Water in BMC bilge on Hudson

[nicknorman]

Here is my modern trad deck and drain arrangement. If yours is like this it's not easy to see how water can get in from rear deck. (My weed hatch is under counter).

 

SMH boats normally have a hatch in the counter, that gives easy access to the actual weed hatch below. Edited December 6, 2013 by nicknorman

[dmr]

Are the steel sides insulated below the level of the back cabin floor? If not this can be a source of significant condensation. This just might be worse on rainy days due to more "water in the air".

Have you got a back cabin stove? If so suspect the chimney collar!

 

............Dave

[RLWP]

It's sinking! Time to buy a new one

 

Seriously, how about a water leak from the hot/cold supply, or perhaps the central heating?

 

Richard

[mark99]

So can we have closure? what was it?

 

Thanks

[alan_fincher]

So can we have closure? what was it?

 

Thanks

 

This still sounds favourite to me...

 

Maybe its popped a rivet?

[mattlad]

Maybe its popped a rivet?

Or a washer? :-D

[Boredrider]

Chilligibbon, do you have a porthole in the back cabin? Our Hudson has, and it has developed a considerable leak recently!

 

We have also suffered condensation in the area you describe, plus a leak from the calorifier - which was down to my incompetent fitting of an immersion heater.

[luctor et emergo]

Maybe its popped a rivet?

 

[chilligibbon]

Still trying to source the leak, dried it out again at the weekend, pretty sure the culprit is a rainwater leak and as we seem to be due a bit in the Coventry area overnight and tomorrow i'll be keeping a good watch with my head under the boards and a good torch!

 

Boredrider - I do have a porthole in the back cabin and this will be an area of interest over the next day or two!

 

Will keep you all posted

[matty40s]

Rusty washers and leaky portholes....

Glum from Glascote.

registered in Tamworth.

[billS]

Maybe the golden rivet is worn? It really is too soft a metal for a rivet in the back passage. You need something harder, especially when you consider all the bottom scraping that a deep draughted Hudson gets.

 

I shall say this only once, so I hope you listened carefully.

[PaddingtonBear]

Sounds a pretty rum do to me, are you sure it is from Glascote's finest? sounds more like a Liverpool boat to me or perhaps a Chinese copy?

[nicknorman]

Sounds a pretty rum do to me, are you sure it is from Glascote's finest? sounds more like a Liverpool boat to me or perhaps a Chinese copy?

It's a 14 year old boat with a bit of an above-waterling leak. And anyway, if the fluid in the bilge is rum who would be complaining? Edited December 12, 2013 by nicknorman

[Cheshire cat]

Get some talc down as has been previously recommended preferably with copper sulphate in for effect.

[matty40s]

Seeing as it's a hudson, make sure it's posh smelly talc.

[nicknorman]

 

Seeing as it's a hudson, make sure it's posh smelly talc.

Talc Pah! We use the ground up bones of the lower orders.

[mark99]

It's a 14 year old boat with a bit of an above-waterling leak. And anyway, if the fluid in the bilge is rum who would be complaining?

 

 

Maybe it's SMH's complimentary water?

 

 

[chilligibbon]

Ok time to update! Ruled out rainwater leak after the last three weeks of monsoon so attention is now on the calorifier.

 

The bilge has remained dry while we have not been on the boat and water seems to build up while we are onboard and water pump is on, engine run occasionally etc.

 

The water pump does not run erratically or when there is no demand on the system (except maybe once or twice for a very short while overnight).

 

Today I have moved more ballast and got in best I can to the calorifier and made a strange discovery, I have found the pipe that should be connected to the prv and the end is disconnected and the hole where the prv should be is sealed with a blanking plug!

 

I have checked all inlet and outlet connections, all tight and dry, am now beginning to think that we may have a split calorifier.

 

Is it possible that it may be a small split that is only releasing water when the pump is in normal use or when the tank is heated and maybe closes enough to hold the water when the pressure inside drops slightly?

[Stilllearning]

I think the brief answer to your question is yes, but that may not be the reason for your leak. Keep looking!

