How much water is acceptable?

Doc O Rock

Doc O Rock

Active Member
Mar 23, 2016
448
Belle Maer Harbor, North Channel Yacht Club
Boat Info
1999 380 Sundancer
Engines
twin 7.4 Merc
There is always some water in the bilge in my 99 380 DA. Even when I manually run the bilge pumps, it never gets completely dry. I know the water comes from a very small oozing around the rudder packing, and I've tightened them down so it's almost unnoticeable. I found the Dry Bilge system, but is this just over kill?
http://www.drybilgesystem.com/
How much do you find acceptable?
 
In my opinion a little water in the bilge is not a problem As long as the bilge pumps are not having to pump it over several times a day. Best practice would dictate that if a packing is leaking it should be tightened and or replaced. I try to keep my bilge as dry as possible for cosmetic and sanitary reasons. I have a slight deep while underway on a prop shaft but out here in Nor Cal the water evaporates in a couple of days and every so often I spray some good cleaner on the area and my 11 year old bilge looks brand new.
Just a matter of personal preference as to how clean you keep your boat in general. In most cases leaks generally get worse and rarely fix themselves.
Cheers
 
I spoke with the drybilge folks at the FLIBS a few years ago. Cool idea, but I think the application for them is on boats with living spaces close to or on top of bilge spaces. That's not so much the case with our Sundancers. There's a Regal sedan that pulls HVAC air from bilge space into the unit, so THAT'S an example where a clean and dry bilge is a must.

FWIW, my rudders never leak a drop.
 
Different for us since we're IO's but I shop vac out any drop of water that ends up in the bilge. It helps me determine if there is a leak somewhere that I don't know about (we had one at the water inlet hose at the transom that only dripped underway) and helps keep surface corrosion to a minimum on metal in the bilge. Most boats I've been on do have a small amount that the pumps can't pick up, though.
 
My new to me 98 290 DA is a leaker but I'm holding out till the end of the season to remove both drives and perform the required delayed maintenance the previous owner didn't perform plus repaint the bottom. I'm looking forward to a dry bilge.

Strecker25 - I like the shop vac idea....... if it rains this weekend I might have to clean and remove as much water as I can and really see where it's coming in from. The boat survey commented on how old the bellows were so that's what I'm hoping will dry up my bilge once replaced.
 
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I do not sleep well until I have sourced and repaired any type of water intrusion into my bilge. I always look to have a dry very clean bilge and when there is an issue it shows up quickly. Same goes for oil or antifreeze leaks from the engines with a clean bilge.
 
My weekly check of fluids includes mopping up or shop-vac'ing any water in the sumps. Most times it's two sham-wow loads of water, but only after heavy rain. Sounds gross but I taste-test for salt. Fresh water doesn't bother me, salt gets me searching (I dont get salt at all since both dripless were replaced).

As mentioned above, keeping your bilge dry is a must b/c it clues you in if a leak does start. It also minimizes the dampness of the engine room, holding mold formation and corrosion in check.

I hang one of these i the ER as well. Keeps things smelling fresh and absorbs moisture...
71vGoQ8UU-L._SL1000_.jpg
 
I like mine dry as well. My 260 stayed clean and dry, and I could spot a new problem quickly. The 44 is a beast, though. I finally think I got 'er dry all but from rain water. It's getting in somehow, and I'll figure it out (hopefully) by the end of the season. We're talking really small amounts of water though.

My biggest problem is that it gets down in the center raised section between the motors!
_0HU_xVLIeoESqMhqh8MEJlP5USaBShpiJounuod7PUFHvZLM385QD58xroObWdf4p5kAyZACtEpUJv2yUCu2n0dgtdbh7k4Q_rZXeQCM9K3U58wAa8u5FftX2ylV3Ab7Z4yv14Drz7vO68FawRGj1-RHCR3nXF7npyiHZS9dckTrO7gL_NytTjB7-HSa2Mc4bF_Lk5YkjMVSlPyIcEU5_8BLPsBNKjbZnhOnq3qR5RYafd14ardCGGq_P-6IPjdD5EGn-wQnNNT1vvRZAiAoJWdAkff6IzCiWR-dV4UnoFObbsnFslECdvZ1DT155Bj8xqg9AK72IbifGqz_VtLH14aAp9Q_Ut7q2L5k_nQqBU_ILdcRUOLTSmhyiSt39zgoEhKl18nAxw_IWOQxEErGdI2DJRIwA1eAsdyDce68GeoGJt1rxuTXtzPBoNSqlbGhb24g-RRX7IVV74UVCmmWZxltQftIb_K9TXpFGrItm2Y7NyRiE81QnPOYPX3727woFFUc7Ncd3SqAFXxb2wZWhwisIzpd1-GNvk47U6uN8Tydsl_VNR09Qd6EO0PAAOmJEKOC2PFwOpb6ARS06peDrOrMFkaurZ1A1CcWsNPWM6MNusH9b-TizIB5ev5qNhtQGVEhMErm5XChJpEHloPs5zCtjsWL27ULpQfhaTK=w738-h984-no

