How to Properly Maintain the Bilge of Your Boat
The bilge is the wettest part inside your boat. As such, it is susceptible to all kinds of problems that come along with water. These problems include rust, grime building up on components, bacteria, and foul odor.
Interestingly, the bilge is often one of the most ignored places by boat owners when it comes to maintenance and repairs. Bilge maintenance may not be as exciting as tuning up your turbo diesel or applying a perfect coat of varnish. However, it houses valuable components, including pumps, wiring, plumbing, and seacocks.
Failure of these components can result in significant problems for you – such as sinking. Performing regular maintenance of your bilge is crucial to the overall functionality, durability ad health of your vessel. Below is a detailed overview of some of the ways that you can maintain your boat’s bilge.
Keep the Bilge Clean
The importance of bilge cleanliness cannot be overstated. However, this is usually easier said than done due to one primary reason. Almost all bilges contain sections that are extremely difficult to reach.
Fortunately, the bulk of machinery spaces have good access points. This is because they are set up and designs as such for maintenance purposes. In well-designed vessels, cabin-sole hatches typically grant access to pumps and other bilge components outside the engine room. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Use biodegradable or water-based detergents and water to clean all the areas that you can reach carefully. The focus of your cleaning should be on machinery spaces because they are more prone to housing fuel and oil leaks and spills. Cleaning these areas also makes it easier for you to detect drips, as they will be evident in a clean bilge. It is quite tricky to detect drips in a dirty bilge.
Start by conducting an inspection of your bilge to identify any oil or oily residue. Use an oil absorbent sock or pad to capture the oil before you begin any cleanup work. Discharging oily water or oil overboard is strictly forbidden in all jurisdictions. Take this opportunity to determine the source of the oil. These leakages are often indicative of other problems in your boat.
Thoroughly clean the limber holes, stringers, openings in frames, and the non-watertight bulkheads, which allow for the flow of water into the sump housing the bilge pump. If limber holes become clogged with dirt and grime, sections of your boat’s bilge will turn into stagnant swamps.
Wooden-boat builders would place a flat brass chain from stern to stern through the limber holes. Junk would dislodge to allow water flow if you shook this chain. Limber-hole chains are scarce in boats today. You can use a rod of stiff wire or another similar tool to clear them out.
It is worth noting that limber holes without sealed edges let in water. Over time, this can bring about core deterioration and delamination. Call in a boat repair expert if you find limber holes that are unsealed in the bilge. Do not ignore this crucial detail.
Following your cleaning activities, turn on your bilge pump and rinse the bilge thoroughly with lots of clean water. Leave some hatches open to allow the bilge spaces to air out.
Service Your Bilge Pumps
A bilge pump is a modest little component that many boat operators take for granted. This device lives a tough life buried in the deepest confines of your boat, fending off rising water and debris. This is until you will call upon it to tackle the effects of water being in places it should not be.
You must treat your bilge pumps with as much regard and attention as the main engine. When other systems in your boat fail, it is the job of your bilge pump to keep you from sinking. Depending on the construction and size of your boat, there may be multiple pumps on board. Consult your dealer for the specifics if you are not sure of the number or location of the bilge pumps.
The first maintenance step is ensuring that you clean your bilge pump and keep it free of any debris or trash. The pumps can be littered with clogging material bits from fiberglass, wood shavings, and gobs of epoxy. Also, ensure that you clean up and properly dispose of oily bilge residue. Oil mixes with dirt and grime to form a sludge that often clogs your bilge pump and impede the operation of float switches.
Note that some modern bilge pumps have been designed to cease pumping upon sensing oil in the water automatically. Many boat owners may not be aware of this and are thus vital to keep the bilges clean.
Ensure that you install intake strainers or strum boxes on all the bilge pumps and that you can easily reach and clear them of debris. These devices serve as protection against foreign matter ingestion. Test every bilge pump in manual and automatic modes before cleaning them and their remote switches.
Inspect All the Other Components in the Bilge
It is good practice to inspect every component that you can while you are in the bilge. Locate and operate each ball valve or seacock and inspect each hose and its connections (both ends).
If you have a submersible bilge pump that discharges through a vented loop, ensure that this vent is cleared. This prevents water from siphoning back in.
Make sure that you nitpick as it can save your boat. The wear, tear, and corrosion of seemingly minor components can often lead to significant boat problems. Always pay close attention during bilge maintenance work to keep your boat safe
Give the Boat a Once Over
Once the bilge is clean and dry (usually a few hours after cleaning work), take this time to run all of your boat’s equipment. This will help you detect any leaks and spills. If your boat has an inboard engine, you are more likely to experience problems here. However, if pumps, cabin plumbing, and live wells are not working correctly, they can all contribute water to your bilge.
While at the dock, flick a few switches and monitor the bilge area water levels. This way, you will be able to detect sources of additional water inside your boat quickly. This is also the perfect time to inventory any bilge pumps, switches, and lights that are not functioning correctly. Mark all faulty components for future repair or replacement.
It is advisable to inspect the bilge of your boat and conduct maintenance work at least once a month. Ensure that you only use products that are specifically designed for bilge maintenance and environmentally benign. Avoid major boat problems by making bilge care a regular maintenance item. It is right underfoot, so do not ignore this vital part of your vessel.