I am just returning from a boat shopping trip in North East US. I look at
some boat that have been yard maintained and on land for a while . When
lifting the floor board their bilge's were top full of water. The bilge
pumps and float switches were under water. I wonder what the winter sub
zero temperature will do. I have had a sailboat for 24 years and never had
a bilge full of water. I wonder what could exactly be the cause of this
water accumulation.

"Denis Marier" wrote:

I am just returning from a boat shopping trip in North East US. I look at
some boat that have been yard maintained and on land for a while . When
lifting the floor board their bilge's were top full of water. The bilge
pumps and float switches were under water. I wonder what the winter sub
zero temperature will do. I have had a sailboat for 24 years and never had
a bilge full of water. I wonder what could exactly be the cause of this
water accumulation.

Rain leaks (duh)

Or else someone has left a window open or left water in the water
tanks and the water tank has leaked.

grandma Rosalie

"Rosalie B." wrote in message
...
"Denis Marier" wrote:

I have had a sailboat for 24 years and never had
a bilge full of water. I wonder what could exactly be the cause
of this
water accumulation.

Rain leaks (duh)

Quite common for cockpit drains to block with leaves. On many
designs the cockpit then overflows down the the gangway . . .

JimB

"Rosalie B." wrote in message
...
"Denis Marier" wrote:

I am just returning from a boat shopping trip in North East US. I look at
some boat that have been yard maintained and on land for a while . When
lifting the floor board their bilge's were top full of water. The bilge
pumps and float switches were under water. I wonder what the winter sub
zero temperature will do. I have had a sailboat for 24 years and never
had
a bilge full of water. I wonder what could exactly be the cause of this
water accumulation.

Rain leaks (duh)

Or else someone has left a window open or left water in the water
tanks and the water tank has leaked.

grandma Rosalie

When I first got my Cal 20, it had a significant amount of water in the
boat... not just in the bilge. Turned out it was rain water. There is a way
to test it, but I don't recommend it unless you've had your shots. :-)

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

In article ,
"News f2s" wrote:

"Rosalie B." wrote in message
...
"Denis Marier" wrote:

I have had a sailboat for 24 years and never had
a bilge full of water. I wonder what could exactly be the cause
of this
water accumulation.

Rain leaks (duh)

Quite common for cockpit drains to block with leaves. On many
designs the cockpit then overflows down the the gangway . . .

JimB

Another possible source, especially in heavy rains, is rain going down
high tech masts with lots of internal penetrations for lines. I have
been warned about this with my J/100 in spite of my cover.

harlan

--
To respond, obviously drop the "nospan"?

"Denis Marier" wrote in message
...
I am just returning from a boat shopping trip in North East US. I look at
some boat that have been yard maintained and on land for a while . When
lifting the floor board their bilge's were top full of water. The bilge
pumps and float switches were under water. I wonder what the winter sub
zero temperature will do. I have had a sailboat for 24 years and never
had
a bilge full of water. I wonder what could exactly be the cause of this
water accumulation.




Is it a keel stepped mast? You could be leaking at the boot. Or some other
deck fittings may need some sealing . Place a little talcum powder around
supect areas. Check after the next rain and there will be telltale signs of
water flow through the talc.

DP

On Sun, 20 Nov 2005 08:40:23 -0500, Harlan Lachman
wrote:



Another possible source, especially in heavy rains, is rain going down
high tech masts with lots of internal penetrations for lines. I have
been warned about this with my J/100 in spite of my cover.

The masts don't have to be high-tech...about 90% of my bilge water is
in the sump immediately forward of the mast, and 10% is from the
stuffing box. When I don't run the boat and it rains for several
hours, I get very little in the "aft" bilge, and a few litres in the
forward. It's just coming straight down the mast and dripping off the
step.

R.