I found the engine coolant hoses to the water heater have been laying (between the ladder and galley sink drawer) on the oil spilled from the oil filter changes. The PO paid a professional to change the oil over the years! The oil softened the rubber hose to cause the hose to swell and is near the failure point. I see the need to suspend these hoses as well as the fresh water hoses and wiring harness that runs across the bilge. My hands can barely reach half way back to the motor and there is a thick accumulation of oil and dirt under there. I have the sink drawer cabinet out to replace the water heater and hoses already. I am tempted to cut holes in the floor pan. Any ideas other than finding someone with longer skinny arms?
Thanks- Mark
Mark Andrews
S/V Grace
86 C36 #995730
San Diego
Mark, please create an automated signature so that we know more about your boat. It's easy to do. Just click 'User CP' in the upper left hand end of the blue band on the top of this page, and the rest should be intuitive. Use my signature below as a model for the kind of information to provide. It is difficult to address technical questions without knowing what model of boat you're referring to.
Thanks
Larry Brandt
S/V High Flight #2109
Pacific Northwest, PDX-based
2002 C-36 mkII SR/FK M35B
As I dig in to the inner workings of my new boat I am also finding much info in the web site and now the CD I received. Please forgive me if I am posting too much. There is much deferred maintenance I am finding hidden in the far recesses of the boat. Little things like Catalina leaving the wiring harness laying across the bilge. The oil drips from the filter changes and salt water from the packing gland have been soaking the wires and hoses for years. I felt this information might be useful to other owners to prevent a failure. I hope I did the signature correctly???
Mark Andrews
S/V Grace
86 C36 #995730
San Diego
Thanks for updating your signature. Please post away. We have almost 600 paid Members (capital M), and even some lurkers here in the Forums, with lots of experience and advice to share. It helps to limit posts to a single topic per post so that we can keep threads organized. This will help searching by those who come after.
Glad to have you aboard.
Larry Brandt
S/V High Flight #2109
Pacific Northwest, PDX-based
2002 C-36 mkII SR/FK M35B
Mark,
The drippings from the packing gland are normal, but sloppy oil changes are not. There should not be oil in the bilge, nor under the floorboards. The pan under the engine is designed to keep oil drips contained, and not flowing onto the hull and into the bilge. I'd suggest trying to clean up the oily residue with steam and/or detergent. Cutting one or two more holes in the floor pan should not compromise its integrity (as long as they are not too large). Also, having an '86 MkI, your hull number is most likely in the 5-600 range. Perhaps you have listed a sail number or Documentation number in your signature?
Tom Sokoloski
C36/375IA Past Commodore
Noank, CT
Mark, we have a system to contain the stuffing box dripping and direct it to the main bilge. It's pretty simple. Attached picture shows the details.
Get a tupperware or similar plastic food container about 6" square and in the front of it make a hole big enough to put a 1/2" clear plastic tube in. Shove the tube in there and silicone it inside and out so it doesn't leak. Now using silicone seal as an adhesive glue it to the hull right under the stuffing box to catch the leaks. Now run the plastic hose through the tray under the engine and out the hole in the front of the engine pan and under the sink and into the main bilge. There is sufficient slope in there to drain the water forward, but just. If the bilge water is more than 3- 4" deep it won't drain. We have a 2nd pump at the back of the bilge that can pump down to about 1". This system worked for us in our 28 and works in the 36 just ducky.