Keel bolts, how do I protect them?

[Ben Mesker]

When I bought my boat I was impressed by the clean dry bilge. The keel bolts were so clean they apeared to be polished. Since then the boat has seen normal use (shower, cooler etc.)and the bilge has a constant inch or so of water. Shouldn't I pack the keel bolts with grease or some protective stuff of some kind?

 

[Dakota Jim Russell]

Pump Water Outside

One thought might be to have both your ice box and your shower pumped out.1. in our H30 we piped (okay hosed) the ice box to a self priming pump that then pumped into the sink. Push button type switch in sink cabinet. It provided some rinse water for prewashing and kept the bilge dry.2. Also consider installing a pump from you shower basin directly to the outside. 405 Beneteaus (and other boats) have that as an arrangement which speeds the draining of the shower and could keep the bilge much dryer. I'd be happy to expand on the subject.3. On my 340, I have a self contained bilge box accepting both that has a pump to eject the water. Don't think you have room for that on the 28.5 so you probably have to go with #1 & #2 above.Jim

 

[Eric Lorgus]

You need a separate sump with its own pump

Ben: I have the same problem on my 87H285. What I'm now looking into is installing a sump box inside of the bilge pit where the shower and ice box now drain. This pit is big enough to accomodate a separate box of about 5"x5" x4 1/2" deep.The idea is that sump box be forward and above the main bilge pump. The drain hoses would be extended directly into the sump box, and it would have its own bilge pump. Because a bilge pump can never get all the water out, it would then be the sump box that would always be wet, which should leave the main bilge try.I'm just now starting to look around for an aftermarket shower sump that would fit in there. If I'm successful, I'll post the particulars on the 28.5 forum.Let me know if you have any better ideas.Eric LorgusS/V Explorer

 

[Ed Schenck]

Is saltwater that corrosive?

Since my mast is keel-stepped I always have water over the bolts. No way that I know of to keep rain from coming down the mast. But I guess since it has always been in fresh water(20 years) the bolts look like new. When I move it to saltwater will I have to take some precautions?