Bilge water

[Brian Mitchell]

OK not the most interesting topic but --- we have just bought a Birchwood 25 river cruiser and had it transported to our nearby Marina where it has been winterised and is laid up on blocks. There is water in the bilges and the previous owner says there is no bilge pump - is this normal and is it safe to leave water (which will surely freeze from time to time)? Any suggestions as to what we should do?

[DHutch]

you need some form of bildge pump, even if its hand held jobby

 

- a bit of water is fine, it will not freaze, becuase it it at the bottom of the boat, next to the canal water, which doesnt freaze.

 

- but do obviously need to get most of the water our, or else it would evenlaylly just fill up and sink.

 

daniel

[rustyduck]

What I would suggest is FIT A BILGE PUMP,

And if someone says don't bother - ignore them and fit one anyway.

 

It doesn't take much of a drip over an extended period to have your pride and joy nestling on the bottom.

 

Once that's done, then work on finding where the water is coming from, and cure that. Then move on to the next thing to cure, and so so on ad nausea. Ain't boats great.

 

Personally I'd get the water out of the bilge if your leaving it out of the water for the winter. Birchwood's are well built and the freezing shouldn't split anything, but it's best no to have any in there in the first place. That way you know when you have a problem when there is some in there (if that makes sense).

[Richard Bustens]

Hi Brian, and welcome.

First get a 2'' hole saw and cut a hole in the lowest point to fit a bath plug, this means whenever it gets water in you just pull the plug and let it out, but dont forget to put the plug back before moving off.

 

 

But seriousley you need to get it out or it will enter the fiber layers and start to blow them open, first you need to find where it is coming from, probably above the water and running down into the bilge.

I had a Norman 20 back in the 70s brand new and that leaked so bad they gave me a replacement.

[John Orentas]

Yes I agree with Richard, some builders tended to skimp on the gell coat inside the boat, allowing water to penetrate the fabric.

 

John Squeers

[Richard Bustens]

and about the bath plug John do you agree with that as well? .lol

[rustyduck]

Canals have them, I don't see why boats can't. Seems perfectly sensible to me!

[John Orentas]

No Richard that is totally misleading and absolute rubish. They have been metricated should be 50mm.

 

John Squeers

[Richard Bustens]

Yes Rusty i remember back in the late 60s early 70s some workmen pulled the one in the canal in Retford out, they found a length of chain and pulled it out to remove it and there was a plug on the end.

 

ar yes John im'e sorry i still can't get the habit of talking in mm, someone asked me today how big did i want the sky dish and i said like the ones on the side of houses you know about 600cm.

[maffi mushkila]

someone asked me today how big did i want the sky dish and i said like the ones on the side of houses you know about 600cm.

 

Sounds fair to me it could double as a sail

[rustyduck]

I think Richard is actually trying to build his own Jodrell bank.

[Paul Evans]

Like this?

 

 

Sorry about the colours - I'll do better next time.

Edited December 1, 2004 by Paul Evans

[rustyduck]

Thank you Paul, we can always rely on you - for something or other.

[Richard Bustens]

What colours? and iv'e got a trad not cruser. with a very eligant tug deck for the dish to fit on otherwise it would hit the bridges Doooo.

[John Orentas]

Richard.

 

If you put the dish on the tug deck, where will you land your helicopter.

 

John Squeers

[Paul Evans]

Ok! So there's no colour. Is this more to your taste? The paint job waits until the design is right. And there's still no room for the helicopter.

 

[rustyduck]

There is of course, the option to extend the tiller to allow you to crane the Ferrari on and off.

[Paul Evans]

That sounds like a challenge! How did you know I've a couple of days off work (with a stinking cold) and nothing better to do than trawl the Internet for pictures I can doctor?

 

So now, we want a tug style narrowboat with sufficient space for a 600cm dish, a helicopter and a Ferrari and the equiment required to crane the car on and off. And you want a paint job as well?

 

I'm going back to work. It's easier.......

Edited December 2, 2004 by Paul Evans

[Richard Bustens]

And so you should ,

Off work for a cold You wimp. lol

[Paul Evans]

Stinking, coughing, sneezing, nose-running cold! I went in Monday and Tuesday and was told to go home - so being a good boy I did as I was told. And I got sympathy from the OCM, which is more than I'm getting here.

[rustyduck]

No wonder the country is going to the dogs Richard.

 

It's only me and thee thats doing any work - and your reading this!

[sean white]

hi all just got delivery of widebeam from liverpool boats, been in water for 4 days & about 3-4 inch of water has collected in engine compartment. is this the norm. not used bilge pump till today.

[John Orentas]

Sean.

 

Assuming it is not rainwater! 3-4 inches in as many days seems excessive, it is doubtless due to leakage from the stern gland on the propeller shaft. Pump out as much water as you can then confirm that water is coming through the gland and dripping into the bilge.

 

If that is the problem, release the lock-nuts and tighten the two nuts on the gland by equal amounts a flat at a time until the dripping stops. This should happen at a stage not much more than finger tight.

 

If this does not cure your problem get the builders to come out and sort the problem, they should not have delivered the boat in that condition, but make sure you are there, learn what the problem was and what it took to fix it.

Edited January 30, 2005 by John Orentas