A Dry Bilge - Finally!

[Windseeker]

I’ve been fighting for a dry bilge for almost 10 years now. I thought my keel bolts were leaking or it coming through a hatch or something because I could not find any plumbing leaks. This year I disconnected the bilge drain line, removed the check valve and vacuumed out the bilge. Guess what? A dry bilge - finally - even after some heavy rains. I figured the water must have been seeping back through the check valve. I looked at putting some rubber washers in the valve, but it would not seat properly. THE FIX: Plumbers Silicone. I smeared it all around in the inside seat and flapper. Put it all back together and Voila! It worked. I finally have a dry bilge!

Well, that was until a Hot Water crimp connection came un-glued.

[Pgtjs]

Hi there, I have tried your solution and so far it seems to work in that I have a dry bilge - but it has not rained lately. Did you check where the cables enter from the mast. I have not lifted the mast and am not sure what appertures exist from the seat into the superstructure. Where else did you check for water entry? I seem to recall someone mentioned a psssible entry from the anchor locker but I could not see one. I also know that when I burp the Dripless Cutless bearing and when I clean out the raw water filter some water may get down to the bilge.

One other issue. I think two of my keelbolts are leaking very slightly - there is some rust around them whereas all the others are dry and clean. I think Catalina must have coated the bolts at the factory as there is a plastic type "painted" seat which covers a small amount of the bolt except on the two with the little bit of rust.

Any ideas or comments. I dont have the big spanner to torque up the bolts - does anyone know what the setting is? I will have to rent one from somewhere.

Cheers, Geoff. C 350 -392, Taeko !V, Blaine, Washington

[Windseeker]

Yes, I wet vacuumed the basin under the bathroom sink. It stayed dry.

I only had a dry bilge for two weeks before the kitchen Hot Water crimp connection popped off. I pushed it back on and threw a hose clamp around it. That worked, but had a slow leak. That was another irritation turning on and off the HW from the manifold just to wash dishes. This past weekend, I rigged up a 1/2 to 1/8 in connection to fix this. Brass fittings were the only thing I could get my hands on. I see plastic and stainless, but not a lot of brass on the boat. Is that because brass does not hold up well? It's inside and under the sink.

I also replaced the siphon break in the head. I'm expecting everything to stay dry aside from leaving open a hatch window in downpour.

I have rust to on my keel bolts, but that does not convince me the keel bolts leak. Certain grades of stainless can rust. You have to remove the corrosion to expose the chromium underneath..

[Windseeker]

Yes, I wet vacuumed the basin under the bathroom sink. It stayed dry. That is a place where water does not drain well. It sits around and makes your boat stink. Our phrase is "smells like Bige" or "stinks like boat."

I only had a dry bilge for two weeks before the kitchen Hot Water crimp connection popped off. I pushed it back on and threw a hose clamp around it. That worked, but had a slow leak. That was another irritation turning on and off the HW from the manifold just to wash dishes. This past weekend, I rigged up a 1/2 to 1/8 in connection to fix this. Brass fittings were the only thing I could get my hands on. I see plastic and stainless, but not a lot of brass on the boat. Is that because brass does not hold up well? It's inside and under the sink.

I also replaced the siphon break in the head. I'm expecting everything to stay dry aside from leaving open a hatch window in downpour.

I also have rust to on my keel bolts, but that does not convince me the keel bolts leak. Certain grades of stainless can rust. You have to remove the corrosion to expose the chromium underneath..

[TBOT422]

How does water enter through the bilge pump check valve? I believe the bilge outlet is above the water line right next to the AC outlet, so unless you have been heeled over to starboard there shouldn't be any water in the bilge outlet line. It seems to me that the only way water gets into that line while sitting at the dock is if there is a leak somewhere else (hoses, rain, etc.) that causes the bilge pump to activate. Then the water in the outlet line could run back into the bilge past a leaky check valve. But, it would seem to me that after one cleaning and drying the bilge would remain dry until the next time you were heeled over enough to allow water in the outlet hose, or another leak occurred. I suppose if you have a relatively unprotected dockage, high waves might splash water into the outlet line and through the check valve into the bilge.

However, I will say you have inspired me to find and fix all the leaks I can to obtain a dry bilge. The first big leak I identified was around the forestay tang between the anchor roller brackets. So far so good.

[Windseeker]

BEEP . . . BEEP . . . BEEP . . .

Hear that? That is the back-up warning indicator. I probably wasn't as clear on how I got to the check valve issue. I'm going to elaborate in detail. I do not profess to be an expert on this. If I thought I was smart, it would not have taken me 10 years to figure this out. It seems that I just get lucky sometimes. Lots of research and more error than trial.

I do not live on my boat. It’s weekend recreation only. If I leave the boat for a couple of weeks or more in the hot sun, it will begin to “smell like boat.” Then I thought, “if I didn’t have the water in the bilge, perhaps it wouldn’t stink?” So I got the garden hose out and flushed the bilge. I ran the pump in manual for as long as it took and used the whale manual pump to get more water out. Then I used the hand pump to get even more. And finally I threw oil dry towels at it to finish it off. Come back a day or two later and the water is back. “What the Hell?” There must be a leak somewhere.

