Empty Bilges

[Sunset Rising]

I am following another thread about underfloor heating but the thing I do not understand is wgat you do about water that gets into the bilges.

 

I would have assumed ( since I do not have any experience ) that you would need to leave the bilge free for any water that gets in there to flow to the back.

 

Is this not a problem ?

[FORTUNATA]

Basically it depends upon the boat. In my view, a well designed boat should have bilges that can take water without any rust resulting. That is, water and steel shouldn't be mixed because we all know that steel in water does rust. More expensive, better designed boats have painted bilges so water is isolated from the underlying steel.

To answer your question, yes, bilges are designed for water to enter. It has a habit of getting in via rain, condensation, or via the stern gland. There are bilge pumps for getting rid of excess water but some people mop up any that's left.

Cruisers such as my own have the added problem of open stern. Check out the older cruiser boats and you'll see wooden boards at the stern. Pull up the boards and you will often see lots of water around the engine base, unless the boat has a covering and is regularly pumped out by a keen owner.

All I can say is a well designed boat should have deck drainage, a bilge pump and painted bilges as well in the inside.

 

I am following another thread about underfloor heating but the thing I do not understand is wgat you do about water that gets into the bilges.

 

I would have assumed ( since I do not have any experience ) that you would need to leave the bilge free for any water that gets in there to flow to the back.

 

Is this not a problem ?

[Paul Evans]

I am following another thread about underfloor heating but the thing I do not understand is what you do about water that gets into the bilges.

 

I would have assumed ( since I do not have any experience ) that you would need to leave the bilge free for any water that gets in there to flow to the back.

 

Is this not a problem ?

On most narrowboats there should be no water in the bilge under the cabin - unless your domestic water system leaks or you suffer a serious mishap - because the cabin bilge should be isolated by bulkheads from the fore deck and engine bilges. If water gets into the cabin bilge it should drain, perhaps slowly, to the stern end. Some people put an inspection hatch in the floor at the back end of the cabin so that they can reassure themselves.

 

If you laid pipes for underfloor heating - I don't think that's a goer on narrowboats - there would still be room for water to drain to the stern.

[Sunset Rising]

If water gets into the cabin bilge it should drain, perhaps slowly, to the stern end. Some people put an inspection hatch in the floor at the back end of the cabin so that they can reassure themselves.

 

If you laid pipes for underfloor heating - I don't think that's a goer on narrowboats - there would still be room for water to drain to the stern.

 

The boat in question has spray foam to the base inside the front end of the cabin, hot water pipes on top, and then a concrete screed on top of that. If the water tank leaks I am wondering where the water will go.

[Paul Evans]

If the water tank leaks ...

That's what I would call a serious mishap. I suspect that the water would end up in the cabin bilge - after soaking the carpet, ruining the wood work and causing other unthinkable damage - and find its way to the back.

 

Are you worrying unnecessarily? My boat is now more than 20 years old and there is no sign that the integral water tank is going to leak (touches wood). If it did, I would have a very wet cabin bilge and, probably, an expensive refit job to do. But I regard that as very, very unlikely.

[DHutch]

If the water tank leaks I am wondering where the water will go.

Presumably over the screed, through the carpet, into the rear bilge.

 

 

Daniel

[Sunset Rising]

<quote>

Are you worrying unnecessarily?

</quote>

Not worrying, not my boat

 

Just looking at ideas, and what others have done, This one was interesting but it puzzled me somewhat.

 

I suppose you pays yer money and takes the risk.

[daves6guitars]

That's what I would call a serious mishap. I suspect that the water would end up in the cabin bilge - after soaking the carpet, ruining the wood work and causing other unthinkable damage - and find its way to the back.

 

Are you worrying unnecessarily? My boat is now more than 20 years old and there is no sign that the integral water tank is going to leak (touches wood). If it did, I would have a very wet cabin bilge and, probably, an expensive refit job to do. But I regard that as very, very unlikely.

 

I recently had my Sureflo pump filter disintegrate, resulting in a flooded cabin bilge. Thankfully my water tank is at the bow, so completely drained under the floor, damaging nothing, except my Sunday afternoon

Edited August 27, 2010 by daves6guitars

[blackrose]

That's what I would call a serious mishap. I suspect that the water would end up in the cabin bilge - after soaking the carpet, ruining the wood work and causing other unthinkable damage - and find its way to the back.

