What's the appropraite amount of water in the bilge SAN 230

[ducatidesmo]

How much water is too much in the Bilge? I know, I know, If you're sinking it's too much, I just notice that I can have water as high as the T in the T handle. This is before loading any ballast or folks coming on and off the boat.

Thanks,

[charlesml3]

You mean to the top of the T handle or just reaching the bottom of it? Top of the T-Handle would be way too much. The bottom of it is about right. The rear bilge pump will keep it down to that level.

-Charles

[ducatidesmo]

it's at the bottom of where the handle T's if that makes sense

[NautiqueJeff]

On an '18 230, you'll have a dripless shaft packing, so unless people are coming in the boat soaked, you shouldn't have any water down there. You've got a leak somewhere.

[charlesml3]

Well I'm on my 2nd 230 (a 2017 and a 2019) and there's always some water in my bilge. The bilge pump can only get so much of it.

-Charles

[ducatidesmo]

I'll take a measurement for yall when I get the boat back. To be candid, it's kinda been this way since I got the boat, but this was my first boat so I didn't know what was normal.

[scottb7]

Well I'm on my 2nd 230 (a 2017 and a 2019) and there's always some water in my bilge. The bilge pump can only get so much of it.

-Charles

Yep, every boat I have had has had some water in the bilge. I would not worry too much about it if only few inches at bottom of the t handle.

I would also make sure both your pumps work. Listen a few time a year to make sure they cycle.

[ducatidesmo]

When I say it's at the bottom of where the Tandle "T"s I mean exactly that, the water is touching the bottom of the extruded arms. I think the T handle is maybe... 3-4 inches so perhaps... take a half inch away from that number.

[d_nodixon]

Take a look down there at the shaft packing when running on the hose to see if leaking at the packing. I had to adjust mine when I first got it, don't think the previous owner even noticed it. This was back 2016 on a 2013 boat.

It's been awhile so I don't remember the details, just know it was hard to get to. It was leaking quite a bit b/c it was not seated correctly. The carbon ring Was crooked on the shaft and would not seal.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

[RDT-G23]

When I say it's at the bottom of where the Tandle "T"s I mean exactly that, the water is touching the bottom of the extruded arms. I think the T handle is maybe... 3-4 inches so perhaps... take a half inch away from that number.

That’s a lot-o-water...

[bturner]

I've had wet and dry boats. Some boats for whatever reason just seem to leak. I've had some luck making the wet ones dryer or at least figuring out where the water is coming from but in every case where the boat was wet from day one I never got it to be completely dry. There are soooo many places where water can come from and a lot of them are where you can't see or get to them. The popular ones I've come across were the hull bottom drain plugs not completely sealing, the packing box, the dripless seal, the rudder box and leaking ballast tanks. Other activity related areas (mostly attributed to ballast while surfing) were the hull side vents, transom vents and the hull seal between the deck and hull, which in my book includes the rub rail. There have also been some self inflicted issues I've come across with my favorite being the time my friend installed new carpet and manged to drill about 10 - 1/8" holes through the bottom of the boat while reinstalling a carpet trim panel along the floor of the boat where the floor meets the hull side. That one still makes for a great beer drinking story whenever we get together these days.....

[Bogusdogs]

I had the replace the rear bilge pump in my '14 230 this year. Just a heads up, that when you replace one, you very well may need to replace both (front one too). Apparently they must be the same kind/flow otherwise the computer system won't work with them. At least that is what the dealer told me after ordering one that was a "newer" one and realized it wouldn't work. So, waited a week for another one to come in. At least they are not too expensive.

[ducatidesmo]

I actually had a problem with the bilge pump/s last year. kept throwing the breaker. Apparently a firmware update on the PDM takes care of it.. but still have the old firmware as only the dealer can update it.

[swatguy]

If water is making it to top of the T handle , well just on the bottom side of it , yes that is way too much and you may have a leak somewhere to track down. Do you regularly pull the plug after every launch? Does boat sit on a lift with a plug in it ? Lots of factors to come into play here when trying to tackle this. As water can move freely throughout the hull. Your bilgepump should also be kicking on here as well. Is it not?

[bturner]

Very good point. I would expect the pump to be near completely submerged by then.