[C320-list] Hi all - question about water in the bilge

[David Wellerstein]

This is great, thank you for that.

I had a TON of work done to the engine including a new salt water pump, new hoses, a new exhaust elbow, +new rocker arm assembly and more.  Finding all the parts was difficult.  I really wanted to make sure it was in as good shape as possible and even though it only had 500 hours on it, it needed a lot of stuff.

Funny thing is, there is no water under the engine or under the packing gland/shaft.  I’ll run the engine in the slip and check around though.

This is our first sailboat in over 20 years and we are very rusty so please pardon the incorrect verbiage/terminology.

I really appreciate the feedback!!  Thank you!!  It’s good to know I’m not alone.  :)

—David

David Wellerstein | dwellers at mac.com | 925.301.6581 (m)

> On Jan 13, 2022, at 12:54 PM, Christian <ccaper at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> If salt water, and its coming from the section behind the bilge pump, I
> would suspect any component of your raw water cooling system.  Is the water
> more noticeable when engine running? Check if your raw water pump is
> leaking, crack in hose on any component of your raw water system (thru hull
> to pump, pump to heat exchanger, and the exhaust elbow to your aqua
> muffler, and around the perimeter of your aqua muffler).  Are you seeing
> any water in the pan beneath the engine?  Another thing to check is your
> raw water vent loop anti siphon.  On a Perkins '94, the vent loop is
> usually attached to the engine compartment fiberglass just port of the heat
> exchange unit.  Your duck bill might have gone bad, and spraying water
> while engine is running (this is an especially bad mounting place imho for
> salt water sailing, as the this is near some electrical wiring, hastening
> corrosion if spraying salt water).
> -Christian Caperton
> 1994 C320 #138 "Canuck" Monroe Harbor, Chicago, IL
> 
> On Thu, Jan 13, 2022 at 2:43 PM David Wellerstein <dwellers at mac.com> wrote:
> 
>> Hi there,
>> 
>> I am not sure if this is going out and to whom, but I thought I would give
>> it a go.  I am a member of the 320 association.
>> 
>> We recently purchased a ’94 C320, hull number 118, and after a lot of
>> updating to the Perkins diesel, batteries and many other things, we are
>> ready to sail here in the SF Bay!
>> 
>> The current annoying issue is water in the bilge that seems to be coming
>> from the area under the sole immediately behind the section of the bilge
>> with the pump.  I’ve removed the sole (the dining table included) piece
>> that reveals that section of the bilge.  I can post a picture but there’s a
>> hole that leads to the pump area.  The water seems to be seawater but I can
>> not figure where it’s coming from.  We recently replaced the dripless and
>> had all the thru-hulls checked at a recent haul out.
>> 
>> I’ve vacuumed out all the water but it returns.
>> 
>> If this is the right place to send questions, I’m sure I will have
>> others.  We are really excited to get going and love the boat so far.
>> 
>> Thank you!
>> 
>> —David
>> 
>> David Wellerstein | dwellers at mac.com | 925.301.6581 (m)
>> 
>>