[C320-list] Water in the Bilge
Michael Leschisin
mleschisin at imagestudios.com
Tue Jan 29 12:09:17 PST 2019
Looks like I’ll have to do some testing this spring.
As a friend of mine put it the other day— “Water….... Throughout the summer- Best Friend; Come time to store the boats- Enemy #1”
Michael Leschisin
#995, Wild Blue Yonder
Menominee, MI
> On Jan 29, 2019, at 12:45 PM, A NYE <arnye170 at btinternet.com> wrote:
>
> We have cured various leaks including port lights, internal plumbing leaks, we jet out the mast drain hole and everything is ok for some months then back to first two foreword chambers in bilge being full of fresh water!! Another thing to watch out for is the vent on the hot water tank, even though the valve has been replaced it still vents and like others we route via flexible pipe to plastic bottle! On previous boats I haven’t had this issue.
> Tony Nye Scallywag #450 UK
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On 29 Jan 2019, at 18:25, pclaytor at tampabay.rr.com wrote:
>>
>> I too thought my water was coming from the mast and laid out paper
>> towels around the mast and sides of the bilge. Nope! Seem the water is
>> coming in from somewhere in the stern area.
>> Patricia #736 Knot HomeRiverview, FL
>>
>> -----------------------------------------From: "Michael Leschisin"
>> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
>> Cc:
>> Sent: Monday January 28 2019 4:47:23PM
>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Water in the Bilge
>>
>> Thanks Graeme,
>>
>> I’ll have to give the boat a good testing this spring and see if I
>> have water entering from any of those areas. I like Jack’s idea of
>> using the chalk. (That sounds like a good plan of action.Thanks Jack)
>>
>> The reason I’m kind of obsessing over the mast base is that I had
>> about a quart and a half of solid ice only in the forward of the three
>> bilge compartments, none in the other compartments, no ice under the
>> floorboards on the edges of the bilge. The ice was frozen above the
>> antifreeze, not mixed with it, as though water had come slowly into
>> the front of the bilge and froze on contact with the antifreeze that
>> would have been below 32 degrees at the time. Don’t know if thats
>> right, but the only explanation I can come up with for a pretty weird
>> ice set……
>>
>> Not sure which is more fun, chasing water leaks or chasing electrical
>> shorts!
>>
>> Michael
>>
>> Michael Leschisin
>> #995, Wild Blue Yonder
>> Menominee, MI
>>
>>> On Jan 28, 2019, at 3:11 PM, Graeme Clark wrote:
>>>
>>> Disassembled mast step photos are available on the main site under
>> technical photos here (see Mast Step Project)
>>>
>>> https://c320.org/mediagallery/album.php?aid=4&sort=0&page=8
>> /> >
>>> I would bet $10 to 10c that your bilge water isn't coming through
>> the mast step at all though but arriving between the hull and the
>> liner through leaks at the base of the stanchions, pulpit, and
>> pushpin.
>>> Also if the cockpit and lazaretto lockers get deluged and the
>> gutters aren't kept clean water can overflow into the hull, as it also
>> can through the joint of the hinge on the port cockpit locker.
>>>
>>> How do i know? I completely waterproofed my mast-step when I
>> replaced the standing rigging and I still get water in the bilge!
>>>
>>> Graeme
>>> 1996, #366
>>>
>>>> On 28 Jan 2019, at 21:00, John Meyers wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Michael,
>>>>
>>>> It is cold here in Muskegon Michigan too but we can thank that big
>> lake we
>>>> sail on to keep us several degrees warmer than those on the west
>> side. On
>>>> the other hand we get a LOT of lake effect snow too.
>>>>
>>>> I sort of remember (but cannot verify as I don't have water in my
>> bilge
>>>> from the mast) that there may be a hole in the step that allows
>> water to
>>>> drain out. But that hole may be plugged with goop or some sort.
>> Use a wire
>>>> and poke around the step. If not maybe you could drill a very
>> small hole in
>>>> the mast to drain the water onto the deck.
>>>>
>>>> John Meyers
>>>> Wind Chime #406
>>>> Muskegon, MI
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Jan 28, 2019 at 10:11 AM Michael Leschisin <
>>>> mleschisin at imagestudios.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Hey Guy,
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks for all the info regarding water in the bilge.
>>>>>
>>>>> Just as a follow up to last week in case anyone is experiencing
>> similar
>>>>> issues….I called Catalina technical services last week and
>> their answer to
>>>>> my question about water entering the bilge through the mast base
>> was that
>>>>> yes, there is a opening where the mast wiring enters the cabin
>> top/mast
>>>>> base and runs through the compression post and into the bilge.
>> They also
>>>>> said there is a two inch standpipe inside the mast on top of this
>> hole to
>>>>> deter water from entering and that many dealers, when setting up
>> the boat,
>>>>> will fill this with silicon to close it off. Apparently mine
>> didn’t, so
>>>>> I’ll check that out next time I unstep the mast. Does anyone
>> presently
>>>>> have their mast unstepped and are able to confirm this
>> arraignment?
