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I ordered the Camco 2-valve bypass kit from Amazon, so I may have additional questions after it comes in. In the meantime, here's my WTF moment from today. What's wrong with this picture?

Guys : Hard for me to understand why someone would want to bypass the WH except for an emergency!!
If you have ever done extensive sailing in a boat that does NOT have a water heater, it is a "Luxury" to have a C34 with a WH. 
Screwing around with a "Sun Shower" Blatter is a real pain or having to get used to a COLD shower is even worse!! 

My 1st Mate and I found that there is nothing like a nice warm shower just before hitting the Vberth in the evening!! 

A thought

Looks like you don’t understand the context here. Winterizing the potable water system is much faster, and requires much less antifreeze, if you bypass the heater. Then you un-bypass it during the season

Also, OP needed to bypass his due to a leak.

Guys : Hard for me to understand why someone would want to bypass the WH except for an emergency!!
If you have ever done extensive sailing in a boat that does NOT have a water heater, it is a "Luxury" to have a C34 with a WH. 
Screwing around with a "Sun Shower" Blatter is a real pain or having to get used to a COLD shower is even worse!! 

My 1st Mate and I found that there is nothing like a nice warm shower just before hitting the Vberth in the evening!! 

A thought

Thanks for the suggestions, and the great pics. I'm going to have to look over this design carefully. Unfortunately, I have a more cramped space because your tubing at the top of your first picture is right where PO installed a charger/inverter. I'm going to figure out whether I can add some elbows to maneuver around it.

By-pass is really simple. Here is what my by-pass looks like.  I also put instructions in plastic on water heater in case someone else was doing it.

  Instructions are on water heater as follows.

1.  Turn off hot water ac breaker and water pressure dc breaker.
2.  Turn cold water in (lower valve) to by-pass
3.  Open tank drain
4.  Open hot water at sink faucet.  So tank will drain
5.  To speed up draining use blow on vac or air compressor at sink faucet
6.  Let tank drain
7.  Turn hot water out (upper valve) to by-pass
8.  Done

Jim

I would suggest when you replace your hot water heater install a bypass.  Saves a lot of aggravation winterizing and is little added work when you have your water heater out.  Here is a link to WM can probably do better someplace else.

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/camco--water-heater-bypass-winterizing-kit--329195

After looking closer I'd buy one with two 3way valves
Jim

Hi all, I'm re-activating this thread because it's relevant to me. I'm not replacing my water heater, but I am shopping around for bypass kits for my existing heater (which is only about 5 years old), and have a bunch of questions.

• Does the linked Camco kit have the right threads for our heaters?
• Will it fit in the tight confines of the MkII dinette settee? Is there an acceptable workaround with elbow fittings?
• Is it possible to remove the old fittings and replace the new ones without removing the whole tank?
• Is the three-way valve a "full flow" type? If not, can you recommend a valve that is?
• I like the idea of a single three way valve paired with the check valve that's included for the hot water outlet. That simplifies things because you only have to flip one valve. But does this new check valve (in addition to the cold water check valve that's already present) create too much resistance to flow?
• Finally, it appears that I'd have to add some hose barb fittings to attach the existing hoses. I wasn't able to pull apart my system today to measure the ID, but it looks like the hoses are about 3/8" id. Is this correct?

 

Kyle : You might look at the connection of those spade connectors on the oil pressure switch.
I'm a believer in soldering connecters to insure a good electrical contact.

A thought

   Dwayne,

      My hour meter also stopped working at around 1500 hours, I installed one at the Nav Station. Whatever you do you'll need one to determine intervals between maintenance procedures.

Thanks Kyle.  I'll put that on my list of things to check.

I had a similar problem a few years ago and traced it to loose wiring at the engine wiring harness.  I tightened all the connectors (I have terminal strips) and have had no chirp since.