Flushing The Bilge

Mods and custom builds
AlloyToy2
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2021 9:15 am
3

Flushing The Bilge

#1

Post by AlloyToy2 »

Hello Everyone,

AlloyToy here. Had to reregister. Could not get my account to work correctly.

What is the preferred method to flush the bilge and wash out the internal grime?

I know the Baking Soda trick neutralizes the bilge area, but looking to give it a good flush beforehand.

Thank you
AT
kmorin
Donator 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Posts: 1735
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 1:37 am
15
Location: Kenai, Alaska

Re: Flushing The Bilge

#2

Post by kmorin »

AT2,
depends on what's in the bilge to be washed? If there is any oil(?) then solvents (Stoddard) help, if it's organics like leaf mold or pollen and pine needles (?) then a strong soap solution will help.

Whatever you do: pls avoid a very good industrial cleaner (for many applications) Simple Green! It has copper ingredients and isn't good for aluminum- even if rinsed like crazy.

Speaking of rinsing, that's as important as the solution used to clean the bilge- lots and lots of water. Not sure of your bilge configuration (?) but... if you can get a pressure washer into the close in spaces of your bilge that helps a great deal to get the bilge well cleaned.

If, when cleaned, you find corrosion sites(?) then an acid wash and rinse with perhaps a base ph wash to follow; has been helpful in the past.

Cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK
kmorin
AlloyToy2
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2021 9:15 am
3

Re: Flushing The Bilge

#3

Post by AlloyToy2 »

Thank you,

I have a mix of everything in the bilge area. Salt, fishing gunk, and grime.

It's a 23' Pacific so I'm limited to a 6" diameter deck plate. Also trying to keep the foam dry as well.

Soap it is :beer:
kmorin
Donator 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Posts: 1735
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 1:37 am
15
Location: Kenai, Alaska

Re: Flushing The Bilge

#4

Post by kmorin »

AT2,
curious how the bilge got contaminated with a sealed deck? Poor hatch seal? That mixture can become acidic pretty quick and that can pit the plate as a result.

Not sure how you'll rinse a bilge with foam filling - that you keep dry (!) all done through a single 6" opening? And even more curious is that there's foam in a 23' skiff? Foam ( I think) is only required in boats shorter than 20' LOA??

Why take time to foam the bilge of a larger boat, then seal that bilge, and limit access to one single 6" (apparently) poorly sealed hatch? To each builder their own! I guess, but they didn't seem to provide too much concern for maintenance?

cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK
kmorin
AlloyToy2
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2021 9:15 am
3

Re: Flushing The Bilge

#5

Post by AlloyToy2 »

The boat came from Pacific with "ArmStrong" plastic deck plates which IMO are garbage and do not seal well I recently swapped out those plastic deck plates to aluminum plates.

I'm quite sure Pacific uses foam in their 23' boats but I could be wrong. I will dig deeper into that

Thank you
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic