How bad a sign is a bilge full of water, ashore?

[Greenheart]

I know, I know...there are so many nice boats for sale, there's no need to look at scruffy neglected ones.

Just the same, I'd like to know whether a boat that has filled beneath her cabin sole whilst ashore, is one to walk away from:

a) because her hatches/windows clearly leak;
b) because her owner evidently hasn't taken due care of her (or even emptied her before putting her up for sale);
c) because a lot of fresh water on the keel-bolts and the inside of the hull, may have seriously damaged her integrity;
d) quite possibly a), b) and c).

I wouldn't be daunted at re-sealing windows and hatches, but if the keel-bolts are rusting and the whole hull is likely to be sodden as a neoprene sock, I'll set a new course.

Thanks. :encouragement:

 

[JumbleDuck]

I know, I know...there are so many nice boats for sale, there's no need to look at scruffy neglected ones.

Just the same, I'd like to know whether a boat that has filled beneath her cabin sole whilst ashore, is one to walk away from ...

It entirely depends on why it has happened. When I was refitting my Jouster one year I simply forgot to fit a single one of the 4mm screws which held down the jib sheet tracks. It rained heavily overnight, and when I went back to the boat the next day that single hole had allowed 4" of water into the bilge.

On the other hand, I walked away from a boat like my current one because the locker behind the sink had 8" of brown water in it, which to me was further evidence of bad or missing maintenance.

So ... if you know why the water is there, and you can stop it, and there is no significant damage, I wouldn't worry over much. I'd look VERY carefully at any woodwork (bulkhead bottoms, for example) which might have been immersed.

 

[mlines]

Or the owner has been diligently de-humidifying the boat and put the drain hose into the wrong floor outlet (I would never be that stupid of course)

 

[Major_Clanger]

There should be tell-tales as to how the water has got in so have a good poke about. Has the boat been ashore a while? Check to make sure it's not salt water.

You could use it as a BIG bargaining chip, especially as it's indicative of neglect in other areas.

 

[Graham376]

Depends on how long the water has been there and any damage done. Rust on keel nuts/studs may well just be surface but if bottoms of bulkheads have been wet for a long time, could be a case of walk away.

 

[Mr Cassandra]

A lots of water come down my mast when it rains

 

[Kukri]

IMHO many GRP boats have leaks in the cockpit area, and indeed down the mast. Because both of these act as “collectors” of rain, a small leak can fill the bilge up quite fast.

 

[Lucky Duck]

I am pleased to report the only thing in my bilges is dust.

However I have had to empty bilges of other boats which was due to water collecting in 'unusual' places as the boat had a distinct 'bow down' level owing to the slope on the hardstanding.

 

[lw395]

The inside of the hull generally has less osmosis protection than the outside.
Keelbolts
Bulkheads, other woodwork
Wiring
All vulnerable to water.

The other thing is, if the water has been there any length of time, the whole inside has probably been at >100% humidity for significant periods, so everything that inside might be damaged, corrosion of anything metal even if it's high up, anything electrical deeply suspect, any insulation or lining could be sodden.
There could even be frost damage to consider.
At best, it's going to be a manky auld boat, at worst BER.

 

[pvb]

I know, I know...there are so many nice boats for sale, there's no need to look at scruffy neglected ones.

You've answered your own question! Walk away.

 

[Topcat47]

My boat has a habit of collecting rainwater via the locker with the Morse engine control fixed to the side. It's a design problem from the '60s. The guttering round the locker isn't big enough to shed all the water finding it's way past the lid, which is a flat plank of Teak. nothing to worry about. It's not going to be salt ashore unless the owner didn't pump out on coming ashore.

 

[ProDave]

My boat used to sit afloat all summer with a completely bone dry bilge, neither sea nor rain water ever got in.

Sit it ashore over winter for 6 months and it would fill up with about 2" of water. I never did find a leak, and concluded it was condensation on the sides of the hull running down.

It needed regular drying out, though not so easy when it was sub zero.

 

[NormanS]

Possible frost damage to water tanks, pipework or calorifier.

 

[Greenheart]

Thank you, gentlemen, for a lot of good points.

I know I started by saying that there are too many good boats out there, to justify looking at neglected ropey ones...

...but an astonishing proportion of the ones for sale, are on the East Coast or in Wales.

