doratheexplorer Posted August 13, 2019 Report Share Posted August 13, 2019 Ok riddle me this forum peeps: I have a cruiser stern boat. As is typical, when it rains a lot some gets into my engine bilge. As is also typical (for me) I'm too lazy to get the water out often. A couple of weeks ago there was, I estimate nearly an inch of water in the bilge. I've been moored for a couple of weeks and haven't once lifted the engine boards in that time nor have I run the engine. Today I had the boards up and nearly all the water is gone, just a bit damp down there. Where has the water gone? Possibilities: 1. A phantom bilge pumper? 2. I've been hallucinating. 3. Something to do with David Icke? 4. Other Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewbacka Posted August 13, 2019 Report Share Posted August 13, 2019 (edited) Evaporation or the bridge troll that lives under the engine has drunk it all. added - don’t look under the engine, trust me he is there, but don’t look. Edited August 13, 2019 by Chewbacka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doratheexplorer Posted August 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2019 1 minute ago, Chewbacka said: Evaporation or the bridge troll that lives under the engine has drunk it all With the boards down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewbacka Posted August 13, 2019 Report Share Posted August 13, 2019 Depends how good the ventilation is and how dry the weather. Mine definitely drys up the drips from the greaser if I don’t use the boat for a week in this weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerra Posted August 13, 2019 Report Share Posted August 13, 2019 4 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said: With the boards down? The troll is more likely to drink with the boards down, so they aren't spotted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewbacka Posted August 13, 2019 Report Share Posted August 13, 2019 5 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said: With the boards down? But if it’s not evaporation.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Brooks Posted August 13, 2019 Report Share Posted August 13, 2019 Just now, Chewbacka said: But if it’s not evaporation.............. Then its an automatic bilge pump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doratheexplorer Posted August 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2019 1 minute ago, Chewbacka said: But if it’s not evaporation.............. I was expecting more water, not less. It's been quite rainy. Just now, Tony Brooks said: Then its an automatic bilge pump. I don't have an automatic bilge pump. The bilge pump stays in a plastic tub under the stern gland and I turn it on when the drips start filling the tub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewbacka Posted August 13, 2019 Report Share Posted August 13, 2019 (edited) Then if it is not evaporation,I refer you to the wise words of a Sherlock Holmes “How often have I said that when you have excluded the impossible whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth” maybe you you have a hole in the bottom of the boat and it is leaking away?? Edited August 13, 2019 by Chewbacka 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doratheexplorer Posted August 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2019 17 minutes ago, Chewbacka said: Then if it is not evaporation,I refer you to the wise words of a Sherlock Holmes “How often have I said that when you have excluded the impossible whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth” maybe you you have a hole in the bottom of the boat and it is leaking away?? My first thought was, the water has all leaked out! Blonde moment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerbeerbeerbeerbeer Posted August 13, 2019 Report Share Posted August 13, 2019 You’ve filled up with water and the stern is now higher than the front ? meaning the water has ran to the other end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwatch Posted August 14, 2019 Report Share Posted August 14, 2019 12 hours ago, doratheexplorer said: My first thought was, the water has all leaked out! Blonde moment! I'm not blond, dyed my hair a greyish colour years ago, my first thought was you have a hole in the bilge and it's leaked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doratheexplorer Posted August 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2019 11 hours ago, Goliath said: You’ve filled up with water and the stern is now higher than the front ? meaning the water has ran to the other end Actually I have just filled with water!!! Could that be true? I don't think there's a way for water in the engine bilge to get under the cabin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerbeerbeerbeerbeer Posted August 14, 2019 Report Share Posted August 14, 2019 2 hours ago, doratheexplorer said: Actually I have just filled with water!!! Could that be true? I don't think there's a way for water in the engine bilge to get under the cabin. There are limber holes which allow water to pass through the length of the boat and settle at the lowest point. So, yes, if you have water in the bilges, the trim of your boat will effect the amount of water you see in the engine bilge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotEver Posted August 14, 2019 Report Share Posted August 14, 2019 31 minutes ago, Goliath said: There are limber holes which allow water to pass through the length of the boat and settle at the lowest poin Normally these are only within the cabin area and stop at the engine bulkhead. But it’s always a possibility I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boater Sam Posted August 14, 2019 Report Share Posted August 14, 2019 There are wet bilge boats. Old Harboughers have pipes down both sides of the bilge to drain the front deck backwards into the rear bilge area, the have been known to rust through and allow water under the cabin floor....... What is your boat shell? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewbacka Posted August 14, 2019 Report Share Posted August 14, 2019 1 hour ago, Goliath said: There are limber holes which allow water to pass through the length of the boat and settle at the lowest point. So, yes, if you have water in the bilges, the trim of your boat will effect the amount of water you see in the engine bilge. That depends. The bss check requires that - ‘All fixed internal combustion engine and gearbox installations must have an engine tray or oil‐tight area.’ And ‘NOTE – oil‐tight areas must collect from within the engine space and must not extend into other parts of the vessel.’ so you could have a tray and a bilge that extends through out the boat, but I would suggest that most boats now have an engine bilge that does not allow liquid to enter the cabin bilge, unless the amount of liquid is sufficiently deep that it flows over the ‘wall’. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerbeerbeerbeerbeer Posted August 14, 2019 Report Share Posted August 14, 2019 3 minutes ago, Chewbacka said: That depends. The bss check requires that - ‘All fixed internal combustion engine and gearbox installations must have an engine tray or oil‐tight area.’ And ‘NOTE – oil‐tight areas must collect from within the engine space and must not extend into other parts of the vessel.’ so you could have a tray and a bilge that extends through out the boat, but I would suggest that most boats now have an engine bilge that does not allow liquid to enter the cabin bilge, unless the amount of liquid is sufficiently deep that it flows over the ‘wall’. 7 minutes ago, Chewbacka said: That depends. The bss check requires that - ‘All fixed internal combustion engine and gearbox installations must have an engine tray or oil‐tight area.’ And ‘NOTE – oil‐tight areas must collect from within the engine space and must not extend into other parts of the vessel.’ so you could have a tray and a bilge that extends through out the boat, but I would suggest that most boats now have an engine bilge that does not allow liquid to enter the cabin bilge, unless the amount of liquid is sufficiently deep that it flows over the ‘wall’. So it’s worth the OP checking to find out if water can pass through the engine bay bulkhead. If it can then an inch of water would decrease significantly with more weight at the front. Mine lets water back and forth. I’ve never beeen happy with it. Once tried to block off the holes but it wasn’t a success. Maybe I’ll get around to it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doratheexplorer Posted August 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2019 21 hours ago, Goliath said: There are limber holes which allow water to pass through the length of the boat and settle at the lowest point. So, yes, if you have water in the bilges, the trim of your boat will effect the amount of water you see in the engine bilge. I can't see any holes and the cabin bilge seems dry. 20 hours ago, Boater Sam said: There are wet bilge boats. Old Harboughers have pipes down both sides of the bilge to drain the front deck backwards into the rear bilge area, the have been known to rust through and allow water under the cabin floor....... What is your boat shell? Andicraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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