Catalina 34

General Activities => Main Message Board => Topic started by: anaisdog on September 28, 2015, 04:49:55 PM

Title: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: anaisdog on September 28, 2015, 04:49:55 PM
c34, 1986, hull 99.  according the drawing, from catalina, my inside (yellow lever) should be the front (smaller, hard) tank and my outside (white, twist, round valve) should be after (soft bladder/40 gallons i think), but it seems, from trying to winterize tonight, that is reversed.  can someone lend an idea?  also, when you winterize your water system, do you fully drain the water out of the tanks, then put in a gallon of pink each tank, run, one at a time until pink comes out?  my friend seemed to think i should keep some water in my tanks then put pink in, and i disagreed.

thanks

becki kain
detroit
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: sailaway on September 28, 2015, 05:06:49 PM
I drain all my tanks . Then I put some pink in  both tanks until it runs out all the  faucets turn the pressure pump off leave all the faucets open. Put some pink in the floor of the head and start the shower drain pump. I leave all sea cocks open in the winter. Charlie
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: anaisdog on September 28, 2015, 05:11:06 PM
but which valves are which, on your boat? 
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Jim Hardesty on September 28, 2015, 05:16:27 PM
Becki,
I live in Erie,PA gets cold here too.  To keep the dilution factor down, I run the water until it pumps air, pour 1 gal. of pink stuff in, run that through, then a second one.  I don't leave much pink stuff in the tank or in the plumbing.  If this is your first time winterizing remember to drain and bypass the water heater or you will need lots of pink stuff.  Also, I catch the antifreeze that comes out the faucet and use that for my bilge pumps.   Don't know about the tanks on a 1986.
Jim
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: anaisdog on September 28, 2015, 05:27:52 PM
thanks.  that is what i had been taught too and my friend was arguing with me about it.  then the tanks seemed reversed so nothing is done yet.  1 gallon in each tank, 1 in head ?  what about the sump?

Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Footloose on September 28, 2015, 05:54:52 PM
The water outlet on the front tank is not at the bottom of the tank in my boat.  To get all of the water out I have to remove the inspection port and pump the remainder out.  It is several gallons.  The rear tank will drain by gravity as the outlet is on the bottom.  If you put a gallon of pink in the front tank it will be severely diluted. 

I drain both tanks and empty the remainder of the front tank as above.  Leave the tanks empty as they can't rupture that way.  I pull the hose off the pump inlet and blow any water out of that section back to the tanks.   I disconnect the water heater and drain it.  It also requires blowing out some water.  I connect the inlet and outlet water heater hoses together.  I then put a spare hose on the water pump inlet and put it directly in a jug of nontox.  Turn on the water pressure and fill the lines to the galley and head sinks.  I then let the pump empty the system as much as possible.  Put a shop vac on the faucets to remove as much as possible to reduce bad taste at springtime recommissioning.  No problems in more than ten years of Vermont winters.

If any of this is fuzzy I can clarify.
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: KWKloeber on September 28, 2015, 06:40:04 PM
Quote from: anaisdog on September 28, 2015, 04:49:55 PM
my friend seemed to think i should keep some water in my tanks then put pink in, and i disagreed.

thanks

becki kain
detroit


becki

when someone states something that appears absolutely contrary to common sense -- I ask WHY?  Typically they have no answer that makes logical sense, and then if they can't convince you -- file the advice away accordingly.

As far as amount, I think RC (Main Sail) had beat this topic up pretty well last year on the C30 forum.  Follow what he said. 

Anyone who tries to winterize (especially in your climate!!) is making a mistake unless they have previously "calibrated" the system.  I mean, measured the protection that "X" gallons pumped through provides.  Get a Thexton polypropylene glycol (NOT ethylene glycol !!!) antifreeze tester and capture and test what is pumped thru to make sure you have the level if protection you need.   That isn't the ultimate - a refratometer is, but they are considerably more $$.

Ken
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Stu Jackson on September 28, 2015, 07:05:49 PM
Quote from: anaisdog on September 28, 2015, 05:11:06 PM
but which valves are which, on your boat? 