I won't mind a bit of a journey back to the Solent, but considering how many yachtsmen are based here, it surprises me how few of them seem to sell, here!

So all the available examples of my favourite classes of yacht are a long way away at present, and quite a few of them show worrying signs of sloshy bilge; although as has been said, it needn't necessarily be catastrophic.

:encouragement:

 

[langstonelayabout]

The inside of the hull generally has less osmosis protection than the outside.
Keelbolts
Bulkheads, other woodwork
Wiring
All vulnerable to water.

The other thing is, if the water has been there any length of time, the whole inside has probably been at >100% humidity for significant periods, so everything that inside might be damaged, corrosion of anything metal even if it's high up, anything electrical deeply suspect, any insulation or lining could be sodden.
There could even be frost damage to consider.
At best, it's going to be a manky auld boat, at worst BER.

Not so sure. My last boat had a habit of filling up from above. Rain would find every nook and cranny and also seemed to love the bilge.

In the winter I was always kept busy dealing with yet another leak, often from stanchions, push/pulpit, deck fittings, hatch and window seals. There were loads of potential leak areas, and they all took their turn in leaking until I 'killed them to death'.

In the summer all that was in the bilge was dust. (apart from when the fresh water tank leaked)

It seems that the relatively complex modern boat with it's myriad of fittings, accessories and production cost cutting is a leak waiting to happen.

Fortunately, when I sold her the keelbolt studs and nuts, wiring and all of the other fixtures and fittings were fine, and the hull in the area if the bilge showed no moisture level above normal. I guess that she wasn't that much of a MAB...

 

[lw395]

Not so sure. My last boat had a habit of filling up from above. Rain would find every nook and cranny and also seemed to love the bilge. In the winter I was always kept busy dealing with yet another leak, often from stanchions, push/pulpit, deck fittings, hatch and window seals. There were loads of potential leak areas, and they all took their turn in leaking until I 'killed them to death'.

It seems that the relatively complex modern boat with it's myriad of fittings, accessories and production cost cutting is a leak waiting to happen.

Fortunately, when I sold her the keelbolt studs and nuts, wiring and all of the other fixtures and fittings were fine, and the hull in the area if the bilge showed no moisture level above normal. I guess that she wasn't that much of a MAB...

The difference was probably that you were there every weekend cleaning inside the boat or at least opening it up so it got aired. Regular attention makes a huge difference. You can tell when a boat's been ignored with water in it.

 

[steveeasy]

Fair to say in an ideal world no water should be found in a bilge. In reality though its quite common. Funny thing is I had a boat on the water for years and it was allways bone dry. put her on a trailer and left her for a fortnight and flooded her.

Steveeasy

 

[JumbleDuck]

So all the available examples of my favourite classes of yacht are a long way away at present, and quite a few of them show worrying signs of sloshy bilge; although as has been said, it needn't necessarily be catastrophic.

Your Hunter 490 is still sitting on my driveway ...

Not so sure. My last boat had a habit of filling up from above. Rain would find every nook and cranny and also seemed to love the bilge. In the winter I was always kept busy dealing with yet another leak, often from stanchions, push/pulpit, deck fittings, hatch and window seals. There were loads of potential leak areas, and they all took their turn in leaking until I 'killed them to death'.

I detest leaks, and when I got my current boat I spent a good deal of time and effort tracking down and dealing with Every. Single. One. Which from memory included the portlights (new seals), the B&G repeaters (sealant), the mushroom ventilator (replaced) and the solar panel wire gland (repacked). To the best of my knowledge not a drop gets in from above, although with a traditional stuffing gland and an ice-box, my bilge always has a bit of water in it.

 

[Caladh]

We looked at a boat that had a small amount of fresh water in the bilge which we put down to a leaking pipe somewhere. Then we discovered that both +200 litre water tanks were leaking ……...

 

[oldharry]

Fair to say in an ideal world no water should be found in a bilge. In reality though its quite common. Funny thing is I had a boat on the water for years and it was allways bone dry. put her on a trailer and left her for a fortnight and flooded her.

Steveeasy

Is she on a swinging mooring? If so, she would normally always face the weather bows on. Mines the same. On the mooring very little rain finds its way in. Ashore with the prevailing wind up her tail I'm pumping her out every other week.