Understanding the bilge

[EdWard3]

So as I cleaned out the bilge of my 1980 Hunter 30, it baffled me how water moves in to the bilge from different compartments of the boat. Prior to servicing the bilge, I noticed I had water collecting beneath the diesel (2QM15) from it being winterized. This water was collecting in the tray behind the engine access panel (steps to companionway). Why didn't that water move to the bilge.

Can anyone tell me what compartments flow in to the bilge of an H30?

 

[Dalliance]

There should be one or two small drain holes in the lowest point, front center, of the engine compartment pan. They clog up easily. Just clean them out with a piece of wire or small screw driver and the pan will drain into the bilge. Pretty much every compartment that I can think of in my '82 H30, including the ice box and shower, drains to the bilge sump.

 

[onecoolair]

So as I cleaned out the bilge of my 1980 Hunter 30, it baffled me how water moves in to the bilge from different compartments of the boat. Prior to servicing the bilge, I noticed I had water collecting beneath the diesel (2QM15) from it being winterized. This water was collecting in the tray behind the engine access panel (steps to companionway). Why didn't that water move to the bilge.

Can anyone tell me what compartments flow in to the bilge of an H30?

The Sump Bilge Pan under the Engine should never drain to bilge!!!:naughty: Think about it....

 

[Greg Olausen]

I believe Onecoolair is absolutely correct- that's why the engine has a separate drain pan from the bilge. The bilge and bilge pumps are for excess water only, they drain overboard. The engine pan may collect oil, coolant, diesel fuel- all sorts of nasty stuff involving hefty fines if you're caught discharging them into the ocean, lakes, or rivers. Treat the stuff collected in your engine pan as hazardous waste; you won't regret it.

 

[ggrizzard]

Ditto the last two posts... It's a big NO NO

 

[Dalliance]

Good point. I should have noted that I have continued the PO's practice of keeping a rubber drain pan (A Rubbermaid dish drain pan actually.) under the engine, keeping the compartment spotlessly clean, and laying down lots of oil absorbent paper towels when doing any engine maintenance.
Perhaps the two drain holes I referred to are not original(?). I had never really questioned them before, but they are there because the aft end of the engine compartment pan extends under the stuffing box and collects the water that drips from it when the engine is in gear. This clean water flows forward under the rubber pan and through the drain holes to the bilge. If the holes were not there, the water would collect until the engine compartment pan overflowed across the sole and ultimately into the bilge anyway.
So now I am wondering two things: First, is this condition typical of the H30 or other Cherubini Hunters? And second, is there a better way of addressing it?

 

[Deadline]

Where the water drains from

Refrigerator, Head floor (shower drain), and most importantly the shaft behind the engine in case the stuffing box leaks too much.

 

[tomgrigsby]

My 79 H30 does not have holes in the pan. Everything else drains to the bilge. Icebox has a hose that leads over to the bilge right at the engine access. Stuffing box drip runs under engine pan. Hose from shower drain forward leads to bilge. Oh, stbd locker where speed log is doesn't drain to bilge. I have to mop that up with a sponge whenever I pull it for cleaning. Getting so I only ship about a 1/2 gallon of water when I'm quick.

 

[Dalliance]

My 79 H30 does not have holes in the pan. Everything else drains to the bilge. Icebox has a hose that leads over to the bilge right at the engine access. Stuffing box drip runs under engine pan. Hose from shower drain forward leads to bilge. Oh, stbd locker where speed log is doesn't drain to bilge. I have to mop that up with a sponge whenever I pull it for cleaning. Getting so I only ship about a 1/2 gallon of water when I'm quick.

Is the aft end of your engine compartment pan forward of the stuffing box or is there a notch cut out of it below the stuffing box?
My lockers under the v-berth also have drain holes to the bilge, so I'm not collecting water anywhere except the bilge sump.

 

[tomgrigsby]

Is the aft end of your engine compartment pan forward of the stuffing box or is there a notch cut out of it below the stuffing box?
My lockers under the v-berth also have drain holes to the bilge, so I'm not collecting water anywhere except the bilge sump.

Aft end of the pan ends before the shaft coupling, at the transmission. Stuffing box drips go under the pan to the bilge. I considered whether my lockers should drain to the bilge. They will overflow the doors on the face of the locker at about the 4" level. Conversely, I wonder if bilge water might get into the lockers on a serious heel? Probably not, but I think I'll leave things as-is.

