Water in bilges

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   Hi again,

We've recently launched our, new to us, Hanse 350. 

A few days ago I was checking all the inspection hatches and found a lot of water in the middle (the one up from the bilge pump inspection hatch) bilge compartment. After emptying a bucket each from the port side, middle and starboard side (the one under the sink) bilges I thought that would be my issue over. 

However, a couple of days later with no one taking the boat out in the mean time I went to check it again, the middle and starboard side bilges were fine however the port side one was again full with another bucket of water. After tasting it it seems to be diluted salt water so I imagine it is fresh water. I then noticed that my water pump comes on every 5-10 minutes or so even when every tap is closed - it only comes on for 10-15 seconds and then goes off again. Is this normal or does it mean I have a leak in one of my pipes? 

Thank you 

Hugo 

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hugotthomas Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Lieutenant Joined: 07 December 2014 Location: Fowey Status: Offline Points: 23	Post Options Post Reply Quote hugotthomas Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Topic: Water in bilges Posted: 13 April 2015 at 14:14
	Hi again, We've recently launched our, new to us, Hanse 350. A few days ago I was checking all the inspection hatches and found a lot of water in the middle (the one up from the bilge pump inspection hatch) bilge compartment. After emptying a bucket each from the port side, middle and starboard side (the one under the sink) bilges I thought that would be my issue over. However, a couple of days later with no one taking the boat out in the mean time I went to check it again, the middle and starboard side bilges were fine however the port side one was again full with another bucket of water. After tasting it it seems to be diluted salt water so I imagine it is fresh water. I then noticed that my water pump comes on every 5-10 minutes or so even when every tap is closed - it only comes on for 10-15 seconds and then goes off again. Is this normal or does it mean I have a leak in one of my pipes? Thank you Hugo
	Fair winds Hugo Hanse 350, 2008

Fendant Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admiral Joined: 03 November 2012 Location: Switzerland Status: Offline Points: 1671	Post Options Post Reply Quote Fendant Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Posted: 13 April 2015 at 14:46
	Welcome to the club Thomas, this means that you have a leak in your pressure water system. I would start to check all jubilee Clips from the pump onward o the last tap. Main suspects are the tabs in galley and toilet. Do you have a water heater installed ? This needs to be checked as well. It might also be a leak in the Reservoir although less likely. A good method is to switch the pump off, put household tissues wherever you have jubilee Clips and then switch the pump on again, without opening a tab.
	Frank

mopoulter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Captain Joined: 19 March 2009 Location: London, Canada Status: Offline Points: 320	Post Options Post Reply Quote mopoulter Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 April 2015 at 15:54
	We had a leak in transom shower connection. Replaced washer and no problem since. Access is miserable on the 370 probably worse on 350 sorry.
	mp Hanse 370 #416 "Anxiolytic"

Wild Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Vice Admiral Joined: 18 March 2010 Location: Turkey-Greece Status: Offline Points: 937	Post Options Post Reply Quote Wild Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Posted: 13 April 2015 at 15:59
	hey Hugo, check the pressure relief valve of the heatwater boiler,everytime by heating the boiler some water will come out and this is normal but after a few years the valve start to calcifying and leaks constantly water in to the bilge even without heating up.
	Wild and Wet Belgium 545e#268

hugotthomas Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Lieutenant Joined: 07 December 2014 Location: Fowey Status: Offline Points: 23	Post Options Post Reply Quote hugotthomas Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 April 2015 at 16:01
	Thank you all very much, I shall be going to test these things out this evening and will report back if I find anything. One thing that does seem slightly strange to me is the layout of the bilges. Each specific segment seems to be cut off from the others by way of a plastic wall almost, the only way water moves between the compartments is if there is so much it overflows over the 'wall', surely it would make sense for all the water to drain to the bilge pump so it can pump it out as and when it comes in?
	Fair winds Hugo Hanse 350, 2008

