Ice in Bilge

[TBeyer]

We went to check on boat on Sunday and found that the bilge was full of ice. Boat is stored with mast up and covered in tarps. The boat is a keeled step mast and I suspect the water ran down the mast. I thought I had sealed it up good enough but I guess not. We have had a lot of rain this fall andd winter, it has been 2 months since I check on it last. Ice level is almost to underside of cabin sole, new sole but in last winter. So the question is, do I not worry about it, chip out ice with screw drive, chisel ect, heat up ice with electric heater or hot air gun, or sprinkle salt on ice and let it melt then sponge it up? Other opitions? My first step is to seal mast collar better.
Boat is fresh water lake sailed, Lake Champlian, bilge is about 6-8" deep with bilge pump and hose frozen in place.

[Chris Campbell]

I've seen others with this problem not worry about it, and wait for the thaw - that wouldn't be my solution, though. I take my mast down partly for this reason (and partly to have a good look at everything each year - this year I discovered that the ste-lock terminal at the top of the forestay was loose!), so it hasn't been an issue for me yet.

That said - I think putting some plumbing antifreeze in there would be a good plan. It should melt the existing ice and allow you to pump it out, then add some more so that as more water comes in it will mix and not freeze. Most bilges are shaped so that the ice will pop up as it expands, doing little damage to things inside, but I can't imagine it's doing your bilge pump, plumbing, and anything else that's in there (wiring? tankage? bulheads and tabbing?) any good.

An opinion...

[Tim]

It's best to avoid the ice, of course, but once it's in there, I think you can do more harm than good if you try to chip it out mechanically. As long as the ice has room to expand (which it almost does in a bilge), it is unlikely to cause harm.

If the ice worries you, some heat in the space can help melt or at least loosen it, after which you can lift, sponge or pump it out as needed. Then, pour some pink antifreeze in the bilge to prevent future hard freezes.

With more ridiculously warm weather ahead for the NE this week, it might be a good time to try and get the ice out if you can.

[The Good Goose]

I had that problem last year. I got my cover on late. I used rock salt and it was very effective. I think I used a five pound bag for the triton. Melted it out in three or four days. Bilge pump was fine. I used a cup and a bucket to get rid of the salt water. I think if you have more than four or five gallons of ice that antifreeze would not be too effective it looses it effectiveness pretty quick beyond fifty percent dilution I think.

Brock

[Hirilondë]

I installed a drain w/plug in the lowest part of my bilge (in a hallow of the keel in a Renegade). I pull this plug while the boat is still on the travel lift while hauling out and it doesn't go back in until just before launching. The plug is installed with a square drive tool that comes with it and the plug installed is flush with the hull. This also makes it really easy to clean out the bilge while on dry land.

[bcooke]

I have fought with ice for the past couple of years. Since I have so many holes open in the decks it was impossible to completely seal the boat. I thought about a drain plug but I can't actually reach the bottom of my bilge with the cabin sole and bilge water tank in place. I thought I had it licked this year but was sadly proven wrong last weekend. I had a bilge pump wired to its own battery that I was charging once a week and I was keeping some windshield wash/anti-ice fluid in the bilge. Saturday I noticed a clicking sound coming from my bilge and realized it was my bilge pump encased in eight inches of ice. I put a heat lamp on it and directed my heater into the bilge and waited for it to thaw.

Then I got out my drill motor and drilled a 3/8" hole through the bottom of my boat. Problem solved. Luckily the bilge pump still works.

-Britton