E26 - Clean bilge area under TGAF

[johnrkay]

Does anyone have experience cleaning the area beneath the bilge and the TGAF on an E26-2 (1986)? The boat has a bad case of boat breath. There is oil, water and probably a lot of other gunk in that area. The only access is through the two limber holes. I want to scrub and dry the area. I’m also considering a recommendation from a shipwright to cut a hole in the bottom of the middle bilge and install an electric pump to keep the area dry.

Advice much appreciated. This is a bit of a head scratcher.

 

[Loren Beach]

If the factory bilge access is not sufficient, you might want to add some removable access places. I did that on our boat.
If you look at one the photos in the blog entry, particularly at the larger aft sole section that I divided in half, you can notice the way I saved the cut out center part to use as an access plate.

O34 - Revarnishing all the sole pieces

I brought home all of the sole pieces this spring to sand down and add 5 coats of new varnish. They were really dull from years of foot traffic and some added nicks here n there. I did add a little filler with close color match, here n there...

ericsonyachts.org

 

[Alan Gomes]

If the factory bilge access is not sufficient, you might want to add some removable access places. I did that on our boat.
If you look at one the photos in the blog entry, particularly at the larger aft sole section that I divided in half, you can notice the way I saved the cut out center part to use as an access plate.

O34 - Revarnishing all the sole pieces

I brought home all of the sole pieces this spring to sand down and add 5 coats of new varnish. They were really dull from years of foot traffic and some added nicks here n there. I did add a little filler with close color match, here n there...

ericsonyachts.org

I'm not following your reply here, Loren. I think the OP is asking how to get access underneath the TAFG, not greater access underneath the cabin sole.

If I read him correctly, the question is whether it might be a good idea to cut a large-ish hole in the middle TAFG compartment to facilitate pumping out the water that collects between the underside of the TAFT and the top of the encapsulated keel. (Actually, he has a 1986 E26-2, which might have gone to a bolt-on keel by then. Maybe he can clarify whether he has keel bolts.)

 

[Loren Beach]

'm not following your reply here, Loren. I think the OP is asking how to get access underneath the TAFG, not greater access underneath the cabin sole.

Oops. Yeah I see what you mean and I may have assumed too much, altho the question did reference the sole and the TAFG.
Hmmmm.

Perhaps the OP can put up some photos of the area in question.

 

[Alan Gomes]

FWIW, here is what the TAFG bilge compartments look like on my boat with the sole removed (i.e., during replacement).

 

[Christian Williams]

Looks like the TAGF is shallow (mine has much deeper compartments). Looks like the glop is from the hidden areas into which bilge water flows through the conduits for hoses. If true,

I guess you could cut an access hole into the flat top of the TAGF in order to clean it out. Not sure it would be worth it to me.

What I've done is stick a hose in there with detergent. And also, filled the bilge with detergent fresh water and gone sailing to bash the boat around. That starts a long process of sluicing and pumping which can amount to months, especially if there's an old oil spill in there, or factory sawdust, or heavy sludge.

Those hidden areas can be inspected by using any of the newfangled cheap lighted borescopes, random example here. I haven't bought mine yet but others have.

 

[johnrkay]

I'm not following your reply here, Loren. I think the OP is asking how to get access underneath the TAFG, not greater access underneath the cabin sole.

If I read him correctly, the question is whether it might be a good idea to cut a large-ish hole in the middle TAFG compartment to facilitate pumping out the water that collects between the underside of the TAFT and the top of the encapsulated keel. (Actually, he has a 1986 E26-2, which might have gone to a bolt-on keel by then. Maybe he can clarify whether he has keel bolts.)

FWIW, here is what the TAFG bilge compartments look like on my boat with the sole removed (i.e., during replacement).

View attachment 45552

Thanks Alan. Your bilge configuration is similar to mine. I have a combination of water, oil and other gunk in the area under the TGAF. The only access is through the small holes. I’ve been debating whether to cut a hole and install a small bilge pump in the middle bilge to remove the water that routinely accumulates under the TGAF. I also need to give it a good cleaning to remove the odour. My 86 also has an encapsulated keel

 

[johnrkay]

Looks like the TAGF is shallow (mine has much deeper compartments). Looks like the glop is from the hidden areas into which bilge water flows through the conduits for hoses. If true,

I guess you could cut an access hole into the flat top of the TAGF in order to clean it out. Not sure it would be worth it to me.

What I've done is stick a hose in there with detergent. And also, filled the bilge with detergent fresh water and gone sailing to bash the boat around. That starts a long process of sluicing and pumping which can amount to months, especially if there's an old oil spill in there, or factory sawdust, or heavy sludge.

Those hidden areas can be inspected by using any of the newfangled cheap lighted borescopes, random example here. I haven't bought mine yet but others have.

Thanks Christian. I’m dealing with two problems. One is the odour caused by oil and whatever else is accumulated in the hidden areas. The other problem is that water routinely collects in this area. There is enough space in the hidden areas for about a half gallon of water to accumulate before it starts to appear in the bilge. Right now, my only option to remove water from the hidden areas is a hand pump

 

[Christian Williams]

Water trapped in the TAFG is sorta inevitable. Some models have drains to release it.

 

[KS Dave]

Mine looks the same as Alan's - '85 E26 here. Yes, they are quite shallow. One has to buy a specific model of automated bilge pump to fit in the compartment and still be able to close the lid.

I've had some success sucking out gunk from below with a modified shop vac hose through the limber holes. Sort of the way Christian described. But it seems like a never-ending war. It always comes back with some gunk. The smell in my boat improved drastically when I removed the sole. It had been diesel soaked a time or two. Speaking of smells, removing the marine head and and the smelly holding tank and hoses dramatically improved the odiferous emanations from the cabin.

As for installing a bilge pump there, I'm pretty sure Randall (now inactive here, but he owned an E26 named 'Turtle) did what you described. Let me see if I can find a picture/post. I recall he just enlarged one of the existing holes in the middle compartment.