Ice In the Bilge

[Richard]

Just checked the boat - on the hard in Sandusky, Oh.. Found about one inch of ice in the bilge which had been sponge dried when boat was taken from the water. It's an 88 Cat. 30 MkII tall rig. Could not find any evidence of water coming in from the cabin. Boat is uncovered with the deck stepped mast on. Anybody have similar problem and if so where did the water get in?

 

[Big Windy]

C30 Ice

Your water could be coming from virtually any where a hole has been cut or drilled in the deck...windows, winches, blocks, hand rails, sail track, hatch, etc. I found the best way to find the leak is to be in the boat during a driving rain storm, or have somebody blast you with a hose...can't very well do that now, though.

 

[Droop]

I would

Cover the boat. You don't want ice or antifreeze in the bilge. Your keel boat may start to leak.

 

[Bill]

Pick One

Water can get in from any number of spots. Tracking down the wires in the mast, rub rail thru screws, unsealed inspection ports, etc. We are battling the same problem and until we get all of the problems solved we load the bilge with antifreeze when we winterize and run it thru thu the bilge pump. In theory there is enough antifreeze to off set the amount of water thats getting into the bilge.

 

[Tim McCarty]

I feel your pain...

Never had a problem with my boat until this winter. Being from Sandusky, you do remember the two days of real hard rain a few weeks ago? I took water in my bilge for the first time. Unfortunately, the day after the big rains came, the temp. dropped about 30 degrees, everything froze, and only now (these past few days), have I been able to pump some water out. No worries though...everything seems to be working ok...