Water in the bilge

[john6206]

Thanks you for you patience with all of my stupid rookie questions!

Today‘s concern is water in the bilge. In 25 years of trailer sailing - zero drops of water in the bilge, but nothing drained into it.

I have a slow but steady drip coming into my bilge. It is pink water, indicating that it’s something that was winterized.

We commissioned the fresh water system per the instructions on this site, I’m sure we got all the pink out of that. However, when we had the water pump on, it would turn for two seconds every hour or so… indicating to me that something was leaking. We have the drinking water shut off now (for unrelated reasons).

There are two hoses that drain into the bilge. The water seems to be coming out of the larger one….

I have some guesses…. Refrigerator condensation? Humidity (It was pretty sticky here yesterday?

most likely, and my biggest fear, is engine - not sure about specific, but the bilge pad under the engine was pretty wet. . . and pink.
boat has been idle since we crossed Lake Michigan on Thursday.

Any thoughts?

thanks,

John

 

[jssailem]

Three generic possibilities for antifreeze from the engine.

• A hose connection of the "Freshwater" lines is leaking. Check the hoses for cracks and the clamps holding them.
• The overflow line from the pressure cap fitting.
• A weak seal in the Fresh Water pump. There is a weephole on the pump case. When the seal begins to fail you can see coolant/water seeping from the hole.

 

[john6206]

Hmm …

By “freshwater” lines do you mean drinking water? Because I KNOW those are leaking- BUT, I closed the ball valves for both tank A and tank B and we are in ‘tent camping mode’ one bucket of water at a time (fitting I need is a 4 week delivery).

The engine coolant is green. The stuff they winterized with last fall was pink. That seems to eliminate #3.

That makes #2 the likely suspect?

 

[jssailem]

If the Coolant for the engine is green, then the above suggestions are not involved.

That leaves the freshwater systems. Perhaps when commissioning the fresh (drinking) water system some spills occurred. The pink water found its way to your bilge during your passage.

 

[john6206]

We did some internet sleuthing and my wife believes that they did not remove the raw water winterizing antifreeze flush when they commissioned the engine this spring.

She found some complicated instructions online, I’m a little nervous about jumping into that. There are no parts or repair facilities where we are now.

wouldn’t running that engine 15 hours from Manitowoc to Frankfort flush out the raw water system?

 

[BigEasy]

wouldn’t running that engine 15 hours from Manitowoc to Frankfort flush out the raw water system?

May have had some remaining pink stuff that’s working it’s way thru limber holes & into bilge sump.

 

[Tally Ho]

I use oink AF in 3 systems when I winterize my boat…
- head
- potable water (including WH)
- engine cooling (freshwater Yanmar)

I also add some AF to my fridge drain just to displace any water in the drain hose and I will dump some in my bilge in case I get some water in the bilge.

The only system on my boat that drains into the bilge is the fridge drain.

What are your 2 hoses in the bilge? Can you put a cup under each one and see which one is dripping pink AF? Then trace that one back to its source?

Either way, a bit of pink AF in the bilge wouldn’t bother me too much on my journey.

Greg

 

[john6206]

@Tally Ho
Good idea Greg. I am pretty sure its coming out of the bigger hose, but it would be pretty easy to know FOR SURE.