor. When I put my finger in there is water there, seems clear and some what fresh but who knows. Then I opened the small floor opening just as you go into the galley. The keel bolts are there and a drain hole in the forward part of the space also had some water in it. The main bilge is pretty dry so here comes the questions 1. Where does this water come from I opened up the compartments all around this floor but can not get a look at the area.? 2. Where will the water go? 3. Is this pretty normal? How do most of you get the water ? I looked for wood mositure and rot but did not see any except under the sink which is a pipe fitting leak. I will check the archives but was hoping for a fast reply I am pretty interested in this boat so help would be great.
- Status
water in boat
The water is coming from the packing when the engine runs. Unless if you have a dripless shaft. The packing nut needs to be tightened or repacked. Is there a bilge pump? If so turn it on and the water should drain out. Other possible ways the water got in is rain. possible leaks throughout the boat. Good luck
The water is coming from the packing when the engine runs. Unless if you have a dripless shaft. The packing nut needs to be tightened or repacked. Is there a bilge pump? If so turn it on and the water should drain out. Other possible ways the water got in is rain. possible leaks throughout the boat. Good luck
Not a simple answer
The water gets into the area under the floor ( as you have correctly acertained) from a number of sources- some I havent found yet on our H34. Seems to come from leaks around the ports and some how from under the covering in front of the companion way. It does not only come from the stuffing box- I have a cutoff jug bottom under my stuffing box to catch the drip and I still get some water . The bilge as you see it in the H34 is really a lining- there is a space under it and beside it- not much but a little. The holes are to drain the area under the floor - particularily under the dinnette table. You can get to that area with a wet dry vac hose by taking the table support base off ( a good idea to get a look at how damp it really is.) I made drain holes in the sides of the bilge and rinsed the area under the table thru the leg hole as best I could. It made a difference in the damp smell. The starboard list helps to keep water in there- sail on a starboard tack as much as possible
The water gets into the area under the floor ( as you have correctly acertained) from a number of sources- some I havent found yet on our H34. Seems to come from leaks around the ports and some how from under the covering in front of the companion way. It does not only come from the stuffing box- I have a cutoff jug bottom under my stuffing box to catch the drip and I still get some water . The bilge as you see it in the H34 is really a lining- there is a space under it and beside it- not much but a little. The holes are to drain the area under the floor - particularily under the dinnette table. You can get to that area with a wet dry vac hose by taking the table support base off ( a good idea to get a look at how damp it really is.) I made drain holes in the sides of the bilge and rinsed the area under the table thru the leg hole as best I could. It made a difference in the damp smell. The starboard list helps to keep water in there- sail on a starboard tack as much as possible
False Bilge
Not to get you to confused but there is another bilge below the main bilge that you found. Endless material in the archives on this subject. Not a major problem but you shold be familiar with the situation in that if you don't keep this area clean it can be a source of odors.
Not to get you to confused but there is another bilge below the main bilge that you found. Endless material in the archives on this subject. Not a major problem but you shold be familiar with the situation in that if you don't keep this area clean it can be a source of odors.
good question
Good question I do not know where the drain goes from the ice box anyone have an idea?
Good question I do not know where the drain goes from the ice box anyone have an idea?
table support
I will visit the boat Wed and remove the table support to get a better look. I call Hunter and the customer service guy said the same thing that if you can get a shop vac attachment into the hole you can keep it pretty dry. He suggested it maybe from the shaft packing drip. I will let you know what I find Wed. Do any of you 34 owners regularly flush these area out with water coupled with cleaner to prevent grow or smell?
I will visit the boat Wed and remove the table support to get a better look. I call Hunter and the customer service guy said the same thing that if you can get a shop vac attachment into the hole you can keep it pretty dry. He suggested it maybe from the shaft packing drip. I will let you know what I find Wed. Do any of you 34 owners regularly flush these area out with water coupled with cleaner to prevent grow or smell?
Condensation
I have a 1992 H28 that I sail around Boothbay, ME. Although the H28 has a nice deep bilge, I have noticed that the storage compartments get a lot of condensation on the outer hull. I presume this is because the cabin has fairly high humidity and the water in contact with the hull is about 45 degrees. Every time I go to the boat, I use up a big handful of paper towels to dry out the bottom of the storage areas. It might be a little microcosm between your hull and liner that keeps evaporating and condensing. Try using a wet-vac with a piece of tubing to get into every crevasse to suck the water out. Might try a small dehumidifier in the cabin as well.
