Salty crusty dried crystals in bilge?

[jefndeb]

When my bilge is dry, there is a layer of dried crystals left over.... anybody know why or how this is possible?

[deblen]

You are producing "dirty" sea salt?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_salt
Len

[atoll]

collect it up and sell it to organic food shops as sustainable,ethically produced "Bilge Salt"................Millenials love that sort of stufff for sprinkling on their Tofu....

[dfelsent]

Originally Posted by atoll

collect it up and sell it to organic food shops as sustainable,ethically produced "Bilge Salt"................Millenials love that sort of stufff for sprinkling on their Tofu....

Best laugh of the day so far !!!!

Ps I made tofu and used sea salt on it last night!

[jefndeb]

Giggle giggle☺️☺️

[SV Siren]

Originally Posted by atoll

collect it up and sell it to organic food shops as sustainable,ethically produced "Bilge Salt"................Millenials love that sort of stufff for sprinkling on their Tofu....

If you sail regularly, you could also market "Free Range bilge Salt" for yet another option..

[SimonFirth]

Much as I like the levity, I think it much more likely that you have a touch of electrolysis around your through hull fittings ... particularly if the crystals have a touch of blue in them. Quick solution is boiling water. Second solution is a dose of vinegar., If crystal generation continues you will need to disassemble the fittings and ensure that there is no mixture of dissimilar metals in presence of salt water. Regular applications of grease will fix minor reactions. Look for copper/brass and stainless. If fittings can't be easily replaced, attach sacrificial anodes of zinc or mild steel.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by SimonFirth

Much as I like the levity, I think it much more likely that you have a touch of electrolysis around your through hull fittings ... particularly if the crystals have a touch of blue in them. Quick solution is boiling water. Second solution is a dose of vinegar., If crystal generation continues you will need to disassemble the fittings and ensure that there is no mixture of dissimilar metals in presence of salt water. Regular applications of grease will fix minor reactions. Look for copper/brass and stainless. If fittings can't be easily replaced, attach sacrificial anodes of zinc or mild steel.

that would be "Ionised,Free Range,Organic,Bilge Salt"............

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by SimonFirth

Much as I like the levity, I think it much more likely that you have a touch of electrolysis around your through hull fittings ... particularly if the crystals have a touch of blue in them. Quick solution is boiling water. Second solution is a dose of vinegar., If crystal generation continues you will need to disassemble the fittings and ensure that there is no mixture of dissimilar metals in presence of salt water. Regular applications of grease will fix minor reactions. Look for copper/brass and stainless. If fittings can't be easily replaced, attach sacrificial anodes of zinc or mild steel.

I’d like to know exactly how brown salt pan comes from “electrolysis” of the through hulls?

[Cavalier]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

I’d like to know exactly how brown salt pan comes from “electrolysis” of the through hulls?

Agreed - this seems odd unless the through-hulls are made from black steel (unlikely). On that note, the coloration has all the hall-marks of iron oxide. Is the bilge water in contact with any iron/steel (even screws) in the bilge or on the way to the bilge? Depending on what type of water you're floating in, it could also be old tannins being washed in from other parts of the bilge - when was the last time you had actual brackish/sea-water in the bilge, and why?

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[jefndeb]

Thanks, however there are no thru-hulls located in this area, I have one galley thu-hull, one engine water inlet and one holding tank thru-hull, non of these would come in contact with water that may collect in this area....very odd indeed...

[Cavalier]

Originally Posted by jefndeb

... one holding tank thru-hull.....

Any chance you have seepage/sweating from the holding tank or hoses which is ending up in the bilge area? Salt water is roughly 3-3.5% salt, so it wouldn't take much "brown" to discolor the remaining salt to the shade in your photo.

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[Cavalier]

Also, how is the foot of the rule float switch bonded to the bottom of the bilge? The PO on Cavalier had used normal steel screws to mount the forward float switch, and the corrosion only became apparent when the float switch happened to "float"

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[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Cavalier

Any chance you have seepage/sweating from the holding tank or hoses which is ending up in the bilge area? Salt water is roughly 3-3.5% salt, so it wouldn't take much "brown" to discolor the remaining salt to the shade in your photo.

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I’ve had saltwater from the bay do the same thing, same color from the mud.....August of course when the bay is actually salty.

If it is from a leaking holding tank fitting.......please don’t sell it as free range organic pan dried salt.....it’s something else entirely!!!

[Cavalier]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

If it is from a leaking holding tank fitting.......please don’t sell it as free range organic pan dried salt.....it’s something else entirely!!!

Probiotic free range organic pan dried salt, perhaps?

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