Sea water in "hidden bilge"

Jared1048 · Sep 18, 2012

magne said:
Hi!
I have a problem with my hunter 33 2005.
In front of the bilge pump there is a hole. Seems to lead to " a hidden bilge" probably space between the liner? There is water coming out of this hole( tastes salty) its not much water but still comes up and creates a "puddle" in bilge pump area. This creates a bad smell in the cabin. Where can this water come from and what can i do about it?

Regards Magne ( from Norway)

Could it be coming in from the stuffing box when your in gear turning the prop?

Jake N Eggs · Sep 18, 2012

All of the bilge sections are connected. If there is a leak at the speed and depth transducers, in the forward berth, the water will make its way to the bilge pump. If the stuffing box is leaking, even while standing, the water will accumulate in the area of the through hulls before making its way to the main bilge. This I would consider behind the bilge pump though.

Let us know what you discover.

Jake N Eggs · Sep 18, 2012

The stuffing box is the seal assembly that seals the propeller shaft where it exits the boat. It is accessed from the aft cabin.

Benny17441 · Sep 19, 2012

Water gets trapped in the stringers under the cabin sole and slowly flows down to bilge as the boat moves. Where does the water come from? There are many possibilities, among them; refrigerator drain, leaking water tank, leaking hoses, packing gland, rain leaks, water spray over the rails, shower sump, keel bolts etc. It is usually salty but can be a combination of salt and fresh so don't rule out a fresh water source. Not much you can do about the trapped water but keep the openenings clear and look for the possible source.

Jake N Eggs · Sep 19, 2012

Magne,

Sorry, I did not realize that the saildrive was an option in 2005.

In your original post you say "from Norway" but your profile says Illinois. Is the boat in Norway? I assumed it was since you said the water tasted salty. If the boat is in Illinois I don't think there is much salt water there.

Steve Dion · Sep 19, 2012

A good hot water and mild bleach soultion is a good way to start cleaning in these impossible to get spots. You just need to figure out where the water is getting into these area.

Pour the mixture in and take the boat out sailing. You can also rinse it out if you think you need to.

Timbo3 · Sep 20, 2012

Sometimes the hot water heater will release into the bilge just a bit to relieve pressure - I put a bottle on the hose to capture it. . . just an idea to check out. There's so much salt accumulation that it can be easy to mistake it for salt water, especially if just a small amount.

Jake N Eggs · Sep 21, 2012

Magne,

I had a problem with water showing up in the bilge from time to time and it took me until this spring to find the problem. My situation was fresh water by I also sail in fresh water.

To make a long story short, the problem was the fitting at the bottom of the fresh water tank was sitting on the bulkhead just behind the tank. It is accessible through the small storage closet under the v-berth just inside the front cabin. When the tank was full or when the tank was sufficiently full and sailing hard on a Port tack, the weight would press down on the fitting causing it to leak. I would then find water in the bilge.

I fixed the problem by cutting the bulkhead below the fitting to give it clearance. Since that repair, the bilge has been absolutely dry.

It's at least worth taking a look and making sure that there is clearance between the fitting and the bulkhead.

Good luck.