I’ve been chasing down the cause of water in my bilge for quite a while. I would dry it out, even shop vac it dry, then within a week or so there would be a few inches of water again. I went through checking all of the through hull fittings, fresh water tank hoses, cockpit drains, you get the point. One thing that never really occurred to me was the head sink drain as it’s above the water line. I was under the sink doing something and felt water, hmmm. Turns out fitting for the drain was loose and every time a wave would come by some sea water would get in. Tightened it up and now the bilge is bone dry. This is just an FYI if someone else is having the same problem.
Water in the bilge
- Thread starter Arrgh
- Start date
Good for you. My bilge is chronically wet. There's no sump for the two ice boxes or the shower. Can't seem to figure out how to plumb a drain from the shower to a sump. She's a 1981 O'Day 34.
We have the same boat! Mine is set up the same as yours. I just don’t put ice in the ice box and the previous owner changed the faucet in the head so there’s no shower. Problem solved 
. I think you can put like a sump box just aft of the mast and have the shower drain into that with a pump.
. I think you can put like a sump box just aft of the mast and have the shower drain into that with a pump.
I replaced ALL of my above the waterline plastic/nylon (whatever) through hulls 2 years ago. They were 38+ years old, constantly exposed to UV, and getting brittle. Several of them had cracked as I was polishing the hull. I replaced the 1½" and 5/8" (head sink drain) through hulls with stainless steel through hulls (shiny!). I replaced the 1/2" through hulls (propane lockers & shower sump) with new Acetal Plastic fittings.
I might be doing that this off season. I’ll have to check them all out once the boat goes on the hard.
Hi, Arrrgh, and erherhly, and SailingCal21,We have the same boat! Mine is set up the same as yours. I just don’t put ice in the ice box and the previous owner changed the faucet in the head so there’s no shower. Problem solved
We have a 1984 O'day 34 and of course same "issue."
I don't call it a problem, we juss let the bilge pump do its thing.
I suppose my argument is, "why change it after 40 years success?"
Just looking for comments or why you'd prefer a separate shower bilge.
I think mostly so that the actual bilge is always dry. Letting the shower water always sit in the bilge can create some smells too.
Thanks, we're "weekenders" so we have a habit of dumping the bilge at beginning and end so we probably don't get to the smelly stage.
I just realized my profile picture is of our 30 and a friend who had the same 30.
Will update with the 34 soon.
I just realized my profile picture is of our 30 and a friend who had the same 30.
Will update with the 34 soon.
I have never put ICE in the ice boxes. I put a frozen gallon water bottle in the ice box. No mess, and you can drink the water after it melts.