My starboard tank has an access port to clean the tank which is real dirty. Does the aft tank and where is it?
What Lewmar windows do we have? And can the cheesey inside plastic be replaced easily?
Cliff, the manuals show the location of the aft tank, page 38 of this: http://www.c34.org/manuals/1988/1988-C34-Owners.pdf You'll have to go look at yours to see if it does and where it is. I suggest checking the strainer on the inlet to the fresh water pump, under the galley sink.
I don't have Lewmar portlights on our boat, can't help you there, but I'll bet a search would turn up some very interesting material for you, such as the size, which changed over the years. Of course replacement parts are available from the manufacturer or other sources.
Cliff,
My aft water tank has no access port, but I would think you could add one. The portlights (Thanks Jon for the correct info) are the Old Standard size 1. The plastic trim rings are available from Catalina Direct, but due to the cost I decided to go with the bare aluminum frames.
Cheers,
Rick
Cliff, your water tank likely does not have an inspection port unless a PO installed it. I ordered a 6" one from Ronco (www.ronco-plastics.com), the tank manufacturer... real nice people. If you don't go that route (or even if you do), you might try a dry hydrogen peroxide rinse (you can get this from many different chemical suppliers; it's essentially Oxyclean without the added soap and perfume). Dump the powder in (a couple of pounds worth at least); fill the tank with cool water; let it sit for four or five hours, and then empty and rinse again. If the boat's in the water, take it out and try to rock it as much as possible to swish the hydrogenated water around. It'll do wonders for you bilge as well!
Your Lewmar hatches in the main salon and v-berth are the "old style standards" size #1. I replaced the lenses this year. What a difference. It's a new boat. I'm going to replace the deadlights next. I'm not sure if the aft berth portlights are Bomar or Lewmar; can't help you there, but who cares about them... it's not like you'd get a great view unless one of your passengers has absolutely terrific ankles ;)
Cliff : You probably do not have a 4" cleanout on your aft tank (wasn't installed by the factory). You don't need one as the aft tank drain is on the fwd bottom of the tank so that tank will completely empty and dry out!!
As far as the Lewmar hatches they are size #1 and Lewmar does not have "trim rings" anymore - someone mentioned Catalina Direct, so try them. Others have made Teak trim rings.
The aft cabin hatches are Bomar and are still in production.
Thanks for the suggestions. How is that tank drain accessed?
Quote from: crieders on April 09, 2008, 06:56:41 PM
How is that tank drain accessed?
You won't actually need to access it from the tank end; just disconnect the hose going into the cut-off valve in the galley.
Jon, concerning your dry hydrogen peroxide rinse. Other than the cleaning porcess, how much rinsing etc to get any taste out of the new water? I have used a small amount of bleach in the tank before and had to do at least a couple of fill and rinses to remove the "taste". Tha is a lot of water down the drian. Plus the time to do it. Your thoughts.
You don't actually need to rinse this stuff out at all... hydrogen peroxide evaporates (technically reacts so that it mixes its component atoms into the atmosphere), but that's why it's important to use pure grade material. I think if you used Oxiclean, you'd find other cr@p as a residue. There is no aftertaste from this treatment. I rinse once, because I like to make things a little more difficult than they need to be :?
Actually, let me be a little more clear about this substance that I'm recommending. It's called Sodium Percarbonate, and as a dry agent, it is actually a combination with hydrogen peroxide, and releases H2O2 just as the liquid form of hydrogen peroxide does. I bought about eight 2 lb containers from The Chemistry Store last year (http://www.chemistrystore.com/Sodium_Percarbonate_Uses.htm#Camping), and I think I used either two or three containers when I cleaned the tank. According to the page I referenced above, it does seem the reaction leaves a residue of ash (white in color). I did notice this when I used the treatment last year, but at the time I thought that it must have just "bleached" (or perhaps "blanched" would be the better word) the cr@p that was already in the tank. It was probably a little bit of both.
Jon, do you need to dissolve it in a bucket of water before you put it in and do you get the bubbling action like you do when you put hydrogen peroxide on cuts.