 

[Dalliance]

Aft end of the pan ends before the shaft coupling, at the transmission. Stuffing box drips go under the pan to the bilge. I considered whether my lockers should drain to the bilge. They will overflow the doors on the face of the locker at about the 4" level. Conversely, I wonder if bilge water might get into the lockers on a serious heel? Probably not, but I think I'll leave things as-is.

My pan extends aft all the way to the shaft log; well past the engine and transmission. The aft edge is actually notched out for clearance, but the notch does not extend far enough forward to allow stuffing box drips a direct path to the bilge. I'm wondering if I can extend the cut out area forward. Will take a look next time I'm at the boat.

I don't think I have ever gotten bilge water up into the lockers on a heel, but I guess it's possible if there were a lot of water in the bilge and/or it was a really serious heel. Sailing on Lake Michigan, what I do get occasionally is very heavy condensation below the water line on hot humid days.

 

[tomgrigsby]

My pan extends aft all the way to the shaft log; well past the engine and transmission. The aft edge is actually notched out for clearance, but the notch does not extend far enough forward to allow stuffing box drips a direct path to the bilge. I'm wondering if I can extend the cut out area forward. Will take a look next time I'm at the boat.

I don't think I have ever gotten bilge water up into the lockers on a heel, but I guess it's possible if there were a lot of water in the bilge and/or it was a really serious heel. Sailing on Lake Michigan, what I do get occasionally is very heavy condensation below the water line on hot humid days.

I'll try to get down to the boat today and take some pictures of my pan. I'm going to reconsider the locker drain. It would be handy to have it drain to the bilge when I pull the transducer. Does yours have a hose, or just holes?

 

[Dalliance]

I'll try to get down to the boat today and take some pictures of my pan. I'm going to reconsider the locker drain. It would be handy to have it drain to the bilge when I pull the transducer. Does yours have a hose, or just holes?

Just holes. About 1/4 inch diameter as I recall.

 

[tomgrigsby]

Here's my pan - ends right at the end of the transmission. Alas I can't put drains easily into my bilge from starboard locker. The floor is solid between the locker and the bilge. Must have been an improvement for your year.

 

[onecoolair]

Here's my pan - ends right at the end of the transmission. Alas I can't put drains easily into my bilge from starboard locker. The floor is solid between the locker and the bilge. Must have been an improvement for your year.

Build yourself a dam just aft of the shaft coupling . There are many ways to do it. From just beads of 5200 or glue in piece fiber glass or starboard. Then on each side corner of dam drill some weep hole to allow drainage to bilge. This will catch any water leaks from packing gland and keep it out engine bilge pan.
Btw... I would take the time to clean and maybe paint this area. Make it look tip top. In my situation I used rust-o-lium on the coupling , the rust was getting to me.

 

[tomgrigsby]

Btw... I would take the time to clean and maybe paint this area. Make it look tip top. In my situation I used rust-o-lium on the coupling , the rust was getting to me.

As I was taking the picture I thought "man, this looks nasty" but I was wearing good clothes unsuitable for cleaning around the engine. My "gonna" barrell is pretty full, but I added this chore to it.

 

[Dalliance]

Here are two photos of my engine compartment pan at the stuffing box. It's so tight to the hull that it looks like the bilge paint has sealed any gap there may have been between them. I would have to extend the cut out area forward at least 4". A delicate operation being that it's right on top of the hull. Enlarging the cutout would put it that much closer to the primary fuel filter, which might be worse than leaving it as is. I would then want to either build up the edges of the enlarged opening or move the fuel filter forward. Something I had been thinking about anyway because it's awkward to reach. This all assumes that the water always drips straight down. Seems like it might sort of fly off in all directions perpendicular to the shaft when in gear. That suggests cutting out the entire back end of the pan.

The dam building idea is an interesting alternative to cutting away part of the pan. A piece of starboard scribed to fit across the full with of the pan and sealed in place with epoxy or sealant. Would have to drill a drain hole through the pan at the low point behind the dam.

Maybe a dripless P.S.S. Shaft Seal is the best solution in this case(?). It's the most expensive option unfortunately... and I've heard some mixed reviews about them... Need to do some research.