A Not-So-Nice Find at the Yard

[CharlieCobra]

I went to check the boat after our long cold spell and found the cabin sole awash by a couple of inches of water. Considering the bilges are up to two feet deep, that's not a good thing. On lifting the boards, I find about 18" of ice in the bilges. Apparently, a yard neighbor unplugged me and plugged is in. So, between the rain (heavy) and something bursting in the fresh water system, I have maybe 150 gallons of ice in the bilges. I didn't see any swelling of the hull anywhere so with luck, I only have to worry about the water lines. The tanks are monel, which would stretch so with luck, they're still ok. I dumped about 40# of salt in the bilges to melt the ice and prevent rot. I reckon we'll see.

[anotherT34C]

Oh man, sorry to hear that. Your neighbor is truly an ass.

Note to self... make sure bilge pump is supplied by a solar panel.

[Morgan Paul]

Sorry man. That sucks the big one.

Apparently, a yard neighbor unplugged me and plugged is in.

Unplug him and while your at it loosen up his jack stands .

Good luck with the clean up.

[AnchorageGuy]

So what you are saying is you did not winterize your system and depended on the power being on all of the time. Bad idea since any time in winter the power can and is knocked out for periods of time due to storms, etc. The neighbor was wrong in unplugging you but you have to accept some of the responsibility.

[anotherT34C]

The K-35 is wood, right? Is it an Olin Stephens design?

Been there. It sucks. Some people just weren't raised right. If it were me, I would make sure I had my bilge alarm set up so it was very easy to hear (maybe mount it in the cockpit), make sure you have it set, so when it goes off, he will be the first to know, and the main one to have to deal with the noise until he can get you back to the boat. Then you can ask him how this could happen, after all, you DID have an AC pump hooked up lower than the DC bilge alarm

[SabreKai]

Take a drill down there, and drill a half inch hole through your garboard strake at the deepest part of the bilge. In the spring put in a plug with epoxy or better still install a drain port. We steel boat people have them. I have a 5/16 bolt hold right at the bottom of my sump and I tell you, after having my engine pump the contents of the oil pan into a partial flooded bilge I was happy as a clam to be able to dig a hole in the ground under the plug and put a jug there to catch the last of the mess. Most of it I pumped out with a shop vac but that last little bit was way too deep to get to.

Sabre

[Stillraining]

Bummer Charlie

Hope its not to serious.