I may be operating above my pay grade here, but, no, I don't dissolve it before adding it to the tank. Just dump it in through the port on the forward tank. I then mixed it up. You could pour it in through the fill hole on the coaming for the aft tank while spraying water down. I can't remember if there was any significant bubbling action, although I may have had a beer in my hand at the time, so I think there was some bubbling going on somewhere ;)
Jon,
So after you clean the tanks w/this you can drink the water from them?
Steve
From what I understand, yes. For full disclosure, though, I add a little bleach to keep the water somewhat pure (about a week after I've rinsed once), and I never drink from it. Never have; never will. I carry gallons of water aboard for drinking. I don't have any fear of drinking out of the tanks as a result of this treatment, but I just don't trust the handling of these tanks by two POs, nor do I trust the water at my marina. Also, I prefer Anchor Steam to plain water ;)
As an aside, I have always mounted the latest and greatest filter on my faucet head and I do drink the water from the tanks - we have clean city water at our marina. But I still like to periodiaclly clean the tanks as they are only full for short period of time and there is always oxigen at top of tanks and that can lead to unplesent things.
I have order some o fthe good stuff so we will see. Makes sence to me.
We too use bottled water for drinking. I was curious if in fact anyone did drink the tank water. I agree w/Jon about the marina water. Our yacht club water lina runs about 300 ft in a plastic hose before getting to the docks. Plenty of length for little critters to grow in there.
I also add bleach in the tanks when filling them, ABSOLUT-ly!!!
Quote from: Steve Sayian on April 10, 2008, 12:07:50 PM
I also add bleach in the tanks when filling them, ABSOLUT-ly!!!
If my tanks were filled with Absolut, I'd overcome my inhibitions, and drink from them :thumb:
I'm still looking for a deck fill cap marked "Rum" for an upgrade I have in mind. If anyone finds a source, let me know!
Hi guys...here's my 5 cents....H2O2 is peroxide...but when activated it loose some oxygen so now you have water H2O.
I know that from my brother (pharmacist) and he's in charge at the manufacturing end of it...so they all clean the equipment/tubs with that...so it's completely safe...but if you want to be more secure...rinse you water.....with water!!!
Also bleach is chlorine...the same thing that your municipality puts in the drinking water...so chlorine does clean and it'll evaporate. But again, you might want to rinse it out with water....that has chlorine in it!!!
So, both are good...safe cleaner.
Every so often, or before we take a cruise, I sanitize the system by filling the tanks half full, add a cup of Chlorox, fill the tanks the rest of the way and then pump through all lines including the water heater until I can smell the Chlorox in the sinks. Then let it set a few hours before pumping them empty. When I fill the water tanks for drinking I do so after washing the boat down to get good fresh water in the hoses and piping at the dock then fill through an in-line charcol filter. For drinking I installed another in-line water filter in the cold line at the galley. This way we always have had clean fresh tasting water for drinking and no problems with algae or smell in the system.
We generally give the system a rinse with couple caps of chlorine in about 10 gals of water in each tank. Drain and rinse with about another 10 gals. Fill up with city water from a municipal marina. (our home marina is on a well:(). Use the water for everything, carry 10 gals to the boat from the house each trip. We usually use more than 10 gals a weekend, so it gradually gets depleted until we hit another marina with city water for a fill. Using the water helps keep it fresh, the chemicals put in by the city keeps the critters down. I am going to add a charcol filter this season also after seeing the difference it makes at home.
Try this, from the pro on water systems (recommissioning water systems): http://archives.sailboatowners.com/pviewarch.htm?fno=20&sku=2008080092417.62&id=530067&ptl=#2008080203957.66
I only fill the water tanks with the dock hose after hosing the boat, helps to bring the fresher water to hose from the long dock piping.
Guys : For those of us that winterize our water systems spring should be easy.
In the fall most of the C34s(except 1986) have an aft water tank that can be completely drained. I also have a starboard water tank with a 4" cleanout on the aft end of that tank. I unscrew the cleanout and sponge out the residue water that remains in the bottom. Then blow out/suck out the water line with a shop vac so everything is free of water.
In the spring I take a cap full of bleach an add it to each 25 gallons of water (1 cap for the starboard tank and 2 caps for the aft tank) and I'm ready to go. I don't add bleach on fill-ups if I in a marina that uses "city" water. I only add bleach(chlorine) if I'm filling from a well. Then I also filter that well water to keep all kind of sediment and iron etc. out (see Mainsheet Article). :D