Strange Spot no bilge ?? 1984 Fu Hwa

Hello Boat Peeps, Im a new owner of a 1984 Fu Hwa, Or Ocean Alexander, or Old Ford and the 27 other names they have for them. She is a Single screw, ( bow thruster added) Straight six Perkins. Under the aft cabin berth Im getting water from the rudder stuffing box, no big deal. But it is holding the water, and not letting it drain into the main bilge. It is almost like they forgot to add a drain in the build ? Has any one seen this before ?
Thanks
Christian

Put a level on the floor and see if the boat is riding slightly stern down.

Howard

They all ride bow down, their is a main spar ( glass cover wood ) right in front of the puddle. It has a drain that go's no were. Ive stuck a coat hanger in it, and It is a dead end. If their was a drain it would come out above the shaft stuffing box, but I see none.

Typical Taiwan build stuff. Repack with GFO and go dripless. Or put a shower sump box under the drip and pump the water over board or to a forward bilge area.

I have the same issue on my Symbol 41...

Under the aft stateroom center line berth is a 150 gallon water tank. Aft of the tank is an opening through the floor that allows me to get to all the steering gear, trim tabs and the like. This area was very dirty when we bought the boat. I figured it would be like cleaning the bilge and started to do so. When I go the area lightly wet, the water ran forward and just puddled against a bulkhead that ran under the floor directly under the water tank. This bulkhead has NO limber holes in it for the water to drain to the aft bilge pump... What the...? It seems like someone in the build missed an important issue. In fact, it is this issue that created the problem of this area being dirty and smelly. There has been, at some time in the boats life, a leak in the packing of the rudders in the aft area. The sea water just puddled up here and sat and stunk. This had been repaired, but not cleaned. I did get it cleaned, but had to suck out all the water with my Shopvac. Sure made sleeping on the berth much nicer.

I am thinking I need to get a 3/4" drill bit and drill a hole in the lower edge of the bulkhead to create a limber hole. Then epoxy the hole so it will not rot the bulkhead. I believe this will keep the boat from flooding when, (not if) the packing leaks again down the road. At this point, if there is an aft leak the water has to raise above the floor boards to get to a hatch to then run back into the bilge to get to the pump .

Getting to the bulkhead will not be an easy thing to do. It is forward of the aft opening in the floor about 4 feet. The aft opening is only about 12" from the stern of the boat yet is about 5 feet wide. With all the stuff in the aft area, I think I may have to take some of the flooring up to get into this area to fix this issue. It may be easier to do from the forward 15" square hatch where the shower sump is located. Just another project on the to do list. Not a priority, but needs to be done.

Greetings,
Messrs. Mrb & Mr. S41. Welcome aboard (in case I missed you). Would this help?
Klein Tools 3/4 in. x 72 in. Flex Auger Bit-53751 - The Home Depot

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Messrs. Mrb & Mr. S41. Welcome aboard (in case I missed you). Would this help?
Klein Tools 3/4 in. x 72 in. Flex Auger Bit-53751 - The Home Depot

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Very helpful indeed. I then will need a nice long brush for the epoxy. Most likely will tape one to a broom handle to get this job done.

Thanks for your tool tip RT.

S41

I did drill a hole, but inserted a cut brake (metal) line. The flair on the end makes a great stopping point, also seated nicely with all the clear silicone. I dried out the bottom, Wet vac, then paper towels. Used a long tube and injected great foam ( house hold spray foam ) This pushed up any water that was left. Let dry, cut off expansion right below new drain. No more standing water and any rudder weep or leak, go's right to the bilge

Oh Cork the tube before spraying the foam =))

You, or the next owner, will probably come to regret the fact that you drilled such a small hole and then lined it with an even smaller metal tube.

I would expect it would get plugged up easily and/or start rusting at some point.

Capt.Bill11 said:

You, or the next owner, will probably come to regret the fact that you drilled such a small hole and then lined it with an even smaller metal tube.

I would expect it would get plugged up easily and/or start rusting at some point.

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Same thought here. On our previous boat, an old Carver 3207, the limber hole and tube between the engine bay bilge and the bilge compartment under the galley floor was originally a half inch - until the previous owner painted the bilge with thick gray garage floor coating. I could find no way (no clear angle) to drill it out bigger so cleaning that tube became a monthly maintenance ritual (anchor locker drained into the forward compartment).

kthoennes said:

Same thought here. On our previous boat, an old Carver 3207, the limber hole and tube between the engine bay bilge and the bilge compartment under the galley floor was originally a half inch - until the previous owner painted the bilge with thick gray garage floor coating. I could find no way (no clear angle) to drill it out bigger so cleaning that tube became a monthly maintenance ritual (anchor locker drained into the forward compartment).

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The old school way to deal with that was to run a continuos line through each limber hole that was anchor at each end by a spring. Assuming the limber holes are reasonably inline. Then to unclog the limber holes you just pulled up and down on the line to move it in and out of the holes. Works real well if you're flushing the holes with water while you work the line.

Capt.Bill11 said:

You, or the next owner, will probably come to regret the fact that you drilled such a small hole and then lined it with an even smaller metal tube.

I would expect it would get plugged up easily and/or start rusting at some point.

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You killjoy you. I thought he solved it beautifully. I was about to suggest a similar idea.

Surely no biggie to just run one of those flexi-rigid curtain wires with the plastic coating through the drain once in a while. I find a length of that comes in very handy on a boat for all sorts of cleaning, or draw and pull type, operations.

Peter B said:

You killjoy you. I thought he solved it beautifully. I was about to suggest a similar idea.

Surely no biggie to just run one of those flexi-rigid curtain wires with the plastic coating through the drain once in a while. I find a length of that comes in very handy on a boat for all sorts of cleaning, or draw and pull type, operations.

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Beautifully!? A tiny hole made with a metal tube that is sure to rust in salt water eventually.

You have an odd idea of beauty my friend.

Well, the brake line is working great ! I used the largest one they make, a pencil would fall through it. Not sure what you guys got running around in you bilge, but my rudder stuffing box was just weeping a little. Now that I re-packed it ( the stuffing was the old style ) I expect even less drainage.
Brake tube is treated to withstand humidity and salty conditions, That is why people who drive the salty roads in Northern City's Still have brakes. Yes after a while, the coating will break down, and it will need to be replaced, But a 10 or 15 year fix for $8.00 is good one in my book. So Don't worry about the size of my tube, I think big, Now go clean your bilge =))

Now you tell us you used truck sized brake line that certainly helps.

But bigger holes are better. You might be surprised at what finds, or has found, it's way into your bilge.

Since I'm guessing that tubing is not designed to be stuck in a moist hole with no air flow around it I'm sure it will start rusting at some point.

But that will be the the next owners problem most likely.

Capt.Bill11 said:

Beautifully!? A tiny hole made with a metal tube that is sure to rust in salt water eventually.

You have an odd idea of beauty my friend.

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And you have no evidence the hole he drilled was tiny. If by brake line he was referring to that used for car or truck brakes, the diameter would be about 1/2 an inch, and of non-rusting type of metal also, I am pretty sure.

Actually I have evidence that the hole he drilled is about 1/2" in size. Unfortunately he filled it with a metal tube and reduced its size.