Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 05-29-2017, 09:25 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
City: Panama City Beach
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 117
Water in bilge

I have water getting in my bilge and can't find the source. All hose's are good. All thru hulls look good. Everything is dry except the main center bilge.
I drained fresh water tanks, pumped out holding tanks so it has to be a leak someplace. I had a diver clean the bottom and check for any sign of damage but he said all looked good.
I guess the next move is to haul it out and take a look.
Any idea's?
fishpcb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 09:40 PM   #2
Guru
 
Lou_tribal's Avatar
 
City: Quebec
Vessel Name: Bleuvet
Vessel Model: Custom Built
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 4,374
Do you have any conduct that lead to your bilge from anywhere else? I had some water in bilge that was puzzling me, found out it was a small leak from my water heater that was going all the way along a conduct to my ER. 1 drop every 10 seconds, at the end of the day it is 1 gallon in the bilge.

You may use some dye in the water to find out. Like a bit of red in your fresh water, a bit of green in your cooling water etc. When you see a color in your bilge you will know the source.

L.
Lou_tribal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 09:58 PM   #3
Moderator Emeritus
 
Comodave's Avatar
 
City: Au Gres, MI
Vessel Name: Black Dog
Vessel Model: Formula 41PC
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 21,129
When you find the general area that you think the water is coming into, you can line it with paper towels and see where it gets them wet. Once they have been wet even if they dry out before you check them they will still show where they were wet.
Comodave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 09:59 PM   #4
Guru
 
Xsbank's Avatar
 
City: Pender Harbour, BC
Vessel Name: Gwaii Haanas
Vessel Model: Custom Aluminum 52
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 3,791
Salt or fresh?
__________________
Don't believe everything that you think.
Xsbank is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 10:11 PM   #5
Guru
 
Giggitoni's Avatar
 
City: Vallejo, California
Vessel Name: Mahalo Moi
Vessel Model: 1986 Grand Banks 42 Classic
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,093
This ^. Salt or fresh. Eliminate either outside origin or inside origin. Has it been raining where you keep your boat? Might check an entry source from decks, window frames, etc.
__________________
Ray
"Mahalo Moi"
1986 GB-42 Classic
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑβΕ
Giggitoni is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 10:15 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
City: Panama City Beach
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 117
Quote:
Originally Posted by Comodave View Post
When you find the general area that you think the water is coming into, you can line it with paper towels and see where it gets them wet. Once they have been wet even if they dry out before you check them they will still show where they were wet.
I can see it seeping in the bottom of the bilge. Center low spot of the bilge. It will have 1" in about an hour. The pump takes care of it but it's now starting to smell damp and muskey. It looks like it's coming from a crack in fiberglass.
fishpcb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 10:16 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
City: Panama City Beach
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 117
Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggitoni View Post
This ^. Salt or fresh. Eliminate either outside origin or inside origin. Has it been raining where you keep your boat? Might check an entry source from decks, window frames, etc.
No rain. It appears to be salt water.
fishpcb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 10:19 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
City: Panama City Beach
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 117
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lou_tribal View Post
Do you have any conduct that lead to your bilge from anywhere else? I had some water in bilge that was puzzling me, found out it was a small leak from my water heater that was going all the way along a conduct to my ER. 1 drop every 10 seconds, at the end of the day it is 1 gallon in the bilge.

You may use some dye in the water to find out. Like a bit of red in your fresh water, a bit of green in your cooling water etc. When you see a color in your bilge you will know the source.

L.
Everything looks dry. All hose's and connections look good and dry.
fishpcb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 10:20 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
City: Panama City Beach
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 117
Where does most A/C drain?
fishpcb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 10:20 PM   #10
Guru
 
Giggitoni's Avatar
 
City: Vallejo, California
Vessel Name: Mahalo Moi
Vessel Model: 1986 Grand Banks 42 Classic
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,093
Assuming it's salt water (about 9 pound per gallon for salt -vs- 8.3 pounds per gallon for fresh), do you have stuffing boxes on your drive shafts or drippless? Typical stuffing boxes will drop slowly by design.
__________________
Ray
"Mahalo Moi"
1986 GB-42 Classic
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑβΕ
Giggitoni is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 10:21 PM   #11
Moderator Emeritus
 
Comodave's Avatar
 
City: Au Gres, MI
Vessel Name: Black Dog
Vessel Model: Formula 41PC
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 21,129
Can you seperate your bilge into multiple area using something like plumbers putty to make temporary dams so you can narrow down where the water is coming in from?
Comodave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 10:23 PM   #12
Moderator Emeritus
 