 

Are you worrying unnecessarily? My boat is now more than 20 years old and there is no sign that the integral water tank is going to leak (touches wood). If it did, I would have a very wet cabin bilge and, probably, an expensive refit job to do. But I regard that as very, very unlikely.

 

Sunset Rising is not worrying unnecessarily. The most common forms of flooding on canal boats are cruiser decks that don't drain rainwater properly - leading to flooded engine holes, and from fresh water that the owner has placed in a tank that doesn't stay where it's supposed to. As you say, a leak from an integral tank is unlikely, but it doesn't need to be the tank itself that leaks - any faulty joint in the pressurised side of the boat's plumbing can leak leading to a loss in pressure. The water pump will then "see" this pressure loss as an open tap, pumping until it has either emptied the entire water tank into the bilges or burned itself out (or both). For this reason it is important to switch off one's water pump when leaving the boat.

[Paul Evans]

I recently had my Sureflo pump filter disintegrate, resulting in a flooded cabin bilge. Thankfully my water tank is at the bow, so completely drained under the floor, damaging nothing, except my Sunday afternoon

 

 

Sunset Rising is not worrying unnecessarily. The most common forms of flooding on canal boats are cruiser decks that don't drain rainwater properly - leading to flooded engine holes, and from fresh water that the owner has placed in a tank that doesn't stay where it's supposed to. As you say, a leak from an integral tank is unlikely, but it doesn't need to be the tank itself that leaks - any faulty joint in the pressurised side of the boat's plumbing can leak leading to a loss in pressure. The water pump will then "see" this pressure loss as an open tap, pumping until it has either emptied the entire water tank into the bilges or burned itself out (or both). For this reason it is important to switch off one's water pump when leaving the boat.

 

Flooding of the engine hole with rainwater is something to be concerned about - check the drains regularly and fit covers to try and avoid this - but the question was about something drastic happening to the water tank.

 

Filter, pump and pipe failures are examples of serious mishaps and ones to be worried about - must remember to check the state of mine!

Edited August 27, 2010 by Paul Evans

[blackrose]

Flooding of the engine hole with rainwater is something to be concerned about - check the drains regularly and fit covers to try and avoid this - but the question was about something drastic happening to the water tank.

 

Filter, pump and pipe failures are examples of serious mishaps and ones to be worried about - must remember to check the state of mine!

 

Well, if you're on the boat and a leak occurs you'll hear the pump activating for no reason and you can investigate, and if you're off the boat just switch the pump off. That system has worked well for me over the past 8 years.

 

Water pumps can activate apparently for no reason, for example during the middle of the night as the calorifier cools there's pressure loss inside the calorifier which can cause the pump to cycle. I spent a long time investigating for leaks before I realised this was the reason. Another possibility is that sometimes pressurised water downstream of the pump can back-up into the non-pressurised side of the system through an old pump, which means the pump will cycle.

Edited August 27, 2010 by blackrose

[DHutch]

I recently had my Sureflo pump filter disintegrate, resulting in a flooded cabin bilge. Thankfully my water tank is at the bow, so completely drained under the floor, damaging nothing, except my Sunday afternoon

Ditto.

- As its leaked since winter, and we had other damage, I suspect frost. Although it is also about 10 years old.

- Still works fully, but when left for a fortnight turned off, allowed contents of the tank into the bilge.

 

I think when i replace it im going to fit a quarter turn ball valve after the gate isolation valve on the tank and have it as something i do on leaving the boat for a prolonged time. As well as installing a two-gallon sump under the pump to make it easier to see when and if its leaking and to allow it to be used in a mildly leaking state without it wetting the bilge.

 

Sunset Rising is not worrying unnecessarily. The most common forms of flooding on canal boats are cruiser decks that don't drain rainwater properly - leading to flooded engine holes, and from fresh water that the owner has placed in a tank that doesn't stay where it's supposed to.

Flooding of the engine hole with rainwater is something to be concerned about.

I have to admit I find it particularly unsatisfactory. However as the owner of the boat with a rear deck that has a hatch in it (to read steering equip and weed hatch) i fully understand it. We dont have an engine under there, but two minor remodels of the drains later and I still cant keep the water out and resort to taping over the hatch when we leave the boat for more than a week. We are getting a cheap canvas cover made up rear deck for this winter.

 

 

Daniel