I like minimal, I put a 2nd pump in the stern of the bilge, a small one with a self contained float that will pump lower down than the big one does. But some water in the bilge seems to be a fact of life on a sailboat, especially with a keel stepped mast.

I like a dry bilge but then things sometimes conspire against you. When I leave the boat I always sponge out any water remaining in the bilge and when I return to the boat it is the first thing I check.
John Meyer
Hilbre 2135

I too sponge out my bilge prior to leaving and again when I first arrive at the boat. If it does not rain my bilge stays dusty. When it rains I always have a few inches to sop up. When sailing it stays dry even when motoring unless I have been bashing to weather. I also get some water from a persistant leak in my pressure water system from around my lav sink, it is on my list.

I did the same thing that Bud did. I installed a backup bilge pump on [B][I][COLOR="Navy"]Carpe Diem[/COLOR][/I][/B]. I purchased a very small solar panel and mounted it on the top of the bimini. It trickle charges a separately dedicated 12V that I located under the aft cabin. It only powers a radio in the cockpit and the backup bilge pump.

I too almost always have water in my bilge as well; I guess that is a fact of life if you have a keel-stepped mast. Some of the water that ends up there I am certain comes form the condensation tube from the AC. Has anyone ever plumbed that drain tube from the AC elsewhere? I have been contemplating that project?

BTW, I keep a turkey baster right in the bilge to assist me in removing the water, whenever I do that.

We've tried hard to get the mythical dry bilge... :)
Here's our list:
[LIST=1]
[*]Anchor well drain, outside and inside
[*]Bolts in anchor well for inner forestay chainplate
[*]Windlass wires tracking drips into vee berth
[*]Cracks in base of anchor well
[*]Structural crack in front of keel from grounding :eek:
[*]Crack over cutlass bearing mount
[*]Pinhole in H/W hose to heater
[*]Leaks around mast
[*]Leak inside mast
[*]Rudder stock tube crack
[*]Prop shaft bearing
[*]Crack in water tank
[*]Wires entering transom tracking in water
[*]Lazarette lid, esp when heeled
[*]Refrigerator condensate
[*]Cracked water tank elbow
[*]Leaky portlights, x 2, twice
[*]Leaking chainplates
[*]Base of bimini archway bolt holes
[*]Holes for canvas dodger fitting
[*]Leaky exhaust riser
[*]Leaky fore hatch
[/LIST]

Have you ever played WHACK-A-MOLE? :mad:

I think that is one of the things most boat-owners wish for, but few acheive. I know I have struggled for over 35 years to keep the bilge as dry as possible. Have never been able to get it bone dry. Sponges, pumps etc. tried them all. :confused:
What I have resigned myself to...is to have enough battery power to keep the pump going whenever it has to. I also put in a cycle counter to tell me how many times the pump cycles within a period. Usually the boat sits on its mooring from Sunday evening until the following Friday. When I go aboard I check the counter....for the most part it is somewhere between "0" and "2" depending on the rain during the week.....I do not get too alarmed unless it goes over "2" than I know something else is a foot! The hunt begins! A little water I consider no problem.:)

On my 92 Cat 36 I discovered a little bilge under the flooring that extends from the in front of the head into the v-berth. I was taking up the flooring to have it refinished and low an behold...a bilge with cover plate. I discovered 25 gallons of water in this bilge which I removed. Tech support told me that this water should drain under the mast through a little tube, but that tube, though it exists on my boat is blocked by fiberglass where it exits into the main bilge. I tried to snake a wire through but no luck. It appears that rain water through the mast is draining into this space and here in Seattle that can amount to a lot of water at times. Solved the problem by insalling a little pump with it's own switch which I drain to the main bilge. This seems to do the trick though as this pump cycles for a split second every
2 1/2 minutes I think I need to split it's wiring off from the main pump wiring and put in another switch so that I can turn it off at night. (The admiral wonders what that little growling sound is and would kind of like for it to go away while trying to sleep. "Sir, Yes Sir, er Yes ma'am"

[QUOTE=neilroach;9030]On my 92 Cat 36 I discovered a little bilge under the flooring that extends from the in front of the head into the v-berth...[/QUOTE]

When we did major work to the mast step, I cut a new panel in the ply floor directly over this little access plug so I can quickly look in this bilge without unscrewing the whole thing. Very handy when tracking down leaks...

Ya, I went ahead and put a hatch in the flooring so that I can check it and maintain the pump.