I bought a used electric oil sucker and used it to suck all the water out. Even though I sucked the bilge dry, there always seemed to be a little water around the keel bolts. It looked like water was seeping through the bolts. I really did not believe that because the boat has been on the hard with antifreeze in the bilge and it’s not leaking on the outside. So I took the pump out and disconnected the hose to the check valve. It’s wet inside. Hmm. I could not move the flapper with my hand or a screwdriver because of the water pressure behind it. So I disconnected the check valve and drained all the water out of the discharge line. I left everything out the bilge and vacuumed it out one more time. After about three days with everything out and disconnected, the bilge dried out. That is when I opened the check valve and lubricated it.

My assumption is that the water is getting trapped between the overboard discharge and the check valve. I guess the bilge pump is good for moving water, but is not strong enough to compress the air and Blow Out the line like you might do with a high power air compressor. My guess is that the flapper probably does not even open after the water is pumped because the pump cannot build the proper pressure. Again, this is trial and error as usual. I’ll let you know if I get unexpected water.

[Basil]

BEEP . . . BEEP . . . BEEP . . .

Hear that? That is the back-up warning indicator. I probably wasn't as clear on how I got to the check valve issue. I'm going to elaborate in detail. I do not profess to be an expert on this. If I thought I was smart, it would not have taken me 10 years to figure this out. It seems that I just get lucky sometimes. Lots of research and more error than trial.

I do not live on my boat. It’s weekend recreation only. If I leave the boat for a couple of weeks or more in the hot sun, it will begin to “smell like boat.” Then I thought, “if I didn’t have the water in the bilge, perhaps it wouldn’t stink?” So I got the garden hose out and flushed the bilge. I ran the pump in manual for as long as it took and used the whale manual pump to get more water out. Then I used the hand pump to get even more. And finally I threw oil dry towels at it to finish it off. Come back a day or two later and the water is back. “What the Hell?” There must be a leak somewhere.

I bought a used electric oil sucker and used it to suck all the water out. Even though I sucked the bilge dry, there always seemed to be a little water around the keel bolts. It looked like water was seeping through the bolts. I really did not believe that because the boat has been on the hard with antifreeze in the bilge and it’s not leaking on the outside. So I took the pump out and disconnected the hose to the check valve. It’s wet inside. Hmm. I could not move the flapper with my hand or a screwdriver because of the water pressure behind it. So I disconnected the check valve and drained all the water out of the discharge line. I left everything out the bilge and vacuumed it out one more time. After about three days with everything out and disconnected, the bilge dried out. That is when I opened the check valve and lubricated it.

My assumption is that the water is getting trapped between the overboard discharge and the check valve. I guess the bilge pump is good for moving water, but is not strong enough to compress the air and Blow Out the line like you might do with a high power air compressor. My guess is that the flapper probably does not even open after the water is pumped because the pump cannot build the proper pressure. Again, this is trial and error as usual. I’ll let you know if I get unexpected water.

[wcconway]

Windseeker, lubricated it with what? We have always suspected the checkvalve was the culprit of our wet bilge.....

[TBOT422]

I still do not understand how the check valve in the bilge output line could cause the bilge to be wet all the time if there is not another leak somewhere. I see no normal means that water can enter the bilge output line and allow water to accumulate and seep backward past the check valve into the bilge other than water that was originally in the bilge from some other leak that remains in the output line when the bilge pump pumps out the water.

I would agree that, if there is a water leak somewhere allowing water in the bilge, a leaky check valve would create an endless cycling of the bilge pump as it pumped out water. When the pump stopped at whatever water level turns it off, the output line would still be full of water. If the check valve leaked, that water would seep back into the bilge which may cause the pump to re-activate and repeat the cycle over and over.

In our case, our bilge has been bone dry for nearly a year now since I filled the gap around the forestay tang as it exits between the anchor rollers. Well, except for the time I let too much water in while cleaning the air conditioner inlet strainer.

[Windseeker]

Plumbers Silicone.

There could be other leaks since I have water in the blidge after sitting on the hard for months, but this did make a difference. It was easy and cost penies.

[MarkElliott]

If the one way valve was leaking it would only leak the amount of water in the line from the pump to the anti siphon loop if there is one. Mine just runs back into the bilge when the pump shuts off, about a quart. Either I don't have a valve there or it doesn't seal. The little electric bilge pumps are rotary impeller pumps and not move air to purge the line. The manual diaphragm pumps will move some air, like the one to empty the icebox. You can actually burp the thruhull that way if your quick with the valve.

[jking]

I know about the bilge pump check valve leaking slowly backwards over days and filling the bilge back up but we had another mystery leak into the bilge with oily water. I JUST FIGURED IT OUT LAST WEEK - ANCHOR LOCKER PANEL WITH NO SEALANT. The anchor locker has a panel on the front side with no seal (4 screws) and when it rained or if the bow was in waves water would leak in there slowly in behind it and mix with oil that dripped from the electric windlass. I sealed it up with silicone and no more mystery leak.
I hope this helps others, I can't believe Catalina left this panel so it would leak.
Jan King #303