[C320-list] Water in Bilge

[Welch, Myron D]

Dave,

Thanks for the good suggestion of a possible leak. I installed the tube and bottle on the water heater pressure relief valve many years ago. It works well and I would recommend it to anyone. 

Myron

Sent from my iPad

> On Sep 6, 2017, at 9:46 PM, Utility Email <kswanson123 at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> This may be related.  
> 
> I have a 2007 C320 MK II, so I don't have the same issues with a shallow bilge and getting water under the liner, but I did find a "leak of sorts."   
> 
> The water heater leaks about a pint of water through the pressure relief valve when it heats up.  This is due to heated water expanding from cold within the confined water tank.  
> 
> To solve the problem of this fresh water draining across the hull liner to the bilge, I installed a longer flexible hose to the outlet side of the pressure relieve valve and have it drain directly into a 16 ounce soda bottle that I keep wedged between the hot water tank and the cabinet wall.  I just empty this bottle when I close my sink through hill drain before we leave the boat.  
> 
> Dry bilge ever since.  
> 
> Anyway, for your information.  
> 
> Dave
> 
> Dave Swanson
> S/V Emily Ann
> 2007 C320 MK II, No. 1107
> Mukilteo, WA
> 
> 
> David B. Swanson, P.E., S.E.
> Principal, LEED AP, F. SEI
> Director, Structural Engineering
> 
> Reid Middleton, Inc.
> (425) 741-3800 office
> (425) 741-5011 direct
> (425) 508-7971 mobile
> 
> www.reidmiddleton.com
> 
>> On Sep 6, 2017, at 5:55 PM, Scott Lagerquist <lgrqst at aol.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Warren,
>> 
>> I had the same experience on #39 with the hose under the head sink.  I chose to get a couple of brass fitting from the hardware store that allow me to replace the shower/sink hose with a standard stainless flex hose from Home Depot or Amazon.  Mine also only leaked when on but all is good now.  My shower drain was rigged into the bilge pump line which had a one way valve (wasn't working).  I put in a shower drain box with its own pump and float and routed the drain hose overboard through a thru hull fitting and removed the one way valve in the bilge pump.  Long story short, we have a dry bilge.  
>> 
>> Good luck Myron.  I'm confident you'll find the source.
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> Scott Lagerquist 
>> Sea Esta
>> 1994, #39
>> San Diego CA
>> 
>> 
>> Sent from my iPad
>> 
>>> On Sep 6, 2017, at 3:03 PM, Warren Updike <wupdike at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Oh, Myron, I feel for you. I went through a very similar experience for the first few years after we bought our #62 for different reasons. All of the water was fresh so I had a clue of where to look; but, after fixing a couple of faults, I still found more water. At some point, I had reason to have my head under the head sink, and yes, you have to remove the drawer cabinet to do anything in there. I found that the sink hose would leak at a connection, but only when the water was on. I spent hours trying to find a replacement hose and finally did someplace in FL. After buying the hose and installing it, I found myself, one day, in our marina store and there on the wall were 3 units of the hose I spent hours looking for. Too soon oldt, un too late schmart. Once all the faults were corrected, I had a mostly dry bilge. There is more to this story, but we'll leave that for another day.
>>> 
>>> Warren and Pattie Updike
>>> 1994 C320 "Warr de Mar" #62
>>> Middle River, Chesapeake Bay
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Welch, Myron D [mailto:myron-welch at uiowa.edu] 
>>> Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2017 2:42 PM
>>> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
>>> Subject: [C320-list] Water in Bilge
>>> 
>>> After several years of a dry bilge, I was surprised to find water beneath the liner, under the engine and in the three center bilge grids when winterizing the boat for haulout last week. Some observations were easy.  The muffler is again leaking (for the third time) and after two repairs, I think it is time for a new one.  Also, I found a slight drip from the water heater drain as I did not have it closed tightly.  I replaced the water heater about 10 years ago and am very careful when winterizing; I don’t believe the water heater is leaking.
>>> 
>>> The big mystery is the water found in that difficult to access inspection hole when I had the floor boards pulled for cleaning all the bilge area.  I vacuumed and dryed all the water I could, then left that floorboard loose so could check for water again.  The next day I cleaned the floor in the head and used the shower sump to drain the soapy water.  We have never used the shower and only run the sump when cleaning.  I closed the shower thru hull and a few minutes later about a pint of fresh water had backed up from the drain onto the shower floor.  I had to open the thru hull and run the pump two more times and then mop up the small excess before the water stopped seeping back up.
>>> 
>>> The next day I again found more water under the inspection hole.  When I vacuumed it out, I was surprised to find soapy water.  Could this be from the water pumped out after cleaning the head floor?  Is it possible that the pump connections are leaking or that the drain reservoir is cracked/leaking?  Do I access that area by removing the closet insert in the stateroom?
>>> 
>>> I plan to go back to the boat next week, remove the muffler and look for the mysterious water intrusion possibilities.  Thanks in advance for any insight.  
>>> 
>>> Myron Welch
>>> Wind Instrument #238 (1995)
>>> Iowa City, Iowa
>>> Grace Memorial Harbor
>>> Elk Rapids, Michigan
>>> 
>>> 
>>> P.S.  FYI, Ken Roy, our contact from the Catalina parts department, has retired.  His replacement is Len Keller.
>>