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The 'bilge' is the compartment at the bottom of the hull of a ship or boat where water collects so that it may be pumped out of the vessel at a later time.
By housing water in a compartment, it keeps it beneath the decks, making it safer for the crew to operate the vessel and for people to move around in strong weather.
The development of bilge pumps went from buckets, to hand pumps, and now electric bilge pumps are available for even small vessels. Bilge coatings are applied to protect the surfaces. The water is often noxious, and "bilge water" is a derogatory term often used colloquially to refer to something bad, ruined, or fouled.
A feature of the bilge is the swash plate, which serves to dampen the rush of water from side to side, which might destabilize the ship if allowed to run at will. The swash plates run fore and aft and have small openings near the bottom where the water is allowed to run through.