bailing

Bailing is the act of removing liquid from a container, vessel, or space, usually by hand, using a bailer or a bucket. The term is used in maritime, flood-response, and everyday contexts. It should not be confused with pumping, which uses a mechanical device, or with bail as a noun in law and finance, though all forms derive from the same root meaning to take out or release.

In boating and ship operations, bailing is the manual removal of water from a vessel's bilge to reduce flooding and maintain buoyancy. A bailer—often a scoop, a bucket, or a specialized hand tool—lets a person scoop water from the lowest part of the hull. Bailing is typically a temporary measure, used while or before pumps or other systems can remove larger volumes of water. In larger ships, bailing complements automatic bilge pumps.

Bailing is also common in basements during floods, in flooded spaces after rain, or in ponds and irrigation contexts, where people remove water by bucket or with portable pumps, to prevent damage or to access the space.

In legal and financial terminology, bail refers to a security deposit or promise to appear in court. The act of providing that security is often described as posting bail or bailing someone out, which releases a suspect under agreed conditions. Bail arrangements vary by jurisdiction and may involve cash, property, or a bail bondsman.