>>>>>
>>>>> My guess is that I have water entering via the halyard openings
>> as it runs
>>>>> down the mast, since I had ice blocked up primarily in the front
>> of the
>>>>> bilge. I dug out about a gallon and a half of slushy somewhat
>> diluted
>>>>> antifreeze from bilge in minus 10 degree weather this weekend and
>> replaced
>>>>> it with fresh minus one hundred. We’re headed for a low of -23
>> with a 50
>>>>> below windchill Wednesday night and then 38 degrees and a chance
>> of rain
>>>>> again on Sunday! Guess I’ll see how many holes in the mast I
>> can stop up
>>>>> on Saturday.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Michael
>>>>>
>>>>> Michael Leschisin
>>>>> #995, Wild Blue Yonder
>>>>> Menominee, MI
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Jan 25, 2019, at 10:49 AM, Gerald Rouillard
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Mike,
>>>>>> After I replaced all my leaking portlights, I was able to dry
>> out my
>>>>> bilge and get it painted. That helped me find what was still
>> leaking, and
>>>>> I've pretty much pinned it down to the starboard stanchion that
>> serves as
>>>>> the forward gate-post for the cockpit. Not a big leak, and it
>> only shows
>>>>> up after a heavy rain - or wash job - so I know it's not below
>> the
>>>>> waterline.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Interesting how long it took for me to realize my old standard,
>> the salt
>>>>> water "taste test" didn't have any relevance for a boat sitting
>> in fresh
>>>>> water!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sailor Jerry,
>>>>>> Wind Song, #283
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Jan 24, 2019, at 3:29 PM, Joe Luciano wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I typically have a dry bilge on my 320, but I don’t think
>> it’s likely
>>>>> that the mast wiring is bringing it in unless you see moisture
>> right where
>>>>> the wiring comes in from above the deck. I’ve seen water get to
>> the bilge
>>>>> from strange places on boats that I have owned. One method I’ve
>> used to
>>>>> see where the water is coming from is to take pieces of paper
>> towel and
>>>>> place them in areas above the low point in the bilge to get an
>> idea of the
>>>>> direction the water is coming from. Then I try to trace it back
>> to the
>>>>> source. You could have a leak through a stanchion connection to
>> the deck,
>>>>> window, the chain plate areas, or elsewhere from plumbing. These
>> can be
>>>>> very difficult to pinpoint with relatively small amounts of
>> water. The
>>>>> other method when all else fails involves pressurizing the cabin
>> slightly
>>>>> with air pressure and soaping various connections to look for
>> bubbles on
>>>>> the outside of the deck. I’ve seen that done in a boat yard,
>> but have
>>>>> never had to do it myself. Best of Luck!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Joe Luciano
>>>>>>> Second Wind
>>>>>>> 2005 Catalina 320
>>>>>>> Anacortes, WA
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Jan 24, 2019, at 3:14 PM, Bob Hoyt wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I don’t see any after a rain storm but want to hear from
>> others
>>>>>>>> Bob Hoyt
>>>>>>>> Ikigai
>>>>>>>> #58
>>>>>>>> Pensacola Fl
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Thu, Jan 24, 2019 at 4:43 PM Michael Leschisin <
>>>>>>>> mleschisin at imagestudios.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> For anyone who’s willing to provide some feedback,
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I’m wondering how much water is normal to find in the bilge
>> following
>>>>> a
>>>>>>>>> good rainstorm. My wife and I purchased our 320 a little over
>> a year
>>>>> ago
>>>>>>>>> and I typically find about a pint or two of water in the
>> bilge after a
>>>>>>>>> healthy rainstorm. I’m guessing this is normal and coming
>> in via the
>>>>> mast
>>>>>>>>> and compression post since there seems to be a drain hole in
>> the
>>>>> bilge just
>>>>>>>>> under the compression post base near where the mast and radar
>> wiring
>>>>> exits
>>>>>>>>> the post.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Earlier this week I went up to the boat, which is on the hard
>> for the
>>>>>>>>> winter, and much to my horror, found about a quart and a half
>> of
>>>>> frozen
>>>>>>>>> water in the front of the three bilge compartments. (But only
>> in the
>>>>>>>>> forward compartment) Fortunately, the water floated above the
>> -100
>>>>>>>>> antifreeze I had in the bilge before it froze, so none of the
>> keel
>>>>> bolts or
>>>>>>>>> the pump were affected, but scary none the less. We had a
>> fair
>>>>> amount of
>>>>>>>>> rain this fall and even in early January, but this seems like
>> a lot of
>>>>>>>>> water, especially for a boat that is under a winter cover
>> with no way
>>>>> for
>>>>>>>>> water to hit the decks, cockpit, port lights, hatches, etc.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I’m wondering if this amount is a normal compilation of
>> this season’s
>>>>>>>>> rainfall or if I need to trouble shoot some other problem.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Thanks for the help,
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Michael Leschisin
>>>>>>>>> #995, Wild Blue Yonder
>>>>>>>>> Menominee, MI
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> *Robert (Bob) Hoyt MD FACP*
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> *CAPT (Ret) USN*
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> *Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Internal
>> Medicine*
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> *Virginia Commonwealth University*
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> *Richmond, VA*
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>
>> *---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> *Adjunct Associate Professor, College of Allied Health
>> Professions*
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> *University of Nebraska Medical Center*
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> *Omaha, NE*
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> *Diplomate, Clinical Informatics*
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> InformaticsEducation.org >>>>> rehoyt at gmail.com
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> robert.hoyt at unmc.edu
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Cell: 850-384-5235
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Links:
>> ------
>> [1] http://InformaticsEducation.org
>>
>
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