Bleach in the bilge

[LAGOS]

The previous owner of my 38' Lobster Yacht plumbed the shower drain directly into the bilge. Although no perminant damage to the wood was done, I was left with a bilge that was less than clean and fresh. I set my mind to cleaning this fool's mess by scrubing and pumping and scrubing and pumping. Eventually, the bilge was spotless except for one 3' stretch that is not accesible. The bilge does gather a small amount of water per month. I have tried everything to kill what lives in the 3' stretch but have not been succesful. In order to keep this problem from spredding, I have been treating the bilge with lemon bleach. My question is two fold, Will bleach cause any damage to the wood? and Is there anything else on the market that may solve this problem? This boat will be on the hard next spring to deal with the leek, but is there anything that can be done in the meen time. Sorry about the spelling.

[Donn]

Lagos...the spelling was really horrible, but I get the gist of your question. I happen to like the smell of a bilge, but for them that don't, try some Orpine Boat Soap. It cleans a bilge as well as any bilge cleaner, and leaves you a nice piney scent that doesn't gross out the ladies.

[capt jake]

Spelling?? looks better than I do. Most of hte time. That's what I get for having 3 numb fingers, I guess! smile.gif

[Concordia..41]

Believe it or not but the cleanest bilge I ever had was from salt water. I lost the sea water pump on my Atomic Four while traveling the inland waterway in the Keys. I could not sail and there was no place to get a water pump shaft on the weekend. I cut the bilge pump hose and connected it to the engine. I removed the engine cooling water hose from the through hull and cracked the valve open. With the bilge partly flooded I ran the engine on the bilge pump for about 30 miles. When we got home and I pumped the bilge dry, I was surprised to find the bilge was cleaner than when I used bilge cleaner. With all the sloshing around during the trip and the constant replacement of salt water the bilge was very clean.
If you have a saltwater wash down pump and the limber holes will allow water to flow to the bilge pump you may try flushing it with salt water. Salt water will not hurt the wood.

Dave

Sun over the foreyard.

[wolfietuk]

of course that means that you pumped all the crud in your bilge through your engine.

Rick