Cleaning bilge ...... (how to)?

[Hannibal]

Forgive my ignorance as this is all new to me and unfortunately there doesn't seem to be an owners manual for this stuff.

I've done a lot of work on my 91 Parker 2110 WA since picking it up. It needed a bit of TLC that it has since gotten and looks pretty damn good on the water if I may say so. Certainly doesn't look brand new but I've got plenty of plans for her over the winter.

While I've been able to clean up the outside along with the exposed inside portions of the boat (for the most part), I get disgusted everytime I open up the hatches to the bilge area. I've seen some of your alls pictures and you could store food in there it seems.

Mine is discolored, has a black tacky substances (grease?) on much of it. In general, it is dirty.

I've tried to clean what I can by hand and while it is improved, I know it's only on a very SMALL portion of the entire bilge area. And even then, it's still not very clean.

Is there some kind of product/procedure I can put in place to get this area nice and clean again? Is this an area where I can plug up the drain plug, add water and some bleach and let it sit for a few hours before draining?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks as always!

Will

 

[THEGAME]

you can use simple green and a med. brush on it with elbo grease if that dont work sand it down and paint it

 

[Bryan 2530]

Megabyte your on! :mrgreen:

(He is our resident bildge expert)

 

[Hannibal]

you can use simple green and a med. brush on it with elbo grease if that dont work sand it down and paint it

Hitting the spots I can see is one thing (and difficult enought as it is) - but I am speaking more specifically about what is not easily seen.

A buddy of mine had some kind of bilge cleaner that he put in his boat (not sure if he added water) and rode around on it during the day - being sure to splash it around. Never heard of this. Also don't know what condition it was in prior to putting this additive in the bilge. Don't even know if it was safe to do.

Sounded simple enough but I wasn't sure what the right course of action was.

 

[pmeggers]

I did this yesterday actually....

I put a 16 ounce weight on my bilge pump float. Then filled the bilge up pretty good with h2o, giving everywhere a good "squirt." Also had a concotion of 'citrus bilge cleaner' and a little x14 as well.

It turned out well.

If you go the x14 or bleach route, make sure it is water'd down.

Now, time to go nail the blackfish.

 

[Hannibal]

I did this yesterday actually....

I put a 16 ounce weight on my bilge pump float. Then filled the bilge up pretty good with h2o, giving everywhere a good "squirt." Also had a concotion of 'citrus bilge cleaner' and a little x14 as well.

It turned out well.

If you go the x14 or bleach route, make sure it is water'd down.

Now, time to go nail the blackfish.

This is what I was thinking of doing. Either taking bleach or some specific made bilge cleaner and filling up my bilge area with water and letting it sit for a couple of hours. And then draining/flushing/rinsing out.

What were the before and after conditions?

 

[jeffnick]

Concentrated Lemon Joy will lather in salt water. We put some in the bilge and slosh it around under way or on the road.

 

[pmeggers]

Boat is relatively new, so it was just mold, and lots of it. But it's spanky clean now.

I must also admit that I was turning on the sea-calk for the raw water a couple weeks back and a bluefish flopped its way into the bilge! Obviously removed the bluefish but there might have been some smell still kickin around.

I recommend it. Bleach seems to make everything better.