Wild Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Vice Admiral Joined: 18 March 2010 Location: Turkey-Greece Status: Offline Points: 937	Post Options Post Reply Quote Wild Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 April 2015 at 16:28
	in a time when boatbuilders where still boatbuilders and not marketing managers, they dril a hole in every bilge compartment put a hose in it and sealed this with sikaflex, so the water flow to the lowest point in to a bilgepit where the bilgepump was located.Now they place the pump where it is the must convenient and easiest way and the owner know that there is something going on when the floor boards are floating around.
	Wild and Wet Belgium 545e#268

Captain_i Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Sub Lieutenant Joined: 16 February 2008 Location: Finland Status: Offline Points: 17	Post Options Post Reply Quote Captain_i Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 May 2015 at 00:10
	Hi, I had few years ago fresh water appearing, significant quantities and without pumps running, or any leaks visible. During weeks of sailing, I removed about 100 L water from underneat the floor boards, with coffee cups and old shirts. No help at all from bilge pumps. Eventually it turned that water tank maintenance hole cover was not tight enough, and water pressure hitting it turned it loose, so water splashed from tank in rough water. You can imagine all the differenct root cause analysis and possible scenarios I made (rain, leaking windows, hole in the boat, ...) Baltic Sea is not so salty, that is not always easy to make difference. I also learned that it is rather easy to remove battery storage and general storage on starboard side, by removing few screws. This opens whole new access to inner part of the hull, and there I got all the remaiing water out. That will never reach bilge. I would estimate that boat could have about 200-300 L of water before bilge pumps will be of any use. Br, Ilkka

Fendant Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admiral Joined: 03 November 2012 Location: Switzerland Status: Offline Points: 1671	Post Options Post Reply Quote Fendant Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 May 2015 at 07:26
	I have installed two water sensors, one in the forecabin bilge underneath the pumps and one in the main cabin bilge underneath the pantry where my grey water collection tank/pump is located. Both are operated from 9V batteries which I change very year as part of my season launch procedure. Water sensor kits are about 15€ from Conrad Electronics.
	Frank

samuel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admiral of the Fleet Joined: 26 December 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 2770	Post Options Post Reply Quote samuel Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 May 2015 at 08:39
	I have 2 systems for removing water from the bilges, apart from the bilge pump. I have drilled a 7mm diameter hole in the floor on the line of the patterns so it does not show. This is at the deepest part of the bilge. Through this I put the suction hose of an oil extractor & extract small quantities of water into a bucket without having to lift the floor. The suction hose is small so gets virtually every thing out apart from the last 1mm The second was to put a brass hoselock connector in the suction line just before the shower pump.When I want to use it I just disconnect & insert a length of hose on another hoselock fitting using the shower pump to extract water. This hose can be used anywhere i wish & get water from under the engine or in awkward places in the bilge. Once again only being only 15mm pipe it collects most of the water unlike the bilge pump hose which always discharges water back through the clack valve after it has finished. Re the shower pump- I found this very poor & did not remove water very well. However, when the pressure switch on the freshwater pump failed I found it still worked with an on off switch & I could just bypass the pressure part. I swopped this with the shower pump & it gives a much better suction of water being of higher capacity Edited by samuel - 19 May 2015 at 08:41
	Daydream Believer- Hanse 311- No GBR9917T- Bradwell Essex

tony1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Lieutenant Joined: 18 October 2005 Location: Brockenhurst Status: Offline Points: 29	Post Options Post Reply Quote tony1 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 05 June 2015 at 18:46
	After some years the hot water pressure relief valve corrodes and its seals decay, and as happened to me last week all 100 litres of fresh water were pumped into the bilge while we were sailing - there was so much noise going on that we did not notice the pump running. Having pumped out what we thought was all the water (not helped by the bilge pump being higher than the bottom of the bilge) and having had the valve replaced, we filled the water tank and went sailing again. As soon as the boat heeled, water came over the floor boards again! Disaster, we thought. In fact the engine sump area and the area around the sail drive were still flooded from the first time - they have no connection to the bilge as they are supposed to get oil in them if anything. So pumped out at least another 50 litres of very dirty water. I suppose the moral of the story is to change the valve after five years or so - our's dates from 2006.
	Kittiwake 315-461 2006 Grey Hull Swing Mooring on Beaulieu River



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