Becki,

It actually doesn't matter what any of us have on our boats.

It is ONLY what YOU have on YOUR boat that matters to YOU.

Any PO could have changed things from what came from the factory.  My "inside" (amidships) valve does the starboard tank, and the outboard valve does the aft (solid) tank.  Both are white plastic valves.
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Noah on September 28, 2015, 07:56:13 PM
And on my 1990, I don't have any shut off valves at all...just a "Y" valve to switch which tank the pump draws from. No set rules here. I am surprised you have an inflatable bladder tank!? Learn something every day!
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Ken Juul on September 30, 2015, 07:54:05 AM
I don't use pink at all in my water system.  Blow all the water out of the tanks, lines and water heater with my air compresser.  Do use the pink for shower, head and bilge.
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: mregan on September 30, 2015, 01:10:28 PM
Ken
How to you go about blowing out your tanks/lines.  I'd like to get away from the pink in the water lines if I could.
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Ken Juul on October 01, 2015, 06:44:30 AM
Stick the compressor nozzle in the fill holes, stuff a rag in to help seal.  Take the input line off the pump and let it drain into the bilge.  Could also just run the facets.  I close the front water tank valve and blow out the aft tank first. Then the front tank.  Remove the pump outlet line.  Blow the pump dry, then put the nozzle in the output line and blow the water heater, sinks and aft shower dry.  Do the same for the air conditioning systems, then pour some pink down the drained line to the thru hull.
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: RV61 on October 02, 2015, 05:46:46 AM
Becki,
In my 1986 I have two hard tanks one aft behind aft cabin wall and one  starboard in main salon under the setee. Both tanks have separate deck fills on starboard side one aft and one mid ship. The plumbing is setup with two shutoff valves one for each tank. The valves are found under sink area in the galley. My boat as two white shutoff valves next to each other. The system is plumbed so I can fill both thanks from aft deck fill when aft tank shutoff valve is open. When both valves are open water gravity feeds from aft to starboard tank. When I first bought boat I had to follow the plumbing lines to  figure out which valve worked with each tank then I labeled them. When I winterize I empty both tanks by running the faucets until blowing air. I then disconnect input and out put hose from hot water tank and join them together to bypass hot water tank. I us my dinghy foot pump to blow out water left in hot water tank. Then I close both valves and add a gallon or so of pink antifreeze thru both of the deck fills. Then I open valve for the starboard tank and turn on the head faucet till pink comes out then do the galley faucet. I then close starboard valve and open aft valve and repeat. Then I open both valves let run a little more. Then turn off pressure  and open both faucets and done. 
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: anaisdog on October 02, 2015, 06:02:44 AM
i can't attatch the pictures since they are too large but i can send,if anyone wants to see a bladder tank.  so i closed the thru hull and tried to put pink through the since, so it would flush into the head, and just got water. now i'm hiring someone to try to fix this mess.
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Stu Jackson on October 02, 2015, 09:09:59 AM
Here are the photos Becki sent to me of her aft bladder tank.  Looks like a PO mod.
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Noah on October 02, 2015, 10:57:51 AM
If I am reading the photo correctly, it is in a kind of sketchy location on top of the shaft log?? Also, don't like those perforated hose clamps either.
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: anaisdog on October 02, 2015, 03:28:57 PM
so yes, i guess my tanks are reversed, from the drawing, but if there was never a soft bladder, from catalina, then i guess there's no way of knowing why the valves were reversed, or even why the hard tank, in the aft, was changed out.  can someone send me a picture of their hard aft tank?  it seems like a 40 gallon hard tank would take up a lot of space, as opposed to the bladder.

thanks

becki kain
hull 99, 1986
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: KWKloeber on October 02, 2015, 03:39:27 PM
Quote from: Noah on October 02, 2015, 10:57:51 AM
If I am reading the photo correctly, it is in a kind of sketchy location on top of the shaft log?? Also, don't like those perforated hose clamps either.

