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cleaning the bilge

magpie patrick
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magpie patrick Veteran II

magpie patrickDonate to Canal World

Posted
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After a bad summer the BSC means I must clean the bilge (or remove the bilge pump!) and I've finally taken on the job. Problem is that having had a failed bilge pump AND a fuel pump sending more diesel into the bilge than to the engine we had a rather noxious mix in there, that couldn't just be pumped overboard. This was exacerbated by the level getting high enough to flood the engine drip tray, to add oil to the mix.

 

So along I go with a stirrup pump and four 20 litre containers last week. Pump into a bucket, empty bucket into container through a funnel, jobs done like. Only it isn't, because with all four containers full I still have an inch or more in the bilge...

 

Next free time, Monday (Yesterday). Head for council tip, about to drain into used engine oil when "waste operative" decides this is contaminated waste. "OOver thar pleeze" (This is Somerset) and I get rid of 80 litres of waste.... and the four containers.

 

Go back home, Val has procured a 20 litre drum that once held UV ink, and the local green shop has a 25 litre drum that held ecover, of course I can have it. Off to boat again. This capacity finished the job, and leaves the bilge dry on one side and less than a centimetre on the other (boat lists slightly). Then throw 20 litres of multizorb around.

 

Today's challenge, getting the multizorb out... I knew it would be more difficult than putting it in, but boy. First, what to use. Ripples bilge is a labyrinth. The granules went in by judicious sprinkling, but to get them out? So armed with a trowel, and a hoe with a short handle, I went in.

 

After a few minutes I realised the trowel wouldn't work (the hoe is to move stuff to where I can reach it with a trowel). The largest space I have for access to the floor of the bilge isn't big enough to bring a trowel up level, and it must be level if I'm not to spill the contents back in! As I lay on the swim in the stygian gloom, I thought "that gap is only big enough for a soup can". Then came the eureka moment :) into cabin, food can out of recycling, dust pan brush. In the next hour, I cleared a third of it, after which my muscles screamed at the ungainly posture required.

 

back tomorrow for another few hours lieing on the swim, but at least I now know I can win. However I will need a new dust pan brush

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pamaloon Explorer

pamaloon

Posted
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BRING ON THE RALGEX - AND A LARGE, REALLY STIFF DRINK ... BUT NOT TOGETHER! I take my hat off to 'ee my lad - and to think I was actually looking forward to getting round to "attacking" mine next week. Still, I'll take heed of your words of experience and be ready for the worst. Mmmm - just think what we'd feel like though if these jobs WEREN'T done?!

 

Enjoy your very long and slowly enjoyed drink Magpie, by golly you deserve it. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a bad summer the BSC means I must clean the bilge (or remove the bilge pump!) and I've finally taken on the job. Problem is that having had a failed bilge pump AND a fuel pump sending more diesel into the bilge than to the engine we had a rather noxious mix in there, that couldn't just be pumped overboard. This was exacerbated by the level getting high enough to flood the engine drip tray, to add oil to the mix.

 

So along I go with a stirrup pump and four 20 litre containers last week. Pump into a bucket, empty bucket into container through a funnel, jobs done like. Only it isn't, because with all four containers full I still have an inch or more in the bilge...

 

Next free time, Monday (Yesterday). Head for council tip, about to drain into used engine oil when "waste operative" decides this is contaminated waste. "OOver thar pleeze" (This is Somerset) and I get rid of 80 litres of waste.... and the four containers.

 

Go back home, Val has procured a 20 litre drum that once held UV ink, and the local green shop has a 25 litre drum that held ecover, of course I can have it. Off to boat again. This capacity finished the job, and leaves the bilge dry on one side and less than a centimetre on the other (boat lists slightly). Then throw 20 litres of multizorb around.

 

Today's challenge, getting the multizorb out... I knew it would be more difficult than putting it in, but boy. First, what to use. Ripples bilge is a labyrinth. The granules went in by judicious sprinkling, but to get them out? So armed with a trowel, and a hoe with a short handle, I went in.

 

After a few minutes I realised the trowel wouldn't work (the hoe is to move stuff to where I can reach it with a trowel). The largest space I have for access to the floor of the bilge isn't big enough to bring a trowel up level, and it must be level if I'm not to spill the contents back in! As I lay on the swim in the stygian gloom, I thought "that gap is only big enough for a soup can". Then came the eureka moment :) into cabin, food can out of recycling, dust pan brush. In the next hour, I cleared a third of it, after which my muscles screamed at the ungainly posture required.

 

back tomorrow for another few hours lieing on the swim, but at least I now know I can win. However I will need a new dust pan brush

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granddad Contributor

granddad

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Could you use a VAX?

 

I don't know Multizorb, but I do know that the VAX works fine with bilge-soaked cat litter

 

after several episodes of your problems - I have a 7 litre pela pump - its a vacuum pump and will suck oil and water into the 7 litre pump- then pour it into the 30 litres waste drum - then its ok for the oil waste in the local tip. Its also good for water in a bilge or diesel in the fuel tank. It will strip the warm lube oil from the engine when you do a service also - very versatile its about £70 build your own pipe for the suction and its a real winner - removes any water lurking under the fuel in the fuel tank also.

Every practical person has your (my) problems so try it.

ken

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Slim Influencer

Slim

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My £50 Kratcher wet&dry vac has sucked dry the bilges of half the boats in the marina for the last 6 years+. Oil, nuts, bolts ,kitchen roll even wet j cloths are taken in it's stride. O/k, it's passed it's best by date but keeps going. No use for normal dust/dirt but who cares.

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matty40s Veteran II

matty40s

Posted
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When I first took over Old Friends, the under Gardner area was lined with a whitish(not quite) absorbent pad.

As my Gardner is incontinent, being 70 plus yrs old, the under engine area is now saturatedplus.

I do intend to sort soon, however, where are the absorbent mats available from, and how do I dispose of the completely done ones.

 

Oh, and after reading the rest of the thread, gutted, because I gave away all my cat litter to a cat owner,

for some reason. :mellow:

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TandC Community Regular

TandC

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A cheap Wickes wet-n-dry hoover was the best purchase i ever made - our cruiser deck was permanently gathering water and it was way quicker to hoover the water out and heave it overboard. Being able to put the hose wherever there was a puddle was much more effective than the bilge pump. It will suck up so much that just an hour or so with the deck boards up mean its bone dry.

 

We had a major oil leak and it coped easily with 5litres of gloop - hoovered it up, funnel and into drums which the tip allowed me to pour in to their container.

 

Its a lot more effective, considerably less mess or effort than cat litter, cheaper and greener than nappies. Do accept it has none of the satisfaction value of ex-wife's possessions...!

 

This summer, pre BSC, i took the angle grinder and wire brush to the bilge - messy job but only took an hour to whizz off all the rust and flaking red oxide - hoovered all that up then painted with Vactan rust preventer, then several coats of cheap direct-to-metal paint and it looks a million times better. I didnt bother with the base plate as there is still oil residue stuck to the metal so no rust there! Now i hope it will be a quick job once a summer to give it another coat of paint whenever it needs it.

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