Should I drill a hole to my bilge?

adell50 · #1 (**permalink**) 06-15-2011

1973 27' Catalina

I bought my boat with a modified engine room/space. It looks like a different engine mount has been added, however I am not completely certain.

I get just a little water in there, presumably from the prop shaft, but its not a lot. I am just concerned, as this water never makes its way to the bilge.

Any advice on drilling a small drainage hole to link these two compartments?

Many thanks!

Cptken · #2 (**permalink**) 06-15-2011

The danger of drilling a hole is if you ever have a fuel/oil spill it will end up in the bilge and be an even bigger mess to clean up, plus if the bilge pumps get it overboard you may have some fines to pay.

Most Catalinas are designed so that water from the prop shaft can go around the engine pan when the boat is heeled. Check to make sure that nothing is blocking the sides.

To aleviate the problem switch the packing material to Gore GFO (google it) and repack the shaft nut. About a 20 minute job you can do in the water. The Gore GFO is a dripless packing material that works great.

adell50 · #3 (**permalink**) 06-15-2011

Hey Cptken,

Thanks for the quick response. Here's the funny thing..my boat doesnt have an inboard engine, only an outboard, wereas the fuel tanks are in the aft most storage locker from the deck. Inboard, the previous owners built and installed an electric drive powered by 4 deep cycle AGM gel batteries. Its pretty novel, if you ask me..id rather have a diesel, but im not complaining at this point

I will still take your advice on the Gore GFO, as keeping water out cant be a bad thing, but I am straining on how to allow for any water that does come in to make its way to the bilge so it can be automatically pumped out.

Mark1948 · #4 (**permalink**) 06-15-2011

I have a 85 Catalina 27 and there is a clear path from the engine room to the bildge. I wonder if a PO change the set up.

SlowButSteady · #5 (**permalink**) 06-15-2011

If there is no inboard engine (just an electric motor), go ahead and drill a small hole or two in the lowest spot of the pan and let the water trickle into the bilge. Without an inboard there should be no worries about getting oil in the bilge. If you decide in the future that you don't like having the hole(s) they will be easy enough to epoxy over.

Even it there was an inboard, you could still drill the hole(s); just put a oil absorbent "sock" in the pan, or a couple of oil absorbent pads lining the bottom of the pan (and another sock in the bilge for good measure). They will take the oil out of the water (to a point) before the bilge pump sends it overboard.

mherrcat · #6 (**permalink**) 06-15-2011

Just my opinion, but that looks like a lot of water to be accumulating in the drip pan under the (non-existent) engine. Usually that pan is isolated from the area where the stuffing box drips and there is a provision for the water that drips from the stuffing box to drain into the bilge; at least it is that way on my Ericson. The reason they are separate is so no oil or fuel that might come from the engine can find its way into the bilge.

How long does it take for that amount of water to accumulate? I would be looking for the source of that water, since it shouldn't be in that location in the first place.

SJ34 · #7 (**permalink**) 06-15-2011

I would consider adding a pump in the engine sump area to pump that water directly overboard thus keeping the bilge dry.

Some versions of my boat had a separate engine sump with pump. Mine does not and I wish it did.

WDS123 · #8 (**permalink**) 06-15-2011

No - keep oil water out of bilge

adell50 · #9 (**permalink**) 06-16-2011

thanks for the advice everyone!

I am going to drill a hole so that the water can make its way to the bilge and them be pumped out from there.

mherrcat · #10 (**permalink**) 06-20-2011

A bilge pump in the engine drip pan may get you in trouble with the Coast Guard if you are ever inspected. The pump would allow any oil or fuel in the pan to be pumped overboard, which is illegal. I removed a pump that was installed in the drip pan of my boat by a previous owner. The reason he was getting water in the pan was because a bilge pump hose from the main cabin was routed through the pan and it had a hole in it where it passed through the drip pan.

That drip pan should be isolated from the bilge. You should find out where that water is coming from...

Ooops. Just reread the thread and realized you have no inboard engine, so I guess the point about fuel and oil is moot; drill away if you wish. If I were you, I would still want to know where that water is coming from.