GB Europa 52 Bilge Questions

[jimL]

In our 2001 GB Europa 52, hull number 23, we have three bilge areas.

The forward one is dry and the engine room collects condensate from the various machinery. The aft bilge is located in the aft head and can collect fluids from as far aft as the lazaret. The lazaret is dry. Under the bed in the aft cabin is dry.

The bilge is collecting small amount of water and a touch of an oil substance that smells like outboard gear oil. We vacuum it out and within a few days we have water again and a few days later the oily smell. There are no obvious signs of water coming in except through a weep hole on the port side where there is a very small trace of water coming through. I don't know where the water or oily substance is coming from. I checked under the sink and all is dry. I checked the engine-room's machinery for fluids that smell like the bilge and found nothing like it.

Does anyone have a similar issue with their Europa? Also I'm wondering if anyone has seen the plans for the boat other than what is located in the GB's owners' manual.

Any advice is appreciated.

Jim

 

[Parry]

If this is a bilge located under a head I would be looking at the toilet and associated hoses, the plumbing for the sink and shower and the shower floor and sump.

Cheers
Parry

 

[wkearney99]

Have you owned the boat for a while, or is it new to you? I ask only because oil smells can sometimes be hard to eliminate and could have been something spilled by someone else before you owned it. And only recently gotten washed into that bilge.

I second the recommendation to check the head. We've got one in the forward head on our EB47 that seems to only leak if someone sits on it at an angle, but not always. As in, my big butt on it and reaching for TP from under the adjacent vanity.

 

[Steve1.0]

Are the rudder post glands grease filled and weeping a bit? Mine are grease filled, no weep though.

 

[gsholz]

We owned a 52' GB Europa (1998). Our setup had only two bilge areas (engine, master). The lazarette drained into the engine room but there were a couple of spots where fluids from the lazarette area would collect. It would show up every couple of weeks or so. The water had a brown appearance as well. I suspect it was caused by water passing through a plywood core. Possibly seeping through the teak deck above. No obvious signs on the ceiling of the lazarette though.

 

[jimL]

We're still experimenting.... I'll let you know what we find.

JimL

 

[cks]

You might want to the the fluid reserve on your trim tab controller.

 

[gsholz]

Another potential entry point for the water is the lazarette hatch itself. In our boat, water could collect in the rim of the hatch. There were two small drains but they frequently plugged up. Best way to clean the drains is with a large zip tie.