You can see the cleanout through the rungs of the ladder. There's a small hole in the front of the compartment (forward of the bowthruster batteries) that water can get in, but it can't get out! I'm thinking of installing a dry bilge down in there.
 
check all the equipment mounts on radar arch.
i had a water problem beginning of season found the radar mount wasn't caulked when the boat yard reinstalled it.
Water was running down the arch and into the bilge.
 
I hope not to jinx it but ours stays bone dry after launch and me cleaning it from Winterizing.
I'd imagine a small amount won't hurt anything if it's fresh. Salt would be a different story.
I can't believe any boat would pull air from the bilge to use in the cabin!
 
My last boat (1987 Wellcraft St Tropez) had an air unit under the one dinette seat got its air from the space between the inner and outer wall. Their boats are made with a small box within a big box design, the big box being the actual hull. Unbelievably, the bilge was open right from the bow to the stern. Carb'd engines with the associated gas odours after being shut down would be pulled into the A/C and distributed throughout the cabin.

The mistake was when the PO simply cut a hole and added a grate under the dinette on the outer wall between the two facing benches and figured the air would be pulled from an open area from where the air unit was to the outer wall space. Unfortunately he didn't look down... It was also open to the bilge area below.

I sealed the area below with expanding foam which solved the issue. There was never an explosion or anything, but anything stored in the cabin ended up smelling like engine before solving this issue.
 
Thanks for the shop vac suggestion. I bought the small sears model over the weekend and it would like a charm. Probably the best $23 spent. Sucked the bilge clean, washed, de-oiled and rinsed and verified the location of my water leak.

Also cleaned up the bilge of a bunch of tie wraps, hose clamps and bits of electrical wire. Who ever worked on this boat before I purchased didn't have to much pride in cleaning up after themselves and just left crap under the engines.
 
importmonkey said:
I like mine dry as well. My 260 stayed clean and dry, and I could spot a new problem quickly. The 44 is a beast, though. I finally think I got 'er dry all but from rain water. It's getting in somehow, and I'll figure it out (hopefully) by the end of the season. We're talking really small amounts of water though.

My biggest problem is that it gets down in the center raised section between the motors!
_0HU_xVLIeoESqMhqh8MEJlP5USaBShpiJounuod7PUFHvZLM385QD58xroObWdf4p5kAyZACtEpUJv2yUCu2n0dgtdbh7k4Q_rZXeQCM9K3U58wAa8u5FftX2ylV3Ab7Z4yv14Drz7vO68FawRGj1-RHCR3nXF7npyiHZS9dckTrO7gL_NytTjB7-HSa2Mc4bF_Lk5YkjMVSlPyIcEU5_8BLPsBNKjbZnhOnq3qR5RYafd14ardCGGq_P-6IPjdD5EGn-wQnNNT1vvRZAiAoJWdAkff6IzCiWR-dV4UnoFObbsnFslECdvZ1DT155Bj8xqg9AK72IbifGqz_VtLH14aAp9Q_Ut7q2L5k_nQqBU_ILdcRUOLTSmhyiSt39zgoEhKl18nAxw_IWOQxEErGdI2DJRIwA1eAsdyDce68GeoGJt1rxuTXtzPBoNSqlbGhb24g-RRX7IVV74UVCmmWZxltQftIb_K9TXpFGrItm2Y7NyRiE81QnPOYPX3727woFFUc7Ncd3SqAFXxb2wZWhwisIzpd1-GNvk47U6uN8Tydsl_VNR09Qd6EO0PAAOmJEKOC2PFwOpb6ARS06peDrOrMFkaurZ1A1CcWsNPWM6MNusH9b-TizIB5ev5qNhtQGVEhMErm5XChJpEHloPs5zCtjsWL27ULpQfhaTK=w738-h984-no

You can see the cleanout through the rungs of the ladder. There's a small hole in the front of the compartment (forward of the bowthruster batteries) that water can get in, but it can't get out! I'm thinking of installing a dry bilge down in there.
Click to expand...


I have the same issue. I wash my boat at least 3-4 times through a 3 day weekend. I've given up on a completely dry area. It's just enough water to drive me crazy, but not enough to ever use the bilge pumps.
 
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