[C320-list] Shallow Bilge '94 C320

[Rick Sulewski]

Bill,
Did you see my message below on the list I sent on Nov 6th as follows?

Bill,
Regarding the shallow bilge: The solution that I found workable over the
last 20 seasons is to contain the bilge water in the first compartment where
the pump is located by plugging & sealing the drain hole leading to the
other forward compartments. There is certainly a risk and requires a
periodic check of the forward most compartment ahead of the mast (where my
transducers are located). I simply keep that smaller forward floor panel
unattached because it lies tightly in its place and can be easily lifted to
check if there is any moisture (that has never occurred over the years). If
the keel bolts begin to leak,  moisture will also appear in the forward most
compartment. The normal trick to keeping a dry bilge and any water from
intruding under the liner is to use Gortex shaft packing and/or removing any
water in the first bilge compartment to avoid excess water from sloshing out
and then under the liner while sailing. 
Rick
My-Ria, 95 C320 #277

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf
Of WINDER & KIRONDE
Sent: Monday, November 10, 2014 10:59 AM
To: c320-list at lists.catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] Shallow Bilge '94 C320

Hi Elizabeth and all that responded,
I did finally find the instructions from Catalina.  Here is the
problem: There are already some holes into the hollow beams. Some are near
the bottom that have been used by Brewer Yacht Yard to more easily run
wiring for previous owner equipment adds, so I have to rerun the wires
somehow or just caulk them in.  Also there are the bilge pump exit piping
and fridge drain piping that penetrate the beam near the galley sole.  Water
going into the bilge from the engine compartment through the Catalina
installed tubes backs up through the difficult to seal pipe penetrations.
Catalina also installed fiberglass tubes connecting most of the bilge
compartments, not just from the engine bilge as shown in the Catalina
directive. (these do not take water from inside the beams.)  The problem
here is that as all compartments are connected and the bilge pump does not
come on until the water level is up to about 1 1/2 inches, all of the
compartments flood before the pump comes on.  So if there is a little water
at the bilge pump area there is a little water in every compartment, and it
stays there indefinitely unless you pull up the sole boards and dry out each
bilge compartment. The only solution to this problem is to somehow block the
tubes forward of the bilge pump and periodically inspecting the forward
compartments.

Bill Winder
INDIGO #97
Winthrop MA