Dawn Dish Soap in the Bilge?

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by pbiJim

So, if I have a little olive oil on my salad plate when I wash it & the sink drain goes to the bilge.....

Seriously though, do we have any documented history on how this potential $25k fine has been applied to the cruising community?

I remember that several years ago in Edgartown, the Mass. DEP guys used to watch the fuel dock like a hawk & were just itching to stick it to somebody. I seem to remember that at Newfound Lake in NH, they have always had a zero tolerance policy. I haven't seen enforcement that aggressive in other places.

Has anybody else seen aggressive enforcement against small accidental spills?

Not in the US (most places)...I have been around quite a few spills up to 25 gallons and the USCG will usually not even send an investigative team out...they might and if so...9 times out of 10 there's really nothing to clean up (gas/diesel). Not much usually can be done about it...so they don't worry about it.

When it's motor oil or thicker...sometimes they will require you to place pads...and if not you, the marina, assistance towing outfit, salvage company or environmental clean up outfit (worked for all 4 in the last 12 years...actually just one company).

Never have I heard of a fine with these small "accidental" spills even though negligence was involved...just not gross negligence as in purposefully dumping.

The USCG use to teach it's own that even dumping a can of tuna in oil could get you a fine...but the real world know's petty violations, with no bad intent will usually not be proscecuted because one it's plain silly to fine someone for a small accident with less oil than runs off the parking lot after every rain and two the courts and LE guys have better things to do. And we don't need another agency full of oil police.

[neilpride]

Huuu, the only way to keep your bilge clean is to keep your engine leak free, generator, or anything onboard with oil or waste , same for diesel tanks leaking in the bilge, i cant believe someone can live with a deep sump full of sh........ttt.. aka oil mixed with saltwater and shower stuff...

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by SecondBase

Does ths really work? Can anyone confirm this helps in maintaining a clean bilge? Ad if so,how much do you put in?

I have a friend who does this. However, he uses a little dishwasher detergent, which is much lower sudsing. He puts it in, adds some water, and then takes the boat out and sails her, lets it slosh around.

[Tony B]

When I bought my boat, the bilge was pretty nasty. My engine mechanic didn't help matters much either. He threw in a few absorbent pads and I guess it made him look more professional. He was still a slob.
I used a cheap shop vac and carefully siphoned off just the top thin layer of the bilge 'water' - maybe about 1/16" to 1/8". It was still about 3 or 4 gallons when I was done. When finished, I could actually see through the water. I probably got 90% of it. I will be repeating this procedure again. It did take a few hours. Most marinas have a place for used oil and oil sludge and that's where it went.

BTW, oil and gunk in your bilge is probably the No.1 killer of float switches.

[neilpride]

I believe the No1 killer for float switches is if we point the number 1 suplier , RULE, is a faulty ruber where the wires meet the switch, and i can confirm that after replace 3 of this switches in a month period after purchase , number 1 full of water inside making a short, number 2 and 3 same problem, now i put some clear silicone in the rubber and the switch hold well, lets see this time....

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Yep it works. I think Joy is a little better but both are fine. with some water in the bilge, put a a squirt or two of Joy in, go sailing to let the water bounce around (pump off) then turn 'er on.... it's detergent, detergent breaks down oil and grease.
Some people have a diluted squirt bottle for when they fuel up, as mentioned, a few drops of diesel makes a fast spreading sheen on the water... one squirt and it disappers before your eyes. (illegal some places..... they dont want you "covering up" your spill.......unless you are BP)....:>)

It is a violation of the Clean Waters Act (federal law) as well as international law. Period. Discussion of inforcment is, in my humble opinion, of the point. If you clean the bilge with any emulsifying product, recycle the oil and dispose of the pads properly (if it's a lot) or pump it to the holding tank and dispose of it shore side (if it is trace). Or do the wrong thing.

[Wrong]

This may soon have an application in the marine environment.

Researchers remove oil from water using copper cones inspired by cactus spines (w/ Video)

[Group9]

One of the best ways I have found to clean my bilge is with an inexpensive wet/dry vacuum. Just get the water down to less than an inch and then vacuum up the rest. Better than any other way I have found.

And, you don't put anything into the water system.

[neilpride]

A clean and dry bilge is a safety measure to detect leaks and problems,, thx to a dry bilge i found a couple of bad leaks in my boat in the past, one coming from a starboard manual bilge pump truhull, and the other by the dripless prop shaft seal, even in every wacht we have the rule to open the cabin sole hatch and inspect the bilge for water intrusion....

