Is it common for boats to have water in the bilge area almost all the time?
I mean, you turn on the bilge pump and pump it out, then a few hours later
you look and there's some water down there again...

Should it be bone dry? Or is it more often than not a fact that some water
will end up sitting there?

C. wrote:
Is it common for boats to have water in the bilge area almost all the time?
I mean, you turn on the bilge pump and pump it out, then a few hours later
you look and there's some water down there again...

Should it be bone dry? Or is it more often than not a fact that some water
will end up sitting there?

What type of drive and shaft seal?

Inboards with a traditional stuffing box are *supposed* to leak just a
little bit to keep the shaft lubricated. Outboards and I/O's should
have dry bilges.

Sometimes yes, but in your case you shouldn't need to pump it out every few
hours.

"C." wrote in message
...
Is it common for boats to have water in the bilge area almost all the
time? I mean, you turn on the bilge pump and pump it out, then a few hours
later you look and there's some water down there again...

Should it be bone dry? Or is it more often than not a fact that some
water will end up sitting there?

On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 21:46:21 -0400, "C."
wrote:

Is it common for boats to have water in the bilge area almost all the time?
I mean, you turn on the bilge pump and pump it out, then a few hours later
you look and there's some water down there again...

Should it be bone dry? Or is it more often than not a fact that some water
will end up sitting there?

Good question.

Most boats aren't totally impervious to wind and weather - water can
sneak in through hatch covers, consoles and, believe it or not, sweat
from condensation. What makes matters worse is that inside the hull,
water can hide in the strangest places. You'd be surprised at what
high humidity can do to make things wetter.

My Ranger is a good example. I generally take it out once a week or
so and when I park it, I pull the drain plug and maybe a dribble. The
boat is parked at an angle I might add.

After a week, park it on a ramp and pull the plug, about a gallon
pours out. Just the way it works. I've noticed on days when there is
a significant temperature difference between the air and water, I get
water in the bilge - nothing major, but it happens.

That is the nature of the Ranger - just the way it is.

Simply put, in an open boat, you will get a little water no matter
what you do - that's why you have a bilge pump which is to keep the
excess water from forming.

My boat is dry now. But a couple of months ago, the bilge pump would cycle
every couple of hours. Was a small 1/8" corrosion hole (0.290 thick
aluminum hull) at the front waterline. A piece of copper wire was stuck in
the muck stopping the drain from the anchor locker. Was hard to find, but
one day pulled the boat and was at the correct angle to get the water
draining. I would check for a leak around the outdrive and the exhaust
manifolds if an I/O.
Bill

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
news
On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 21:46:21 -0400, "C."
wrote:

Is it common for boats to have water in the bilge area almost all the
time?
I mean, you turn on the bilge pump and pump it out, then a few hours later
you look and there's some water down there again...

Should it be bone dry? Or is it more often than not a fact that some
water
will end up sitting there?

Good question.

Most boats aren't totally impervious to wind and weather - water can
sneak in through hatch covers, consoles and, believe it or not, sweat
from condensation. What makes matters worse is that inside the hull,
water can hide in the strangest places. You'd be surprised at what
high humidity can do to make things wetter.

My Ranger is a good example. I generally take it out once a week or
so and when I park it, I pull the drain plug and maybe a dribble. The
boat is parked at an angle I might add.

After a week, park it on a ramp and pull the plug, about a gallon
pours out. Just the way it works. I've noticed on days when there is
a significant temperature difference between the air and water, I get
water in the bilge - nothing major, but it happens.

That is the nature of the Ranger - just the way it is.

Simply put, in an open boat, you will get a little water no matter
what you do - that's why you have a bilge pump which is to keep the
excess water from forming.

Bill McKee wrote in message
nk.net...
My boat is dry now. But a couple of months ago, the bilge pump would
cycle
every couple of hours. Was a small 1/8" corrosion hole (0.290 thick
aluminum hull) at the front waterline. A piece of copper wire was stuck
in
the muck stopping the drain from the anchor locker. Was hard to find, but
one day pulled the boat and was at the correct angle to get the water
draining. I would check for a leak around the outdrive and the exhaust
manifolds if an I/O.
Bill


I think I would inspect the bilge areas of an aluminum hulled boat carefully
to make sure there aren't any more pieces of copper wire (or pennies) laying
on the inside of the hull.

Eisboch

On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 21:46:21 -0400, "C."
wrote:

Is it common for boats to have water in the bilge area almost all the time?
I mean, you turn on the bilge pump and pump it out, then a few hours later
you look and there's some water down there again...

Should it be bone dry? Or is it more often than not a fact that some water
will end up sitting there?


If it's a Mercruiser I/O, check to see that the engine drain cocks on the lower
part of the block are closed. One of the mechanics at my marina busted the
handle off one of mine, which left the drain opening wide open. It took several
weeks for me to figure out where the water was coming from.
--
John H

"All decisions are the result of binary thinking."

"C." wrote in message
...
Is it common for boats to have water in the bilge area almost all the
time? I mean, you turn on the bilge pump and pump it out, then a few hours
later you look and there's some water down there again...

Should it be bone dry? Or is it more often than not a fact that some
water will end up sitting there?




Is it a wood or fiberglass boat? A wood boat will normally have some water
intrusion.

Inboard, outboard or I/O? As others have said, the water intrusion may be
from the packing (inboard) or from some drain cocks on the engine.

Does the boat have a hot water tank? If so, you may have a bad relief valve
on the tank.

Are you connected to a dockside water supply when the water intrusion
occurs? Perhaps a bad fitting or connection.

Do you have AC and is the water accumulating in the bilge when the AC runs?
Perhaps a bad hose fitting on the raw water cooling pump or the ac drainage
is plugged and overflowing into the bilge.

One cannot answer your question without knowing these facts.