Arrrggg - hull cleaners came and cleaned the hull.. now she's got water in the bilge..

J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,088 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited February 4 in Non-Rinker Boats
Gotta love that. Professional company, does every boat in the marina for years.. they used a power washer and now I have a camera (1 out of 3) that's almost underwater.. ps. Props to wyze for making a 20 dollar camera that can be submerged in salt and still work?? 

Heading down shortly to see what the heck is going on. 

(Guess my rinker prepared me for water leaks as when this happened on that one I couldn't sleep..and I slept like a baby last night! In fairness I didn't have wifi water sensors or cameras when it happened on her). 

The pump should kick on any moment here. They started their work at 10am yesterday and it hasn't turned on yet. The other two bilges are bone dry with the forward one being FEET lower than this one, which is why I'm not running down there. 


Comments

  • PickleRickPickleRick Member Posts: 3,994 ✭✭✭✭✭
    What's the point of new boat ownership if you're not spending a few weeks removing, cleaning and rebedding everything?
  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,088 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Lol. it appears to be one of the rudder boxes.. looks like it'd be enough water to turn the first bilge pump on once every 24 hours.. Don't like it, but not going to mess w/ it on a Sunday!!
  • PickleRickPickleRick Member Posts: 3,994 ✭✭✭✭✭
    At least you don't have to worry about an outdrive anymore! 
  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,088 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Sure, except I do!! Haven't sold that one yet. 
  • PickleRickPickleRick Member Posts: 3,994 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'm sure someone from the Miami area will jump at a chance to get a trailerable cabin cruiser, perfect for a long weekend on the sandbar.
  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,088 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Tried a couple solutions to seal from the top. Slowed one of the leaks to much less, not so much on the other side. Going to pay a diver to come and try to seal it from the bottom while it's in the water. Don't care if it completely stops the ability to move the rudders, the next time this thing moves it's going to be moved about a football field to the launch, probably with dingys on a zero wind day

  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,088 ✭✭✭✭✭


    Sorry if you just spit your drink all over the screen ! 
  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,088 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 6
    Here's the cam view of the bilge that the rudders drain to... and the front bilge which so far has always been bone dry..

    the water will hit that high water line in about 24 hours and be pumped out in a min or two. 

  • PickleRickPickleRick Member Posts: 3,994 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That's a whole lot of corrosion.    Is it to the point that the whole assembly needs to be replaced? 


  • GMSLITHOGMSLITHO Member Posts: 1,569 ✭✭✭✭
    It sure dosent look like that shaft hastened moved inside the stuffing box for quite some time 
  • PickleRickPickleRick Member Posts: 3,994 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Poor stuffing box looks stuffed
  • Rich_Rich_ Member Posts: 167 ✭✭✭
    Repack the stuffing and it should stop. Pick up a few different sizes of flax (my guess is 1/4” but get other sizes on hand and then return unused). Can be done in water. Get a wire brush and clean some of the corrosion off the threads. Give threads a shot of aerokroil. Loosen lower locking nut by turning it clockwise so it goes closer to the hull. Remove top packing nut as high as it will go. Get a pick and remove all old packing. Figure out what size packing will fit and cut at least 3 strips that will fit around the rudder shaft perfectly. Cut the ends on an angle // so they overlap. Stuff new pieces in top nut one at a time with seams on opposite sides. Fit as much as you can in while still leaving threads to catch. Tighten packing nut until water stops (on a prop shaft you do want a drip every few minutes as lube but a rudder can be dry). Tighten lock nut to packing nut. 
    Rinker sold but still have other boats        Eastern LI, NY
  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,088 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thanks for the advice. I got in there and tried to determine how bad it was. From what I can see/feel the whole thing appears to need to be replaced, both sides. Funny enough, the sea life/growth appears to have started to grow back and is sealing things off quickly. The water has not filled enough to have it run as of Sat morning at8am and the last time I ran the pump was Thursday evening at 5.  I think I'm going to let things grow for another week and when there is 0 flow again take a shot at cleaning things up.. I'll also be off that week so if there does need to be some kind of haul out I can at least be there getting it done! 
  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,088 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Just fyi. 19 days later, the bilge is bone dry again. I suppose the sealife re-sealed the issue. Thankful for that! Will have her out this summer and get things replaced/cleaned up. 
  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,355 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Any trip plans in the spring ?
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