[C320-list] mysterious full bilge

[Scott Thompson]

I can tell you from personal experience that a small rainwater leak can 
fill the bilge over the course of several months, with little obvious 
evidence to show apart from the water in the bilge itself.  It doesn't 
take much flow -- a trickle will do -- given enough time.  Unless the 
yard was so negligent as to not even pump the tanks when they 
winterized, its very unlikely that the bilge water came from any source 
other than rain.  Rainwater leaks often leave little evidence, and 
during the season when the automatic bilge pump is turned on there is no 
accumulation to clue you in that something is leaking slowly.

In any event, now that you've pumped it out, if it fills up again then 
you can be sure you have a leak from the outside.  I'd visit the boat 
during or shortly after a heavy rain (preferably after a day or two of 
heavy rain) and start looking very carefully for possible sources. 
You've gotten some good advice already from others about places to 
beging looking.  Given your cover, I'd actually start by examining the 
deck under the cover during a rainstorm to see if any water is flowing 
under the cover across the deck.  You could have a leaky chainplate or 
deck fitting somewhere.  Check for water getting under the cover through 
seams, gaskets, etc. too.

For reasons I don't understand, I've found that yards often block boats 
with the bow up.  This is a bad idea because boats are designed to drain 
while floating on their lines and so should be blocked level.  If yours 
is blocked this way you may find that water is running aft along the 
deck under your cover if the anchor locker is exposed.  Leaks are no fun 
to locate.

There is no reason to not use the manual bilge pump(or electric bilge 
pump if you have a battery charger going).  Just make sure that the area 
around the discharge outlet is clear.  I once pumped a bilge full of 
water into my toolbox this way!


Susan Rasco wrote:
> Hi, I was wondering if anyone might have an idea what's going on here.
> 
> I would have liked to do the winterizing of our new 320 ourselves so 
> we'd learn the procedures (first cruising boat), but with our schedules 
> and the marina's, we couldn't do it and let them handle it. They hauled 
> it mid-October and we looked over the boat a couple of times in October 
> and November. The new canvas winter cover was put on by the maker in 
> early November, and when checking over the boat that time we noticed a 
> bit of dampness on the door to the forward berth and the pillows in 
> spite a couple of containers of calcium chloride in the galley sink and 
> head sink (everything is tipped up and has air circulation underneath). 
> Due to the holidays and stomach viruses (oy), we didn't get back to 
> check on things till yesterday. When my husband checked the bilge there 
> was water up to the floor boards.
> 
> We borrowed a hand pump from the marina owner, who (strangely, Frank 
> thought) didn't seem surprised there was a lot of water in the bilge. 
> (Aside: is it okay to use the manual built-in pump when the boat's on 
> the hard?) Frank emptied about 9 galley pails of grayish water, we're 
> figuring about 20-25 gallons. The water was a little sudsy-looking after 
> being pumped, can't tell if that was due to the borrowed hand pump and 
> whatever it was used on last. I called our salesman and asked if he had 
> any ideas on where so much water could come from. He was baffled and 
> asked if the hot water heater had been emptied. Well, we hadn't, and the 
> marina owner was gone, and we checked all around the boat for signs of 
> leakage. The only dampness other than a little again by the forward 
> berth's door (I've added a couple more of the moisture tubs) we only 
> found was that the anchor locker was wet, and the rode was soaked. The 
> drain was not clogged, and there was a bit of water in the hull fitting. 
> The only part of the boat that the cover doesn't cover is the anchor and 
> roller, and even if any rain got in that way, I can't see where it would 
> enter the boat, the hatches are all snugly closed and I don't see any 
> evidence of leaks or cracks anywhere.
> 
> I'll mention here that the boat is in NJ, it's been warm with some good 
> rain here and there the past month, and that although we thought we'd 
> shut all the interior lights off last time we did find a light switched 
> on over the fridge when we plugged in the power. Does it seem likely to 
> more experienced owners that the marina personnel emptied the hot water 
> heater 'after' winterizing, or is it possible that that much water could 
> have seeped in somewhere from a rain in about 6 weeks time? I don't like 
> to be suspicious of the marina but I do tend to feel insecure being a 
> new boat owner, not experienced with the engine/plumbing/electrical 
> systems yet (Frank too), and tending to occasionally get flip answers 
> from the owner, (one of whose assistants already broke and will replace 
> the pop-out hatch latch in the rear cabin, by the floor in back of the 
> head sink while doing the winterizing). And yes, okay, being a, what's 
> that evil word ... woman  ; )
> 
> I have to say I wish that Catalina would do a dvd of rigging and systems 
> maintenance. It would be a lot easier to watch someone go through it a 
> few times on video, regardless of the manual. I do know that we'll do it 
> ourselves next fall, even if I have to kidnap a dealer person for the 
> day to lead us through it.
> 
> Thanks for plowing through my endless email....
> 
> Susan