A nice surprise

My bilge is usually dry, earlier week I found about a pint of water in the sump the bilge pump is mounted in, There was a trail leading up to the vicinity of the water heater. So I figure a new water heater might soon be required. Yesterday I needed to get to a thruhull under a floorboard in the engine room. When I moved aside a plastic milk crate I store some supplies in, I noticed the bottom was wet. Inside the crate a gallon of distilled water for the batteries had a hairline crack and was just barely dripping, the source of the water at the bilge pump. So it looks like the water heater is still good for the time being.
A bit of good news!

Yep, good news.


I was on a cruise recently and when I checked the oil, coolant, etc., I found unexplained water in the bilge. I was worried until my wife reminded me that the cooler had been upset the day before and the water and ice went everywhere including the hatch to the bilge.


Unexplained water in the bilge is cause for concern.

Same thing can happen to plastic lube oil containers. Vibration against hard surfaces wears the thin container. I always pad water, AF and oil containers with oil diapers.

Thin walled aluminum beer and soda cans dont like to sit directly on hard vibrating surfaces either.

So why does Mr. Murphy avoid some boats and seem to live on others?


That's a VERY nice surprise.

If it was my boat, I would have already ordered a new water heater before I noticed the leaking water jug!

Go buy a lotto ticket today!

Bayview, padding under plastic containers is a good idea, I'll be doing that. A leaking water container isn't bad but oil sure would be.

1998 we took a couple out for lunch in SF Bay, aboard our Tolly. When we anchored off China Camp, while gals lounged on sun deck, I took the guy into salon and opened the twin hatches to show my clean engines, cool gen set, batt bank... and... "dry" bilge. To my utter surprise there was about 4" water in center of bilge bottom... had not been so earlier in day. I flipped on the center bilge pump (water hadn't gotten deep enough to activate auto pump switch). It quickly evacuated the relatively small amount of water. We watched and no more water came in. I started port engine... no problem. I started the stbd and water was spewing out the side of incoming water pump's casing. Went into dock via port engine only. Next day installed new water pump, old one had bad/thin spot from original casting on its side that finally failed.

Water in bilge is not tolerated on my boats. I pride myself on maintaining a dry bilge!

During my last annual maintenance cycle (two months ago), had the raw water pump rebuilt as it was leaking water into the bilge and making rust stains on the engine.

bayview said:

Same thing can happen to plastic lube oil containers. Vibration against hard surfaces wears the thin container. I always pad water, AF and oil containers with oil diapers.

Thin walled aluminum beer and soda cans dont like to sit directly on hard vibrating surfaces either.

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I have a variety of toxic chemicals on my boat that would be a big problem if they spilled. They are now stored in Rubbermaid totes. The totes are about 16" X 27" and can hold numerous cans of stuff like acetone, WD40, CorrosionX, etc. The totes have fairly thick plastic bottoms so that they shouldn't crack and be able to contain any leaking containers.

Ted

GFC said:

So why does Mr. Murphy avoid some boats and seem to live on others?


That's a VERY nice surprise.

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How do you keep Mr Murphy off your boat?
MM will always be hanging around. But there are ways to dramatically reduce the number of MM's visits.
And the best way to rid yourself of MM is to always invite PM.

Now I have to start looking at everything downstairs. Thanks Steve

OIL WOULD BE BAD !!!

How many of you have AC condensate drain into the bilge? This that dont, how do you handle it, condensate that is?

Gordon

Gordon J said:

How many of you have AC condensate drain into the bilge? This that dont, how do you handle it, condensate that is?

Gordon

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Into a shower sump. never into the bilge.

I have 3 air handlers with condensate drains, one goes into a shower sump
two go to above waterline through hull fittings.

Mine go into the bilge, all 3 of them. Never been an issue.

I don't have room for the Rubbermaid bins but I do use large cat litter pans to contain stuff. No, not used.