Ice in the bilge? Sad story. Or not?

[djousset]

I am a newbie LOVING THE SAILING LIFE and hoping for gentle responses....

I swung by the boat this week and thankfully decided to go down below to check things out. To my surprise the bilge was FILLED with water (and a coat of ice on top) to within 1/8 inch of the sole. I spent 2+ hours clearing all the water and ice.....soaked jeans, frozen fingers and yes...some swear words.....all happily (?) to save my boat. But WTH ??? The whole time I was bailing I was wondering if it was in vain. Is this normal? Where did 5+ gallons of water come from? Did this happen last year but I just missed it? Am I going to post this and get laughed at? Does water always come in, freeze and melt? Am I a clueless sailor?

Sooo, cut to the chase. Did I mess up my bilge? What has been compromised? Does ice do damage to anything? What did I miss? And to those paying attention yes, I did post earlier (proudly) that my bilge was bone dry. Karma. Amiright?

[LittleWing77]

D,

Was it salt or fresh water? Did you happen to taste it?

Sounds like you have some detective work to do. Somehow or other water got into the boat.

Unless it was frozen for a long time (as in, the entire Winter) there probably isn't any hull damage - but maybe boatpoker can weigh in. He'll have a more definitive answer for you.

Don't be too stressed. You dealt with it immediately, so that's great. Now you just have to figure out where it came from so you can prevent a reoccurrence.

Warmly,
LittleWing77

[djousset]

On the hard, fresh water. We've had lots of rain but this A LOT.

[LittleWing77]

Okay, so SOMEwhere (this is the maddening part) the rain may be draining into the bilges. Maybe go by the boat when it's pouring next and see where the ingress is coming from...?

[Orion Jim]

You must ascertain the source of the leak and determine how best to keep her watertight for the remainder of the winter or you may find costly repairs in your future. You didn’t mention a winter cover.....do you have one?

[Uncle Bob]

Hi, given that the boat is on the hard and it must be fresh water then you do need to find the source, however the installation of a garboard drain plug at the lowest point of the bilge may well prevent damage in the future.

[Jammer]

Hello Diane


I note that your boat was laid down in 1987.


As a very general rule, boats can be expected to develop deck leaks after 20 years, that allow water ingress when it rains, or when spray or green water reaches the deck. Water from these leaks ultimately makes its way to the bilge.


By way of example, my boat was laid down in 1995, and last year I rebedded most of the deck fittings as a precaution, and found two or three serious leaks. The worst of these was where a fixed portlight was attached to the hull with adhesive sealant that had failed. Also serious was the pulpit rail, which had suffered a minor collision at some point that broke the bond of the sealant.


Your situation is likely similar. Given the age of the boat, it is possible that some earlier repairs may now be failing, especially if they were not completed to the highest standards.



Careful checking of the boat after a rainstorm may reveal specific areas that are moist. Otherwise, you may find it useful to set up a lawn sprinkler in the spring, or have an assistant pour water on the deck using a garden hose.

[S/V Illusion]

That’s why God invented covers.
The worse damage occurs when water gets into crevice cracks on deck and freezes.

[DougR]

Unless all of the water in the bilge was frozen solid there probably is no damage to the hull, and even if it was frozen solid it’s probably OK as long as there was room for the ice to expand without restriction.

I used to have a Tartan 30 and it would get 3 or 4” of water in the bilge over the winter in New England, and freeze solid. The top surface of the ice would bulge upward as the water froze, as there was nothing restricting its expansion and there was never any damage to anything.

[Mike OReilly]

It's unlikely the ice or water caused any damage. A deep, solid freeze would, but a skim of ice is no big deal. As long as the water didn't submerge anything vital, I'd say no damage done.

As to where the water is coming in, others have already made good suggestions. Old boats (and even new boats) will often have small leaks that can eventually drain to the bilge. Also, is your mast up? Is it keel stepped? If so, that's likely the main source.

One other big issue can be poor placement on the hard. If your boat is not placed in a way to allow the decks to drain normally, water can accumulate on deck, and then seep down through any cracks. Make sure your boat is positioned either perfectly as it would be in the water, or angle the bow or stern such that water must drain off.

A cover is a great idea as well.

[cal40john]

cockpit seacock closed?

cockpit drain hose broken?

kids with a garden hose having fun

[JPA Cate]

Common points of ingress for rainwater: (in no particular order)
* hawse hole, or if sealant is failing under windlass
* hull to deck join
* stanchion bases
* hand rails
* through deck fittings (including foot blocks, jib & traveler car rails, pul and pushpit feet,) and even winch bases and cleats. Every fitting is suspect till it is shown to not leak.
* hatches leak either around their frames when the sealant fails, or if the gaskets are too hard or cracked. Ports are notorious for leaking, both around frames and from gaskets.
* If mast is keel stepped, the halyard notches and the sheaves at the top will allow water in; if deck stepped, the swans neck for the electrics may be allowing water in).

If you can't rig a temporary cover, then, the next time it rains, go to the boat, and see what you can see. usually water leaves tracks, and if you're talking 5 gallons, I'd think something was left open, or you have a number of different leaks. Check the hatches and ports first. Sealant won't set up in the rain. You'll need a dry day to remediate the problem, but you can leave a list of where you need to re-seal on your phone or on a tablet or something.

The important thing is that you've discovered a problem, and will deal with it. Good on ya.

Ann

[LLCoolDave]

I'm not sure about your model but a lot of Pearsons were made with hull liners which can make tracing leaks very difficult. You need to open and inspect every nook and cranny near deck fittings stantion bases, chainplates, pulpits, cockpit drains, etc. Hopefully you can find a trail of water. If you have a keel stepped mast it is difficult not to get in a little water when it rains.

[Spot]

On my boat, a broken cockpit drain hose flooded the bilge up into the cabin. After that was fixed smaller leaks were detectable from deck fittings and portlights.

[LittleWing77]

Actually, now that I've read everyone's answers, unless it's something obvious like a broken hose that Spot had, I might lean more toward getting a big tarp (taking care to wrap the mastshoe to ensure the water's not coming in by way of the mast) and/or getting her shrink-wrapped until the Spring when it will be warm enough to re-bed stuff that may be leaking.

Of course, you still need to find out where the water is coming from, but with all these great suggestions from our fellow Forum members, it all seems more manageable somehow, doesn't it?

Here's a great article on Marine How-To about bedding deck hardware (slightly different from re-bedding deck hardware), but at least it gives you a sense of the task:
https://marinehowto.com/bed-it-tape/

Isn't boat ownership fun?

Good luck with your detective work!
Warmly,
LittleWing77