Strange - tooks like maybe there's 2 + 2?   Shaft log clamps appear to be good solid-type (awab brand?) clamps and the two fwd clamps appear to be crappy perforated-type?  becki, suggest you make sure that both are non-perforated type.

kk
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Noah on October 02, 2015, 03:48:42 PM
1990/ aft water tank and port fuel.
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: anaisdog on October 02, 2015, 04:37:00 PM
are they both in the wall?  my drawing, from catalina, shows the tank i have, about where it is, i think and my diesel tank is in the port side wall of the aft berth
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Noah on October 02, 2015, 04:59:02 PM
Both are behind bulkheads (walls).
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: anaisdog on October 02, 2015, 05:01:07 PM
so portside and aft?  for me, my aft wall has the pedistal hardware and a little hanging locker
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Noah on October 02, 2015, 06:02:15 PM
Sorry, I can't explain it any better and I don't know what your boat configuration is. However, I would be very surprised if any "drawing from Catalina" shows a bladder tank placed as yours is. Perhaps some else can chime in.
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: mregan on October 02, 2015, 07:24:49 PM
My 1986, #86, has the aft tank on the starboard side under the main salon settee.  My forward tank is in the v-berth.  Nothing in the aft cabin.
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Noah on October 02, 2015, 07:48:47 PM
Your "aft" tank is my "forward" tank.
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Jon W on October 02, 2015, 09:43:41 PM
My 87 looks similar to Noah's photo. I might have missed it, but what do you have behind the aft removable panel in the aft cabin? Wondering if you have a second fuel tank? Jon W.
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: anaisdog on October 03, 2015, 06:23:30 AM
as far as i knew, just the diesel tank.  but i haven't looked back there, recently.  and that's interesting about a tank in the main salon.  i just have my bilge there and open space, with the holding tank taking up half of the port side, main salon storage.
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Ron Hill on October 03, 2015, 01:03:16 PM
All : The 1986 C34 came with starboard and  Vberth water tanks.  All subsequent C34s came with starboard and aft lazerette water tanks. 
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: sailaway on October 03, 2015, 03:39:08 PM
I have hull number 95 I have a water tank forward under the v berth an one under the starboard sette  My understanding the changed some time mid year 1986. I have friends with 1986 hull number higher hull number with water tanks aft. Charlie
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Ralph Masters on October 04, 2015, 09:53:38 AM
My 87 looks just like the photo posted, fuel tank to port aft and water tank  aft under the steering quadrent. One other tank under the setee forward of the ice box.
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Ekutney on April 05, 2016, 06:41:59 AM
I have hull #42 and have 3 water tanks; one fwd under the V berth, one starboard under the setee and the third is a bladder under the aft berth...  It is exactly the same bladder as shown in the posted pics, 200 liters from France.  The previous owner told me this was the original configuration.
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Andrew Harvey on April 05, 2016, 07:51:22 AM
We have the same bladder tank in ours. It was factory install.
I never use it though. Run out of holding capacity before we run out of water from the forward tank 
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Ekutney on April 11, 2016, 10:49:33 PM
Quote from: Stu Jackson on October 02, 2015, 09:09:59 AM
Here are the photos Becki sent to me of her aft bladder tank.  Looks like a PO mod.

I have the same bladder under the aft berth, which I'm told by the PO of 27 yrs is original.  I was thinking of replacing it with a slightly smaller one because of age & it is very close to the shaft log.  Has anybody ever replaced theirs?   If so what brand.  I want it more for ballast because rain water collects in the fwd part of the cockpit right before the companionway.   I also have a water tank under the V berth & one strb side under the setee.
Title: Re: are my water tanks reversed?
Post by: Stu Jackson on April 12, 2016, 03:24:27 PM
Quote from: Ron Hill on October 03, 2015, 01:03:16 PM
All : The 1986 C34 came with starboard and  Vberth water tanks.  All subsequent C34s came with starboard and aft lazerette water tanks.

Not always true.  My '86 has the aft tank and starboard tank.  As far as I know, only the "earliest" 1986 boats came this way.  Defining "earliest" is the hardest part!   :shock: :D :D :D