I have a 1992 H28 that I sail around Boothbay, ME. Although the H28 has a nice deep bilge, I have noticed that the storage compartments get a lot of condensation on the outer hull. I presume this is because the cabin has fairly high humidity and the water in contact with the hull is about 45 degrees. Every time I go to the boat, I use up a big handful of paper towels to dry out the bottom of the storage areas. It might be a little microcosm between your hull and liner that keeps evaporating and condensing. Try using a wet-vac with a piece of tubing to get into every crevasse to suck the water out. Might try a small dehumidifier in the cabin as well.
h34 bilge
These vessels are designed to leak almost everywhere. The factory wasn't smart enough to put limber holes there and many owners added there own after things started growing and stinking under the wood floor
These vessels are designed to leak almost everywhere. The factory wasn't smart enough to put limber holes there and many owners added there own after things started growing and stinking under the wood floor
OK Joe, here's the deal.
The factory DID put limber holes in the liner. When I rebuilt my H34 I just made them bigger. But there's no water in my bilge. And my boat doesn't leak. And it didn't leak from the factory. Poor Daryl, his boat must have been a lemon. We've been trying to sooth his anger here for several years now. The ice box drains into the bilge via a 1/2" hose. The outlet can be seen with a mirror next to the bilge pump check valve. When I rebuilt my boat I extended the hose to the shower sump. Much easier to keep clean. What else do you want to know? Oh wait, here's my web site.
The factory DID put limber holes in the liner. When I rebuilt my H34 I just made them bigger. But there's no water in my bilge. And my boat doesn't leak. And it didn't leak from the factory. Poor Daryl, his boat must have been a lemon. We've been trying to sooth his anger here for several years now.
The ice box drains into the bilge via a 1/2" hose. The outlet can be seen with a mirror next to the bilge pump check valve. When I rebuilt my boat I extended the hose to the shower sump. Much easier to keep clean. What else do you want to know? Oh wait, here's my web site. Making the holes bigger
Fred, I was on the boat today and its seems that if I take a tool and just enlarge the limber holes that are already there the water would drain into the bilge. The bilge it self is pretty dry just some back flow from the bilge pump hose that was not cleaned up. I will look for the ice box hose next trip I did not see it but was not looking for it. Is there any danager in just making the holes larger?
Fred, I was on the boat today and its seems that if I take a tool and just enlarge the limber holes that are already there the water would drain into the bilge. The bilge it self is pretty dry just some back flow from the bilge pump hose that was not cleaned up. I will look for the ice box hose next trip I did not see it but was not looking for it. Is there any danager in just making the holes larger?
use allittle clorox
i have an 1984 34, and for some strange reason, the previous owner never drilled drain holes for the bilge. yeah, the odors built up for over 20 years. my first year i drilled a big wide drain hole at 12:00 oclock in the bilge sump. when decellerating from cruise mode, all the water rushes to the drain hole, and really empties pretty quick. i eliminated the odors by useing a combination of clorox bleach, and lemon pine sol. just a few ounces are needed to flush it out, twice a month, and turn the fiberglass white again. the trick is to leave the bildge pump off for a few hours of motoring or sailing. the stuffing box will add a few extra gallons to the mix. than let the back, and forth healing clean the upper sides of the bilge. no more odors, except maybe for my cooking.
i have an 1984 34, and for some strange reason, the previous owner never drilled drain holes for the bilge. yeah, the odors built up for over 20 years. my first year i drilled a big wide drain hole at 12:00 oclock in the bilge sump. when decellerating from cruise mode, all the water rushes to the drain hole, and really empties pretty quick. i eliminated the odors by useing a combination of clorox bleach, and lemon pine sol. just a few ounces are needed to flush it out, twice a month, and turn the fiberglass white again. the trick is to leave the bildge pump off for a few hours of motoring or sailing. the stuffing box will add a few extra gallons to the mix. than let the back, and forth healing clean the upper sides of the bilge. no more odors, except maybe for my cooking.
If you'd actually CLEAN your bilge...
You woulndn't have to put bleach in it twice a month...in fact you wouldn't have to do anything to it more than once or twice a year. 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…no wonder it stinks! The best you can hope to accomplish by dumping in some bleach a cleaning product is to knock down the odor for a while. I dunno why so many boat owners think that bilge cleaning consists of just throwing some bilge cleaner and/or bleach into that soup is all there is to cleaning a bilge...you wouldn't just dump bleach and detergent into a sinkful of dirty dishwater, then just pull the plug and walk away and expect the sink to be clean...so why would anyone think it's possible have a clean bilge by doing essentially the same thing??? Once or twice a year, really clean the bilge with a strong solution of detergent and water--no bleach! A power washer is the easiest way to do it, and it gets into areas that are inaccessible by hand. Then rinse ALL the dirty water out. And finally, DRY out the bilge...use a dinghy baller, shop vac, or a sponge and bucket to mop up all the water the bilge pump leaves behind and then leave all the hatches open for a day to let the bilges dry out. A couple of hours work each spring as part of recommissioning should be all it takes to keep the bilges clean without having to dump anything into 'em, and you'll be a amazed at how much better your boat will smell. And you'll spend about 95% less for bleach and pine sol--both of which are murderous to rubber parts in bilge pumps, btw--than you're spending now.
