laura hinks Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 Im not a mechanical person but i just wondered what the reasons would be for water being in the bottom of the engine bay. If the boats sat idle over winter for a few months without someone on it regularly to usw th bulge pump would the water build up massivley? Is it something to worry about? Someones told me that its historical water. I dont even know what that means. Can any one shead any light please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 (edited) Leaking stern gland. Condensation Domestic water leak window/hatch leak Engine coolant/tank leak Engine board leak (cruiser stern) Deck leak Hull leak The extent of the worry is dependent on the extent of the leak and your continued ability to pump it out Edited January 10, 2018 by rusty69 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laura hinks Posted January 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 1 minute ago, rusty69 said: Leaking stern gland. Condensation Domestic water leak window/hatch leak Engine coolant/tank leak I think it may be a leaking stern gald. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 (edited) 2 minutes ago, laura hinks said: I think it may be a leaking stern gald. If you can't stop the leak by turning the stern gland greaser it may be time to have the stern gland re-packed, or the pusher adjusted if you have one. Edited January 10, 2018 by rusty69 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boat&Bikes Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 (edited) It maybe a battle to remove it.. How much water? What type of boat? Ian. Edited January 10, 2018 by ianali 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 17 minutes ago, laura hinks said: Someones told me that its historical water. I dont even know what that means. Can any one shead any light please? I think they just mean its been there a long time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan de Enfield Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 27 minutes ago, laura hinks said: Someones told me that its historical water. I dont even know what that means I think you could describe ALL water as 'historical water' - it has all been here for millions of years and none has been made 'recently', in fact there is the same amount now as there was millions of years ago, it is just not always where our expanding populations want it to be. The water cycle : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmelly Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 Rain? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebotco Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 I once knew a girl who also suffered with water in the bulge. But when she gave birth, it disappeared like magic! Hope that helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said: I think you could describe ALL water as 'historical water' - it has all been here for millions of years and none has been made 'recently', in fact there is the same amount now as there was millions of years ago, it is just not always where our expanding populations want it to be. The water cycle : Unless Laura has the biblical Red sea in her bilge complete with Os-Moses 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan de Enfield Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 (edited) 1 minute ago, rusty69 said: Unless Laura has the biblical Red sea in her bilge bulge complete with Os-Moses Does it smell like vinegar ? Edited January 10, 2018 by Alan de Enfield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 4 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said: Does it smell like vinegar ? No, only brown paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Dog Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 3 minutes ago, rusty69 said: No, only brown paper. You need your head mended, you do. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 1 minute ago, Sea Dog said: You need your head mended, you do. Up Jack got, And home did trot As fast as he could caper; To old Dame Dob, Who patched his nob With vinegar and brown paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 4 minutes ago, rusty69 said: Up Jack got, And home did trot As fast as he could caper; To old Dame Dob, Who patched his nob With vinegar and brown paper. I thought it was his head he'd hurt, not his... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laura hinks Posted January 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 2 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said: I think they just mean its been there a long time! I thought that too but its a funny name 2 hours ago, ianali said: It maybe a battle to remove it.. How much water? What type of boat? Ian. About 4 inches i guess. A narrow boat . Ledgard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 38 minutes ago, laura hinks said: I thought that too but its a funny name I reckon he made it up on the fly. I've never heard the term until now and I've been boating for <quite a long time>. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magpie patrick Posted January 11, 2018 Report Share Posted January 11, 2018 Some cruiser sterns (and I guess some semi-trad and trad but cruiser more prone to it) can not help but gather rainwater - on Lutine the deck is below the gunnel and rain water has nowhere else to go. I doubt anyone can keep the bilge under a cruiser stern completely free of rain water. A leaking stern gland that only adds four inches over a few months isn't leaking at all fast, and would be hard to detect. it would be a drip every couple of hours Empty the bilge using the bilge pump, and see what happens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted January 11, 2018 Report Share Posted January 11, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, magpie patrick said: A leaking stern gland that only adds four inches over a few months isn't leaking at all fast, and would be hard to detect. it would be a drip every couple of hours A bit of kitchen towel balanced beneath the gland could help detect it. Or an ice cream tub (remove ice cream first) Edited January 11, 2018 by rusty69 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murflynn Posted January 11, 2018 Report Share Posted January 11, 2018 12 hours ago, rusty69 said: Leaking stern gland. Condensation Domestic water leak window/hatch leak Engine coolant/tank leak Engine board leak (cruiser stern) Deck leak Hull leak The extent of the worry is dependent on the extent of the leak and your continued ability to pump it out .................... you forgot rat's piss. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted January 11, 2018 Report Share Posted January 11, 2018 (edited) 3 minutes ago, Murflynn said: .................... you forgot rat's piss. Damn, I knew I forgot something. I also forgot mushroom leaks and flue/collar leak. Do mushrooms leak? (makes good soup) Edited January 11, 2018 by rusty69 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grassman Posted January 11, 2018 Report Share Posted January 11, 2018 Laura doesn't say what type of stern the boat has. We have a cruiser stern and like Maggie says it's virtually impossible to keep the engine bilge dry. With ours it's the rain that's the main culprit and the worn deck boards and raised gunnels don't help. If all the other possibilities mentioned on here regarding leaks have been investigated and Laura is still getting a depth of water in there, provided the bilge pump is set to automatic I don't think she has anything to worry about. I've been told many times to just accept that some boats have wet engine bilges and to not to be too concerned. I have and inch or so permanently in mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted January 11, 2018 Report Share Posted January 11, 2018 "Water in the bulge" This sounds to me more like a medical problem than a boating one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
system 4-50 Posted January 11, 2018 Report Share Posted January 11, 2018 Mine's dry so long as the drains are kept clear of leaves in the autumn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_P Posted January 11, 2018 Report Share Posted January 11, 2018 Stern glands drip. That's what they do. However, the solution is simple: next time you finish a carton of Elsan/Oil/Deionised water etc. cut a large square hole in the side of it and tuck it on its side under the stern gland and put your bilge pump in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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