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by psneeld

Not in the US (most places)...I have been around quite a few spills up to 25 gallons and the USCG will usually not even send an investigative team out...they might and if so...9 times out of 10 there's really nothing to clean up (gas/diesel). Not much usually can be done about it...so they don't worry about it.

When it's motor oil or thicker...sometimes they will require you to place pads...and if not you, the marina, assistance towing outfit, salvage company or environmental clean up outfit (worked for all 4 in the last 12 years...actually just one company).

Never have I heard of a fine with these small "accidental" spills even though negligence was involved...just not gross negligence as in purposefully dumping.

The USCG use to teach it's own that even dumping a can of tuna in oil could get you a fine...but the real world know's petty violations, with no bad intent will usually not be proscecuted because one it's plain silly to fine someone for a small accident with less oil than runs off the parking lot after every rain and two the courts and LE guys have better things to do. And we don't need another agency full of oil police.

There was a fellow living on his sailboat(naked most of the time)on Lake Norman NC and the cops watched him for days untill they caught him hanging over the rail with a bottle of dish soap in his hands,they took his butt to jail and fined his family(he is Newt Gingrichs adopted cousin,he should have known better,Newt is big on the enviroment and animal welfare ,if you didnt know)The naked guy used to paint his sails and got his 15 mins of fame for being the sailing artist,he had over 30 lbs of oil paint on his sails when his boat sank,wonder what that did to the water? He had mental problems so they let him go after his mother payed the fine,He then bought 2 sailboats off of E-bay ,one in VA($500.00) the other in Maine($1200.00)..He sailed from VA to NJ and ran aground twice on the navy base as he had no engine and set sail in bad weather only to be arrested twice,before they had him towed north of the base and set loose,dont think he made it to Maine the last I heard..They will fine you if they catch you ,here anyways..

[Lagoon4us]

Funny how these threads go, the OP asks a question then comments no further? Topical randoms looking for responses keeping the Forum alive???

We have only dust in our bilge and dump the water from our washing machine into it allowing the pumps to get their exercise etc......

[zeehag]

if you actually WATCH dish soap, you will SEE it take the oil to bottom of body of water. any detergent will do this--some is emulsified some is dragged to bottom. same with bp spillage.

some things eyeballs are better fro than numbers, despite the numbers being taken by alleged statisticians, they are also trained to skew numbers in the favor of the paying party.
didnt know that--take stats classes and learn. i how i learned this. boring ass class did teach much, but not what they wanted me to learn....lol

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by zeehag

if you actually WATCH dish soap, you will SEE it take the oil to bottom of body of water. any detergent will do this--some is emulsified some is dragged to bottom. same with bp spillage.

some things eyeballs are better fro than numbers, despite the numbers being taken by alleged statisticians, they are also trained to skew numbers in the favor of the paying party.
didnt know that--take stats classes and learn. i how i learned this. boring ass class did teach much, but not what they wanted me to learn....lol

That is what is called intuitive science. As opposed to actual science.

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by tropicalescape

There was a fellow living on his sailboat(naked most of the time)on Lake Norman NC and the cops watched him for days untill they caught him hanging over the rail with a bottle of dish soap in his hands,they took his butt to jail and fined his family(he is Newt Gingrichs adopted cousin,he should have known better,Newt is big on the enviroment and animal welfare ,if you didnt know)The naked guy used to paint his sails and got his 15 mins of fame for being the sailing artist,he had over 30 lbs of oil paint on his sails when his boat sank,wonder what that did to the water? He had mental problems so they let him go after his mother payed the fine,He then bought 2 sailboats off of E-bay ,one in VA($500.00) the other in Maine($1200.00)..He sailed from VA to NJ and ran aground twice on the navy base as he had no engine and set sail in bad weather only to be arrested twice,before they had him towed north of the base and set loose,dont think he made it to Maine the last I heard..They will fine you if they catch you ,here anyways..

Yep that story sounds exactly like a guy at the fuel dock that lets a few gallons get by him or his vent burps.......

LE guys are never interested in "extreme" stuations yet use something simple to get rid of someone...now if I could only remember the Al Capone story....

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

That is what is called intuitive science. As opposed to actual science.

science is not absolute, nor is it merely numerical. it is a series of WATCHED events leading up to a formed OPINION that is accepted as a science over time and more observation(watching).

scientific method includes watching--they call it observation. any SCIENTIST knows this.


oh, but i am only an rn of highest technological expertise, so i wouldnt know science if it hit me in my face....rodlmao....