Dry or wet bilge?

[Mo]

Pump changed out.

Takes me 17 minutes to change out the raw water pump on my boat...easy and good access as I can fit into the lazarette and it's right there. Pulled the old one off and installed the one from my spare engine....it leaked worse than the one I took off.

So, with that I took mine home and hauled it apart. The grease shaft was so loose that I put some teflon on it and reinstalled....everything else looked OK...but looks can be deceiving. Returned to boat and did the change again. No leak this time and all seemed good. Ran engine for 20 minutes and then looked for evidence of water in oil as well....all OK.

Shafts are in decent shape on both. I initially though mine was iffy 5 years ago but I`ve always religiously kept the grease to it....there is a small mark but no scoring....that should be fine. So that`s the water in the bilge sorted out for now because it was siphoning from a leak in the raw water pump.

Also fixed a corroded grease cup with epoxy. Brushed it clean with bench grinder / brush and then mixed up some epoxy and beads....worked well. Pic attached.

Pic attached of ratchet wrench...worked perfect to remove the lower bolt on the raw water pump...there was nothing to it.

[hanleyclifford]

Mo - Isn't there supposed to be a ball type check valve in that grease zerk?

[Mo]

thanks Hanley

You are right Hanley. I read about it somewhere now that you mention it. I am going to have to haul it off again and check. Right now all seems good but that will surely have to be checked....thanks for bringing it up.

[67c&ccorv]

Did this a few years back. Drilled and tapped the hole..about and inch diameter (I'd have to double check). Bought a piece of threaded brass (threaded both inside and outside). Also bought a brass plug that would thread into the inner part of the piece.

I then put epoxy resin with some cilica beads mixed in both in the hole and on the threads of the tubular piece of pipe (this is the one threaded on the outside and inside. Screwed it into the hole in the boat and let it set up. Next day I screwed the brass plug into it to check...all good. Removed the plug and faired around the edge of the tubing with epoxy, sanded and was done.

When the boat comes out I screw out the plug...and back in before launch....I'll go take a couple of pics in an hour or so.

Mo - "threaded brass"?

Or, threaded bronze?

Big difference...especially in a salt water boat.

[67c&ccorv]

I have a wet bilge - both my stuffing box and fridge drain into the bilge.

I have two auto bilge pumps on a "water witch" that keep things at the 1" level but every week I draw the water out with a hand pump just to try and keep things fresh.

[ILikeRust]

Mo - "threaded brass"?

Or, threaded bronze?

Big difference...especially in a salt water boat.

When I was researching bronze pipe for my centerboard pennant, I discovered that what often is sold as "red brass" essentially is a breed of bronze. According to what I found, in America, what is sold as "red brass" typically contains 85% copper, 5% tin, 5% lead, and 5% zinc - also known as 85-5-5-5 bronze, which is good for marine applications.

"Yellow brass," on the other hand, is quite a different thing and is not suitable for marine applications.

[Mo]

My mistake...bronze. The plug itself is bronze also.

[KeysCatalina]

When I was researching bronze pipe for my centerboard pennant, I discovered that what often is sold as "red brass" essentially is a breed of bronze. According to what I found, in America, what is sold as "red brass" typically contains 85% copper, 5% tin, 5% lead, and 5% zinc - also known as 85-5-5-5 bronze, which is good for marine applications.

"Yellow brass," on the other hand, is quite a different thing and is not suitable for marine applications.

This is really good to know thanks!

[ndutton]

I'm repeating a question earlier in the thread that hasn't been addressed. The reason I started this poll was to slide into asking if a system that introduced small amounts of ambient water into the bilge would be a dealbreaker. I'm guessing by the poll results probably not. Already wet bilges account for 86% of the poll responses so what difference does a little more water make?

I'm asking your opinions before investing in a prototype and further testing. A no-go response saves me time and money.

[roadnsky]

The reason I started this poll was to slide into asking if a system that introduced small amounts of ambient water into the bilge would be a dealbreaker.

Lemme make sure I'm hearin' you correctly...

You're saying, for a little bit of water in the bilge, I get another Dutton invention for my A4??
I'm in!

[ndutton]

I've been brainstorming an idea for over a year but in its simplest form small amounts of sea (or lake) water are introduced to the bilge. This would only happen while the boat was being used, not at rest.

I could avoid the added water to the bilge but the complexity ramps up several fold. As much as I'd prefer a dry bilge, the reality is otherwise so I personally have very little grief with adding more, within reason of course. Sound interesting?

I'm not trying to be secretive about it but a working prototype would be nice before throwing it out there. And pictures. Lord knows how the forum likes pictures.

I was curious if there would be any interest before proceeding further and if a wet bilge would drive people off.

[roadnsky]

Well, count me in...

[Mo]

Neil,
I was getting sea water in the bilge when I first got the boat. It would be a relatively small amount and happened under sail, when the wind was up and strain on the keel.

Turns out that I had to remove the mast (2008) and tighten up the keel bolt that is directly under it...I re-torqued them all. No sealant required because the material C&C used is flexible to a point. Rebuilt the mast step while I was at it.

Never had a problem with that since. Had a water pump leak earlier this year and fixed that in short order.

Rain water (not much) comes down my keel stepped mast and my cooler drains into my bilge...not really in favor of this but it is what it is. I just pour some vinegar in the cooler once in a while and it cleans, deodorizes, cleans the drain line and keeps the bilge clean as well.

[Mo]

Neil,

Whether water coming in the boat through a keel being a go or no go for purchase.....depends who makes the boat. Would have to research the builder and drawings. Some are easy repairs and some are complete and utter nightmares. I know you of all people know this but for me it would depend on how much it would take to repair it / take play out of it.

[ndutton]

Okay, here's what I've been stewing over.

Perhaps the most frequent reminder on the forum is to keep the raw water intake valve closed during hard starting episodes. It's commonly accepted that prolonged cranking without the benefit of exhaust pressure can overwhelm the waterlift and risk backflooding the engine. Boats like the Catalina 30 with a midships engine under the dinette seat have a greater risk with virtually zero hot section rise. A partially filled waterlift and hard port tack can get risky.

What I've been contemplating is an automatic system that drains the waterlift every time the engine is shut down. In it simplest form the waterlift is drained into the bilge, manual override too in the even of malfunction. I've considered additional enhancements that don't involve the bilge but they also add complexity.

This would be one of those hands off, no operator input systems that rides along quietly and does its job.

Input welcomed. 'Are you crazy' is legitimate input too, I'm certainly not emotionally invested in this.