Geoff Johnson
Fellow Ericson Owner
I am a little mystified by your problem. I have the same boat and while it is impossible to remove all the water from the bottom of the bilge, I have never had a problem with the remaining water getting out of the narrow deep bilge wells. Seems like you would have to heel the boat 50 or 60 degrees for that to happen.
"Sump-less in Portland"
Our Olson 34 has an arc-shape bottom in the midsection of the boat. No sump - zip - nada. First wake-up call was when we were rail down, driving to weather, and I found water in the storage shelf beside the nav table seat! It dawned on me, belatedly, why the fabric hull liner was water stained...
Within our first two years of ownership, we installed a PSS no-drip shaft seal. With no water migrating forward from the old stuffing box area the situation improved markedly. Nowadays there is some fresh (!) rain water in the winter from the inside of the mast, and sometimes a little bit of water from condensation from the refrigeration copper lines under the galley counter. I sponge out all moisture from the 5 inch deep bilge.
FWIW, I know an offshore cruiser that puts a large sponge in each bilge section and wrings 'em out regularly.
As a friend used to tell me: "a dry bilge is happy bilge."
Loren
1988 Olson 34
Our Olson 34 has an arc-shape bottom in the midsection of the boat. No sump - zip - nada. First wake-up call was when we were rail down, driving to weather, and I found water in the storage shelf beside the nav table seat! It dawned on me, belatedly, why the fabric hull liner was water stained...
Within our first two years of ownership, we installed a PSS no-drip shaft seal. With no water migrating forward from the old stuffing box area the situation improved markedly. Nowadays there is some fresh (!) rain water in the winter from the inside of the mast, and sometimes a little bit of water from condensation from the refrigeration copper lines under the galley counter. I sponge out all moisture from the 5 inch deep bilge.
FWIW, I know an offshore cruiser that puts a large sponge in each bilge section and wrings 'em out regularly.
As a friend used to tell me: "a dry bilge is happy bilge."
Loren
1988 Olson 34
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Geoff Johnson
Fellow Ericson Owner
Then my bilge is profoundly depressed. This year I did not notice that my yard failed to remove the 1/2" drain plug from the bilge after haulout and after 8 days of nearly continuous rain I found the bilge water to be 1" below the bottom of my new cabin sole. All of the water came from inside the mast. After I removed the plug, the boat drained for 1/2 hour. Mucho aqua.
Mindscape
Member III
Drain Plug
Geoff - where is the drain plug, and did you install it? I'm not aware of this in my boat and I have the same boat. Another thing I missed? I get a fair amount of water down my mast over the winter. I've built a mast 'hood' that I'm going to try out this year in an effort to keep water from coming down the mast.
Geoff - where is the drain plug, and did you install it? I'm not aware of this in my boat and I have the same boat. Another thing I missed? I get a fair amount of water down my mast over the winter. I've built a mast 'hood' that I'm going to try out this year in an effort to keep water from coming down the mast.
Sven
Seglare
Oil/water absorbing "sock"
We have a 2-3' long absorbing "sock" in the bilge for exactly that reason, The sock was bought at WM for way too many dollars, but it does the job. It is probably 3-4" in diameter. We open the access port over the sock when we leave the boat and the moisture is all wicked up and dried out. The sock keeps water from slushing around until it dries out.
-Sven
We have a 2-3' long absorbing "sock" in the bilge for exactly that reason, The sock was bought at WM for way too many dollars, but it does the job. It is probably 3-4" in diameter. We open the access port over the sock when we leave the boat and the moisture is all wicked up and dried out. The sock keeps water from slushing around until it dries out.
-Sven
Geoff Johnson
Fellow Ericson Owner
Mindscape said:
Frank, the drain was installed by my yard and is pretty much SOP for all the boats in the yard. The drain is a 1/2" hole drilled at about the middle of the radius where the keel turns into the hull. I can get you exact measurements if you want. The hole is tapped (the fiberglass is about 1/2" thick there) and plugged with a 316 SS set screw every Spring (at least it better be :eek: ). IMHO it is the greatest idea since sliced bread because it allows me to pour some antifreeze in the bilge and then forget it for the winter. The drain at the location described above allows about an inch of water to accumulate. I don't mind that amount because I have encased my keel bolts with PVC fittings (with screw tops) and they stay dry.
I think trying to keep water from entering through the mast is a lost cause. The water comes down the inside of the mast after entering through the various tang fittings and other openings.
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