Ode to a clean bilge

Admittedly not everyones cup of tea (or bilge water), however the bilge can be a great tool in the diagnosis of many things “boat”.

It is one of the first things I open when looking at a boat. It tells you a lot about the vessel.

1. Does the owner care enough to clean the bilge?

2. What is the water?

3. Is there oil?

4. Rust?

Many a time I have used the bilge to diagnose problems. 

Water! <Taste>...Fresh! We have an internal leak. 

A few minutes of hunting reveals a lose hose clamp in the fresh water system.

Water! Salty this time...A little more ominous! Searching reveals that the lip seal on the salt water cooling pump had gone or stern gland dripping. A simple fix, but the bilge told me.

I have yet to have any oil in the bilge (touch wood). However that would lead me to another set of diagnostics all together (probably engine related...)

Fiddling around in the bilge and cleaning it out gives me plenty of opportunity to test the bilge pump.

Does the automatic pump kick in? When it does what rate does it drain the bilge?

I clean out all the hair and grit etc that collects that might impede the flow of water in an emergency situation. Fortunately the shower in the head drains to a separate sump so minimal hair collects in the bilge. 

Ah the bilge. I very rarely have a completely dry one. (I don't have a dripless stern gland). But I do check it regularly and look for any warning signs.