Comodave's Avatar
 
City: Au Gres, MI
Vessel Name: Black Dog
Vessel Model: Formula 41PC
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 21,129
Hopefully your A/Cs drain into a sump and get discharged overboard. If they drain into the bilge and it is humid they could be the source of your water.
Comodave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 10:26 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
City: Panama City Beach
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 117
Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggitoni View Post
Assuming it's salt water (about 9 pound per gallon for salt -vs- 8.3 pounds per gallon for fresh), do you have stuffing boxes on your drive shafts or drippless? Typical stuffing boxes will drop slowly by design.
Drippless and they are new and look great.
fishpcb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 10:29 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
City: Panama City Beach
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 117
Quote:
Originally Posted by Comodave View Post
Hopefully your A/Cs drain into a sump and get discharged overboard. If they drain into the bilge and it is humid they could be the source of your water.
I can't find a sump for them. Also haven't traced them to see if they do dump into the bilge someplace.
I did have the a/c off all day but water still came in. I will chase that down in the morning to see where it goes.
fishpcb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 10:30 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
City: Panama City Beach
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 117
Quote:
Originally Posted by fishpcb View Post
I can't find a sump for them. Also haven't traced them to see if they do dump into the bilge someplace.
I did have the a/c off all day but water still came in. I will chase that down in the morning to see where it goes.
Being in Florida it's hot and humid. I'm sure the a/c units pull a lot of moister out of the air.
fishpcb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 11:21 PM   #16
Guru
 
Lepke's Avatar
 
City: Between Oregon and Alaska
Vessel Name: Charlie Harper
Vessel Model: Wheeler Shipyard 83'
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,021
In cold water the copper salt water supply line to my watermaker condenses moisture and drips. Could it be condensation from somewhere?
Lepke is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 11:35 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
City: Panama City Beach
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 117
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lepke View Post
In cold water the copper salt water supply line to my watermaker condenses moisture and drips. Could it be condensation from somewhere?
I don't have a watermaker but it could be from a/c.
Checking the a/c to find out.
fishpcb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 11:58 PM   #18
Guru
 
North Baltic sea's Avatar
 
Vessel Model: Nordic Tug 37
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,107
Hi,


have you watched the hot water tank pressure valve.


I always leak water from this water heather tank. when I start driving on the engine and I have not remember to level the pressure in the system or shut off the pump. When the engine warms up it raises the heat of the water in the charger and at the same time the pressure that opens the pressure valve and drains water into the bilge. 1-2 dl Every time the time warms up my cummins
North Baltic sea is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2017, 05:47 AM   #19
Senior Member
 
City: Green Cove Springs, Florida
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 344
I am assuming you have a keel. If the water coming in smells bad then it may be seeping in from there. Some of the far eastern built hulls have the keel sump glassed over so water could be getting in there then oozing through the glass covering over the sump. It collects a bad odor on its way through.

Water could also be leaking in somewhere you have not found yet. It could be entering a stringer at one end of the boat and coming out at the other.

I checked a boat for an owner who had water in his forward lower cabin bilge. It turned out to be a leaking shower valve near the transom!

Quote:
Originally Posted by fishpcb View Post
I can see it seeping in the bottom of the bilge. Center low spot of the bilge. It will have 1" in about an hour. The pump takes care of it but it's now starting to smell damp and muskey. It looks like it's coming from a crack in fiberglass.
bglad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2017, 07:46 AM   #20
Senior Member
 
City: Panama City Beach
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 117
Quote:
Originally Posted by bglad View Post
I am assuming you have a keel. If the water coming in smells bad then it may be seeping in from there. Some of the far eastern built hulls have the keel sump glassed over so water could be getting in there then oozing through the glass covering over the sump. It collects a bad odor on its way through.

Water could also be leaking in somewhere you have not found yet. It could be entering a stringer at one end of the boat and coming out at the other.

I checked a boat for an owner who had water in his forward lower cabin bilge. It turned out to be a leaking shower valve near the transom!
It is a bad odor. I changed to head hoses thinking that was the source of smell. That was not the source of smell. I do have a keel and think that may be where the problem is coming from.
fishpcb is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Trawler Port Captains
Port Captains are TF volunteers who can serve as local guides or assist with local arrangements and information. Search below to locate Port Captains near your destination. To learn more about this program read here: TF Port Captain Program





All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:35 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2006 - 2012