Water in the bilge

[Richard Fairminded]

Hi,
My name is Richard Fairminded
I have CHB 34. I am having problems with excessive water in the bilge. I can't seem to find out where the water is coming from. Has anyone had this problem and could someone give me options of correcting this problem?

 

[Larry M]

Welcome! Question though, salt or fresh water? Any how much is coming in?

 

[Richard Fairminded]

bildge

Hi Larry M,
I am new to this site, so bear with me. I don't know is it is fresh or salt water. How do I find out? Are there tablets that I can purchase to determine if it is salt or fresh water, if so...where do I purchase them. There appears to be 4-5 gallons of water in the bildge (over a 3-5 day period), after the pump has removed additional water.

 

[ranger58sb]

Discover whether fresh or salt first, then options to better pin down the source and fix the issue follow.

For example, if fresh it could be a water tank leak (you'd notice that other ways) or a fresh water system leak if you're connected to dock water. Or it could be rain water entering through the deck-hull connections or other ways.

For example if salt, could be leaking thru-hull or sea strainer, could be shaft seals need some adjusting, could be a leak in your engine or genset raw water cooling systems... etc.

-Chris

 

[swampu]

Taste test

 

[sunchaser]

Salt or fresh? Taste test works every time for me.

 

[Larry M]

Taste test

Salt or fresh? Taste test works every time for me.

 

[Richard Fairminded]

The seal on the shaft is new and dry. Stuffing box and packing gland is new. Rear bildge is dry. How do I test water for salt/fresh without tasting it, I have medical issues and cant taste water?

 

[Larry M]

... cant taste water?

Ask a partner or friend? With that amount of water accumulating, it should be fairly fresh and you don't need to swallow.

 

[capn_billl]

I wouldn't use the taste test, if the possibility of an onboard head is leaking. Take a cupfull, and let it dry. If salt you will see crystals.

To find the leak may take a few hours with head in bilge, and flashlight.

Ive found good luck with this technique.

1. vacuum ALL water, and towel dry.
2. take paper towels, and stuff in limber holes.
3. check each towel for dryness regularly.....
eventually you will find one or two towels wet, and water behind them.

look in that area of boat for leak., repeat until bilge is dry.

I've found both hull leaks, and plumbing leaks that way.

Common leaks.

Over drilled screw hole mounting bilge pump, (the irony).

cracked cheap plumbing tee.

air conditioner drip pan leaking.

leaking shower pan

failed overflowing sump box for, (shower, sink, A/C, etc....)

Good Luck

 

[Lou_tribal]

I wouldn't use the taste test, if the possibility of an onboard head is leaking.

I guess that is the head or holding tank was leaking the smell would be noticeable wouldn't it?

 

[MYTraveler]

Salt or fresh? Taste test works every time for me.

My buddy had a leak, and I suggested the taste test, which he reluctantly employed. Said he couldn't tell. Eventually he figured out that the water had three sources: one salt, one fresh and the third was holding tank.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Welcome aboard. Try this: Marine Aquarium Salt: Instant Ocean Hydrometer

 

[markpierce]

I too had a very-slow water leak. Turned out it was from the engine. Eventually, rust stains on the engine lead to the source.

 

[capn_billl]

Well the holding tank is still salty....

Reminds me of a dad joke. How can you tell the difference between an oral thermometer, and an anal one?,.......taste.

 

[capn_billl]

If you use the paper towel, and limber hole test, hopefully you can eliminate at least the holding tank as a possible source.

 

[psneeld]

Greetings,
Welcome aboard. Try this: Marine Aquarium Salt: Instant Ocean Hydrometer

I knew it would have another use besides checking salinity for electrostatic treatment.

I will keep it...ha!

 

[gaston]

Try using food dye in the fresh water tank it makes tracking fresh water leaks very easy . You can use another colour dye in the holding tank

 

[ranger58sb]

My buddy had a leak, and I suggested the taste test, which he reluctantly employed. Said he couldn't tell. Eventually he figured out that the water had three sources: one salt, one fresh and the third was holding tank.

Gak!

-Chris

 

[Donsan]

How long have you had the boat? Is this something that just started since the deluge of California rain storms?

 

[bilge53]

Taste test

Yum!

 

[BruceK]

Do you have hatches which have perimeter gutter type drains. Around say, a hinged aft lazarette hatch, to catch water passing through the gap between hatch and surrounding deck?
Check there, and check that any drain tubing leading away is not blocked. A hose to the drain hole will flush out dirt blocking/restricting the drain.

 

[BandB]

You mentioned "seal on the shaft is new and dry. Stuffing box and packing gland is new." So, I'm gathering you just had some work done in that area? Did this start right after that work?

Have you checked all ceilings for wetness? Any areas under beds or storage that are accessible might give you an idea how far forward in the boat.

 

[Steve]

I had a bit of water in my usually bone dry bilge, I dipped my fingertip in it to do the "taste test" fire water!! it was battery electrolyte. The charger had gone on the fritz boiling acid out and dripped to the ER floor. It didn't burn my finger, but, I had a good blister on my lip and sore on the tip of my tounge. Caution!

 

[Larry M]

... There appears to be 4-5 gallons of water in the bildge (over a 3-5 day period), after the pump has removed additional water.

That's a leak that needs fixing.

 

[Bacchus]

What boat? Mainships (and some others) are notorious for rubrail / hull - deck joint leaks from rain or spray. I have info w links if thats a possibility.

 

[rwidman]

Hi Larry M,
I am new to this site, so bear with me. I don't know is it is fresh or salt water. How do I find out? Are there tablets that I can purchase to determine if it is salt or fresh water, if so...where do I purchase them. There appears to be 4-5 gallons of water in the bildge (over a 3-5 day period), after the pump has removed additional water.

If I had a gallon a day leak into my bilge, I wouldn't be fooling around with a web forum. I would be probing around in the boat or finding a boat mechanic to determine the source of the leak. A leak that big shouldn't be hard to find.

 

[TDunn]

An easy way to check for salt versus fresh if you don't want to taste it is with your digital voltmeter. Set it to resistance. Salt water will have MUCH lower resistance than fresh, which will be very high. Test the voltmeter on your local reference salt water source (the one the boat floats in) to get an idea of the reading for salt water.

Now a couple of questions.

1. Does the water accumulate on sunny days? If so it isn't a deck leak. Pump the bilge dry then run a lot of water on deck to see if you get more water in the bilge to look for deck leaks. Alternatively, when it isn't raining pump the bilge then come back after 8-12 hours with the pumps off to see what your base leak rate is. Repeat with the pumping just before a major rain storm. That will tell you if you have a deck leak.

2. Have you checked your rudder packing?

3. Are you using more water than usual? Leaking water tank?

4. Have you checked ALL the hose connections on hoses that carry water? A bad hose or connection on a sink/shower drain can put a lot of water into the bilge.

 

[bayview]

do what Capt Bill said.


Dont forget to run A/C and washdown pumps, engines ,generatorand other occasional use items if the first round of static tests dont show anything.

 

[raindr]

1. rudder packing
2. lazaret hatch seal
3. The glass build up of the keel in these boats vary greatly, and they filled the keel with some reallllly crapppy concrete mix that forty years later is nothing but gravel and sand. A small crack will let a lot of water seep in over several days. Ask me how I know.
Hope this is of use....
Bruce