Nice boat BTW, we looked at it in Braunston a few months ago, but turned it down for various reasons, then went past it at Sutton Stop just before Christmas on the way back from collecting our new boat.

[by'eck]

So the PRV is blocked off? If so the situation should be remedied a.s.a.p.

 

In the meantime is it possible that the blocked PRV itself or its plug is leaking?

[chilligibbon]

I think the brief answer to your question is yes, but that may not be the reason for your leak. Keep looking!

Nice boat BTW, we looked at it in Braunston a few months ago, but turned it down for various reasons, then went past it at Sutton Stop just before Christmas on the way back from collecting our new boat.

Thanks, couple of internal issues that are now driving me nuts cos I can't solve them but we will get there eventually! Hope your enjoying your new boat.

[nicknorman]

I suppose such a split is possible. Surely it could be proven by finding a drip of water clinging to the bottom of the calorifier? Obviously having a PRV is a pretty sensible idea! I wonder if a previous owner just removed it because it was leaking, or whether he relocated one to somewhere else in the HW supply pipe work. And/or fitted an expansion vessel (but I would still want a PRV even if an expansion vessel was fitted).

[chilligibbon]

So the PRV is blocked off? If so the situation should be remedied a.s.a.p.In the meantime is it possible that the blocked PRV itself or its plug is leaking?

Hi Richard, there is no prv! Just a blanking plug where it should be. The plug in the prv hole doesn't appear to be leaking which makes me think we may have a small split in the tank somewhere.

 

With the issue we had with the Mikuni we haven't really heated any water since we got the boat to our mooring in October. Mikuni has this week been replaced with a new Webasto unit but that won't get used properly until next weekend.

 

I think I may get a prv, connect it up, fire up the boiler and watch very carefully to see what happens.?

I suppose such a split is possible. Surely it could be proven by finding a drip of water clinging to the bottom of the calorifier? Obviously having a PRV is a pretty sensible idea! I wonder if a previous owner just removed it because it was leaking, or whether he relocated one to somewhere else in the HW supply pipe work. And/or fitted an expansion vessel (but I would still want a PRV even if an expansion vessel was fitted).

Hi Nick,

 

After doing some research I spent quite a while today looking for and expansion vessel hidden away somewhere but nothing found. I think you are probably right about the fact that a leaky prv was removed and never replaced.

[Loafer]

I'm betting on condensation. See if it happens over the summer. There's NO problem with a few drops of water accumulating in the bilges for a while. Years, even, while you investigate it in a casual basis.

 

Hudson boats, like any other solidly-built dependable lump (there are others) won't fall apart. The problem will certainly be the failure of some third-party equipment, or condensation when you're aboard.

 

Don't sweat over it (that should help in itself!) and make sure your bilge pump works ok.

 

Do you have a separate engine room? If so, see if there's any water under the lift-up boards there. Even if there is, it's still probably condensation. Keep your boat warm in the winter.

 

And take no notice of Hudson-knockers. They're just jealous.

 

Another cause could be previous owners DIY!

Edited January 4, 2014 by Loafer

[chilligibbon]

I'm betting on condensation. See if it happens over the summer. There's NO problem with a few drops of water accumulating in the bilges for a while. Years, even, while you investigate it in a casual basis.

Hudson boats, like any other solidly-built dependable lump (there are others) won't fall apart. The problem will certainly be the failure of some third-party equipment, or condensation when you're aboard.

Don't sweat over it (that should help in itself!) and make sure your bilge pump works ok.

Do you have a separate engine room? If so, see if there's any water under the lift-up boards there. Even if there is, it's still probably condensation. Keep your boat warm in the winter.

And take no notice of Hudson-knockers. They're just jealous.

Another cause could be previous owners DIY!

Hey Loafer, think I pretty much ruled out condensation, although I know it can appear in bucket loads (lost more than a nights sleep on our first boat when I thought the bedroom walls were leaking) live and learn eh! I know it's not a massive prob and as you say likely a third party equipment fail, just drives me mad that I can't solve it!!