standing water in bilge

laHolland · #1 (**permalink**) 05-24-2009

I posted a few days ago about a Cal-27.. We still haven't made the final decision. When we were back looking at the boat yesterday we found an additional access point to the bilge and found standing water in there. The boat hasn't been in the water for three years.. so I'm not sure how that water got in there, and how long it's been in there. The boat has a pop-top, and water has been leaking from it (slightly), so it may have pooled at the lowest point of the boat over the years. Or maybe there was water in the water tank and it started to leak.. I'm really not sure where the water came from. It may have also come in from the last time it was sailed (three years ago).

Is this bilge water a deal breaker? It's not the water I'm worried about, but rather the time it might have been standing there. I felt the bottom of the bilge, and it felt solid to my hand.. what would be a good indicator of the solidity of the bottom? Clearly, it's not leaking

celenoglu · #2 (**permalink**) 05-24-2009

Did you taste the water. Unfortunately the best method to test the source of water is tasting it. If salty it is from the sea.

laHolland · #3 (**permalink**) 05-24-2009

I didn't think of that.. but your right, that's what I should do. Unfortunately it looked like a good source of a variety of unsavory bacteria. There was a small amount of bright yellow scum around the edge of the water, not sure what that may indicate.

DrB · #4 (**permalink**) 05-24-2009

if it has been out of the water for 3 years. As yo have noticed, their is all kinds of potential nasties in it.

You could try the following experiment. Take a small amount of the water, say a cup full, in a clear plastic cup. Add a few drops of common shampoo, and shake or stir well. Dump out the sudsy fluid and see if there is a pretty good soap scum on the plastic cup, If their is, it is probably salty water as most shampoos don't rinse well in salt water. If the cup only leaves a thin or clear soap film, in most likely is fresh water.

If it is salt water, I 'd be leery about the boat. However, my guess it is mostly fresh water from condensation and trickles of rain water.

DrB

CellNav · #5 (**permalink**) 05-28-2009

If it's saltwater and it's been in the bilge for three years then rest assured the keel to hull joint is solid. Otherwise, the water would have leaked out the way it came in...

merc2dogs · #6 (**permalink**) 05-28-2009

That's always been my opinion. When I look at a boat on the hard with a dusty bilge, I start looking for the reason why.

Most likely the original source was reainwater, the yellow scum is likely pollen. At my old place, any standing water developed a yellow film certain times of the year.

Ken.