You woulndn't have to put bleach in it twice a month...in fact you wouldn't have to do anything to it more than once or twice a year. 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…no wonder it stinks! The best you can hope to accomplish by dumping in some bleach a cleaning product is to knock down the odor for a while. I dunno why so many boat owners think that bilge cleaning consists of just throwing some bilge cleaner and/or bleach into that soup is all there is to cleaning a bilge...you wouldn't just dump bleach and detergent into a sinkful of dirty dishwater, then just pull the plug and walk away and expect the sink to be clean...so why would anyone think it's possible have a clean bilge by doing essentially the same thing??? Once or twice a year, really clean the bilge with a strong solution of detergent and water--no bleach! A power washer is the easiest way to do it, and it gets into areas that are inaccessible by hand. Then rinse ALL the dirty water out. And finally, DRY out the bilge...use a dinghy baller, shop vac, or a sponge and bucket to mop up all the water the bilge pump leaves behind and then leave all the hatches open for a day to let the bilges dry out. A couple of hours work each spring as part of recommissioning should be all it takes to keep the bilges clean without having to dump anything into 'em, and you'll be a amazed at how much better your boat will smell. And you'll spend about 95% less for bleach and pine sol--both of which are murderous to rubber parts in bilge pumps, btw--than you're spending now.
Hull & Liner construction
Joe: These boats were built with a hull & a liner. The liner is bonded to the hull. This takes the place of a hull with stringers. Water/condensation can/will accumulate between the hull/liner, but will normally slowly drain into the bilge. There is no access to clean this area. I have found that using hot soapy water and bleach does an okay job of cleaning out this area. It is actually best if you go out and sail the boat. If the weather is a little rough that may actually help clean out this area. We had a 1985 Hunter 31. I would occasionly pour this mixture into several area (under the v-berth, behind the engine and in the ice box. All of these areas drained into the void and will eventually drain into the bilge. Our 31 was always very dry except for the compression post, which once repaired has been fine. The other area that should be checked would be the opening and fixed ports. These ports can leak and there can be rot in those areas if left alone. These boats are an excellent value and are good sturdy boats, regardless of what some nay sayers may TRY to lead you to believe.
Joe: These boats were built with a hull & a liner. The liner is bonded to the hull. This takes the place of a hull with stringers. Water/condensation can/will accumulate between the hull/liner, but will normally slowly drain into the bilge. There is no access to clean this area. I have found that using hot soapy water and bleach does an okay job of cleaning out this area. It is actually best if you go out and sail the boat. If the weather is a little rough that may actually help clean out this area. We had a 1985 Hunter 31. I would occasionly pour this mixture into several area (under the v-berth, behind the engine and in the ice box. All of these areas drained into the void and will eventually drain into the bilge. Our 31 was always very dry except for the compression post, which once repaired has been fine. The other area that should be checked would be the opening and fixed ports. These ports can leak and there can be rot in those areas if left alone. These boats are an excellent value and are good sturdy boats, regardless of what some nay sayers may TRY to lead you to believe.
good idea
Thanks for your reply on my last boat 37.5 the bilge was easy nice and big and I used you ideas (never need a pressure washer) but did twice a year clean the thing and then because of the cold weather in Chicago most stuff froze up over the off season. The 85 34 Hunter seems to have a few poor access areas with just limber holes (smaller than my finger) to passively drain into the bilge. It sounds like getting into these areas one or maybe several times a year is the key but access my need to be created. Has anyone out there gone under the port seat and cut an access panel so you can get to the areas on port? I understand you can get to most of the starboard areas thru the table leg brace opening. Anyway thanks
Thanks for your reply on my last boat 37.5 the bilge was easy nice and big and I used you ideas (never need a pressure washer) but did twice a year clean the thing and then because of the cold weather in Chicago most stuff froze up over the off season. The 85 34 Hunter seems to have a few poor access areas with just limber holes (smaller than my finger) to passively drain into the bilge. It sounds like getting into these areas one or maybe several times a year is the key but access my need to be created. Has anyone out there gone under the port seat and cut an access panel so you can get to the areas on port? I understand you can get to most of the starboard areas thru the table leg brace opening. Anyway thanks
- Status