Dry bilge obsession

[Aviator5]

I must confess. I?m obsessed with the dry and clean bilge on my boat. It is almost cleanest and driest area on my boat. Every time I come to marina, I first check my bilge, and if there is a trace of water, I wipe it out dry. It is a 28? Wellcraft Monte Carlo. Was quite leaky when I got it, but last season I managed to find and eliminate almost all leaky spots. Now only if rain falls almost horizontally I may get a few ounces of water thru engine vents, but next season I will take care of that too. I?ve done the same with my 2 previous boats. Does anybody else here feel the same about their bilge? Or there is something wrong with me?

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

I also have a pretty bad case of DBO my last boat was a 20' Wellcraft which had an outboard so I could easily see into the bilge if the cover wasn't on. Now I own a Crownline with an I/O and it bugs me that I can't see in the bilge without having to take the engine cover up. But I check the oil and drive lube before and after every trip so that kind of satisfies my DBO enough.

 

[Aviator5]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

Yeah, I'm thinking about putting a video camera and run the feed to my laptop, so I can see what is going on there at any given moment, and won't have to pull the engine cover.

 

[180Fisherman]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

you guys would hate my boat

 

[blouderback]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

You mean it's SUPPOSED to be clean and dry? I thought is was supposed to be wet.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

Your not alone, I wish my bilge pump was recessed, water from swimmers and skiers doesn't fill enough for the pump to pick it up, I have to mop it up or wait till She's back on the trailer.

 

[Boss Hawg]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

I used to be the same way
I've since learned to drink, fish & enjoy my boat more & obsess less about the little things

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

Good advise, I've settled down about it too, my obsession was mostly the fact that I didn't know where the water was comming from, finally spotted it seeping in around the plug threads, I was brainwashed into a dry bilge obsession.

 

[werthert]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

Meh, it's not the water I'm worried about, it's the rot that comes with it. Especially when you have an older boat. Yes, I have DBO. Went down to the marina Sunday and found they dumped the water from winterizing IN MY BILGE

With my porta shop vac, took me about 3 hours to get it all out. I don't care about bugs/bird, dirty boat - that wipes off, but water rots. Now I'm not talking about a bow rider, I'm talking about a boat I sleep in on weekends. Just like I wouldn't want water in my basement, I don't want it in my boat.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Dry bilge obsession

Sell the boat and take up desert camping. When you got to the part about a video camera, you are too far gone.

 

[Aviator5]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

Sell the boat and take up desert camping. When you got to the part about a video camera, you are too far gone.

apparently I'm not the only one who's thinking about camera:


http://www.boatlinks.com/image.asp?ObjectID=9583

 

[Boss Hawg]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

apparently I'm not the only one who's thinking about camera:


http://www.boatlinks.com/image.asp?ObjectID=9583

Be sure you get one thats waterproof

 

[johnga454]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

I'm just happy that I will have a working bilge pump next year.

 

[Marcq]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

I also suffer from that condition, even a few drops of water bugs the hell out of me but my ShamWow takes care of that

Marc..

 

[arks]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

My boat stays in a wet slip year-round, so I'm very particular about keeping the bilges dry. She has straight shaft inboards and one of my first projects was to replace the old flax packings with GFO. That stuff is worth its weight in gold- and costs almost as much, but it's definitely worth it!
Another important item is a tight, weatherproof cover. It'll keep most (if not all) the rainwater out when the boat is sitting.
At any rate, a dry bilge should be considered normal housekeeping on a boat. Not only will a wet bilge promote rot and mildew, but within a couple weeks it'll stink up any enclosed space onboard (do NOT ask me how I know!).

As far as video cameras, here's one a friend of mine rigged inside the engine room of his Formula 382. Twin Volvo 600's, BTW . Pretty cool! He has it connected to his Raymarine MFD at the helm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhiuaV2dhiQ&feature=player_embedded

 

[Boss Hawg]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

My boat stays in a wet slip year-round, so I'm very particular about keeping the bilges dry. She has straight shaft inboards and one of my first projects was to replace the old flax packings with GFO. That stuff is worth its weight in gold- and costs almost as much, but it's definitely worth it!
Another important item is a tight, weatherproof cover. It'll keep most (if not all) the rainwater out when the boat is sitting.
At any rate, a dry bilge should be considered normal housekeeping on a boat. Not only will a wet bilge promote rot and mildew, but within a couple weeks it'll stink up any enclosed space onboard (do NOT ask me how I know!).

As far as video cameras, here's one a friend of mine rigged inside the engine room of his Formula 382. Twin Volvo 600's, BTW . Pretty cool! He has it connected to his Raymarine MFD at the helm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhiuaV2dhiQ&feature=player_embedded

WOW Thats entertaiment
Kidding guy - On those type boats i see the need

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

If you were to go that far, to wire it for sound through your sub woofers would be really cool.

 

[Aviator5]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

Well, at least for next 5 months I can be sure that my bilge will be dry.

 

[Stachi]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

looks like the engine cover has to be raised to let light in....he should mount some lighting in it

 

[skargo]

Re: Dry bilge obsession

I love C-Spray's boat!