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Keeping your boat's bilge and bilge pump clean and well maintained is not just a good mariner's tip. The United States Coast Guard requires that a vessel's bilge be kept "reasonably clean." What's more, boat operators can face heavy fines should they pump oily bilge water out of the vessel and into the waterways. In fact, a boat operator can be fined for illegally polluting waterways if a even a small amount of contaminants ... just a visible sheen ... is seen floating atop the water near a boat. This is not just rhetoric. There are state and federal regulations that mandate boat operators to ensure their vessel does not pollute the waterways. Heller Glanz Bilge Cleaner can help you avoid potential fines ... up to $25,000 ... while reducing the growth of nasty mildew and bacteria in your vessel's bilge. The bilge is the rounded portion of a vessel's hull. The lowest part of the hull, it forms the transition between the bottom and the sides of the boat. Limber holes, found in the ribs of the bilge, allow water to flow into the lowest areas of the boat hull or bilge. Mold, mildew and petroleum-based substances cling to the limber holes and bilge surfaces in this dark, moist environment. It is important to ensure that the bilge and limber holes are kept clean and free from contaminants and debris. It is the accumulation of this gunk that not only creates an unhealthy environment within your boat, but it also can clog and damage bilge pumps. A key to headache-free boating is to keep a boat's bilge free from mold, mildew, oil and marine slime. Bilge cleaners work by dissolving the crud, grease and oil buildup that gather in the boat's hull. Once the bilge cleaner breaks down the oil, mold and bacteria, the debris will become suspended in the water-cleaner solution. The sludge-cleaner mix is later pumped out of the hull. (Remember it is illegal to pump oil-tainted bilge water overboard and doing so can subject you to a fine levied by the United States Coast Guard. It is also illegal to not report an oil spill, regardless of the size of the spill. See "Reporting Spills" on this site for more information.) Bilge cleaning should be a routine boat-maintenance chore. Most major brands of bilge cleaners, such as 3M and Meguiar bilge cleaners, do a fine job. However, Heller Glanz Bilge Cleaner, one of a new line of premium boat maintenance products, was particularly impressive because it dissolves some substances ... breaking them down and loosening their properties ... and emulsifies others, reducing oil-based substances to a milky sludge. It is also biodegradable and environmentally friendly. About a half-cup of this product poured into the bilge at the beginning a boat trip is all that's needed to prevent buildup. The rolling action of the vessel churns the treated bilge water to cleanse the inner hull of oil, mildew and associated bilge crud. What's more, Heller Glanz Bilge Cleaner leaves the bilge smelling as fresh and clean. The product can also be used beyond the bilge as an all-purpose cleaner and degreaser throughout the boat. If you choose a cleaner that requires scrubbing, invest in a quality brush that can get to those hard-to-reach areas of the bilge. Be sure to turn off the bilge pump before starting your cleaning project, doing so will prevent tainted bilge water from being inadvertently pumped overboard. Scour the bilge area with the cleaner. Don't forget to check the limber holes as they can easily become encrusted with grease, crime and assorted gunk. Wait a few minutes to allow the bilge cleaner to do its job before vacuuming the dirty bilge water from the craft. Rinse the bilge area well following the cleansing. Bilge Maintenance Inspection Tips Regular bilge cleaning will avoid the unhealthy buildup of mold and mildew, and grease, oil and other debris. Following these tips will help you keep your bilge in great shape:
United States Coast Guard Regulations Federal regulations governing boating include adherence to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and the Refuse Act. The Refuse Act prohibits discharging or depositing any trash, garbage, oil or other liquid pollutants into the nation's waters. The water pollution act hones in on the discharge of oil or other hazardous substances into the waterways. Owners of recreational vessels are urged to equip their boats with with oil absorbent pads, bailer or pumps, and plastic bags to gather and transport hazardous substances, including oil, to an authorized reception facility. The act also specifies that no person may intentionally drain oil or oily waste from any source into the bilge. Click here to review the United State Coast Guard's Boat Safety Web site that outlines the law on bilge water pollution. In addition, no plastic items may be dumped overboard in US waters, including synthetic ropes, fishing nets and plastic bags. The following guidelines must be followed to comply with the law:
If you spill any amount of hazardous waste or oil into the water, you must notify the US Coast Guard National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802, contact your local Coast Guard Station on Channels 9 or 16 or click here to contact the center by email. Failure to do so may result in a civil penalty and/or imprisonment. |
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