Water in the bilge

[Skeetsdad]

I sea trialed a BHM a few years ago and we noticed water coming in from the hull to deck joint. It was a pretty rough ride that day but the leaks were not small. I can see water climbing up the hull to the hull deck joint even on a calm day on some hulls.

 

[Beamie]

Rudder post replaced when I got her 5 years ago , looks tight .
I found a small drip at idle in the elbow aft of the turbo , wondering if it is more then a drip when underway . , will tighten tomorrow .
sealed hatches
Checked all they hull , wash down , hoses valves etc .
I like the paper towel idea

So your saying you haven't put a wrench on the stuffing box for the rudder post in 5 years?

If it is a traditional packing and not a lip seal loosen up the lock nut, tighten and relock.

You need to do that every spring.

 

[Joemas]

So your saying you haven't put a wrench on the stuffing box for the rudder post in 5 years?

If it is a traditional packing and not a lip seal loosen up the lock nut, tighten and relock.

You need to do that every spring.

Let me say I don’t know which type of stuffing box it is . I will enquirer about thatrudder but I am certain there is no leakage at the post. I have checked that under way .
I have some water in the stbd corner I need to check . Could be exhaust tube

 

[Snake8]

If its only coming in underway could be rudder, exhaust, spray rails, lifting rails, cooling curcuit, any raw water pumps,

Bring a freind on a very calm day that you trust to run the boat and look at everything. The rudder may only leak when you turn at certain speeds in a certain direction, so make sure you go through the possibilities there.

 

[Joemas]

Will do . Thanks for the input

 

[John Hobby]

Had that issue myself till about mid summer. Drove me nuts trying to find the problem. Then one day when the weather was shitty and I was doing maintenance in the engine room I heard the waves slapping the hull. Did not think of it until I saw the water running back down the bilge hose from the hull and flowing back thought the pump. I installed a check valve, done! No more water. My bilge through hull water almost to the water line and that was the culprit. I never would of found that unless I was there and it was happening. Bad deign having the discharge so low to water line!

 

[Silverheels]

Actually exercised the valves yesterday . Pumps are in tact . Rod holders not internalized. Bilge Pump goes on and off through out a day of fishing spitting out a few quarts here and there . Happens even on those smooth sunny days .

Engine alignment or vibration could cause the shaft seal to leak while underway.

 

[Regulator23]

I had a similiar issue for a few years. It was internal pitting of the stainless steel exhaust flange(?) in the transom. We glassed in a fiberglass one. all better and will not happen again. Does your bilge water have a sulfer smell? if so then definate exhaust related if not check other places as others have noted.

 

[c1steve]

Statistically I would be suspicious of leak at the shaft seal due to alignment or other issues, and that exhaust leak you mentioned. I would use the corkscrew puller and remove all the old packing, then repack with modern packing and grease. Grease helps it seal while the packing is taking a set.

Also carefully check the engine alignment.

 

[pilotdave]

Great question from offshore - sample the water - is it fresh or salty? That can tell you if it's a below decks or above decks leak.

 

[Joemas]

Great question from offshore - sample the water - is it fresh or salty? That can tell you if it's a below decks or above decks leak.

That’s a great suggestion . I am embarrassed to say the water mixes with a little oil in the bilge so not sure how I could determine

 

[gregs]

Get as much water as you can from the bilge in a glass container, decant the oil after letting all settle.
Then either weigh it with a accurate scale or use a hydrometer ,if there is enough water. A quick test is trying a straw in both the fresh and salt and seeing which come up faster, that is the salt

 

[gregs]

Of course you could taste it but have much alcohol at hand

 

[Joemas]

Of course you could taste it but have much alcohol at hand

Thanks Greg’s . When I splash in the spring I will use above suggestions .
I do think the main culprit is a small drip at idle from a clamp on the exhaust elbow that is a much bigger leak at cruise . Never had a chance to get down there this fall .

 

[Vahn]

The source of water in my bilge accumulating under the engine section of stingers one time,... was from a fresh water line that went through the water heater not near the engine but parallel near the port bulkhead. One of the supply lines that kept water in the heater leaked before it fully detached and I eventually saw (and eventually could hear) the evidence better once the line fully detached. The source was much further than where water ended up so it seemed illogical to look where the water actually came from.

Before that I kept checking the through hulls, and as the other gentleman mentioned was considering if water could come in from a low bilge port backwards into the bilge on choppy days at mooring.

Curious what you will eventually find.

 

[Joemas]

The source of water in my bilge accumulating under the engine section of stingers one time,... was from a fresh water line that went through the water heater not near the engine but parallel near the port bulkhead. One of the supply lines that kept water in the heater leaked before it fully detached and I eventually saw (and eventually could hear) the evidence better once the line fully detached. The source was much further than where water ended up so it seemed illogical to look where the water actually came from.

Before that I kept checking the through hulls, and as the other gentleman mentioned was considering if water could come in from a low bilge port backwards into the bilge on choppy days at mooring.

Curious what you will eventually find.

Come spring time the problem will be exposed and I will post cause ,, hopefully