Water tank clean-out

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Tom Patterson

My wife and I just became the proud owners of a 1987 Catalina 34 tall rig. She is in beautiful condition, however, the previous owner seldom used the water tanks. I have filled and drained the aft and starboard tanks several times and am ready to sanitize them. I have also removed the 4" clean-out on the starboard tank and removed whatever was used previously to seal it. I have read on the forum that I need to use a non-hardening thread sealer but I can't find a reference to a specific brand(s). One of the sailors on our dock suggested Vaseline petroleum jelly but that seems way too easy! Any suggestions/tips would be greatly appreciated.
Tom Patterson
1987 C34 Tall Rig #264
Presque Isle, MI

KWKloeber

Tom I'm not familiar with the 34 tanks but if access ports are like on my 30 SuperLube gel (ptfe) is a good thread lube but not so much a sealer.  I've used Teflon tape on access ports.  It comes in the wide (1") version.
Twenty years from now you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't do, than by the ones you did.
So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the tradewinds in your sails.
Explore.  Dream.  Discover.   -Mark Twain

Stu Jackson

Rector's Pipe Dope would work, too.
Stu Jackson, C34 IA Secretary, #224 1986, "Aquavite"  Cowichan Bay, BC  Maple Bay Marina  SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)

"There is no problem so great that it can't be solved."

britinusa

Tom, on our C34 Tall Rig Fin Keel 1987, I just unscrew the cap and just screw the cap back in place, no dope.

Paul
Paul & Peggy
1987 C34 Tall Rig Fin Keel - Hull # 463

See you out on the water

Engine:M25XP

Jim Hardesty

I don't have a cleanout on my MKll.  But other boats I have seen use an o-ring or rubber like gasket.  As it's on the tank top just need to keep dust and dirt out.
Jim
Jim Hardesty
2001 MKII hull #1570 M35BC  "Shamrock"
sailing Lake Erie
from Commodore Perry Yacht Club
Erie, PA

scgunner

     Tom,

       I also use Teflon tape, I'm not a big fan of using chemical sealants around my drinking water. Or like Paul you can use nothing, it will leak a little but not significantly, mostly on heel and anything that leaks just winds up in the bilge.
Kevin Quistberg                                                 Top Gun 1987 Mk 1 Hull #273

csimmerling

I've always worried about drinking the water from my '86 tanks. Did you replace yours on your 87, or are they original? Maybe I'm just paranoid. I bring a separate 5gal container for drinking water.
"Natterling", #148 1986 mk 1 fin keel std rig, Port Jefferson, NY

Stu Jackson

Quote from: csimmerling on July 02, 2019, 03:58:39 PM
I've always worried about drinking the water from my '86 tanks. Did you replace yours on your 87, or are they original? Maybe I'm just paranoid. I bring a separate 5gal container for drinking water.

cs, you may have seen this:

Fresh Water System Recommissioning 101 - Peggie Hall's "Cocktail" Rotten Egg Odor http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5836.0.html
Stu Jackson, C34 IA Secretary, #224 1986, "Aquavite"  Cowichan Bay, BC  Maple Bay Marina  SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)

"There is no problem so great that it can't be solved."

csimmerling

I have, thanks for the reminder. I was thinking about the tanks themselves though (sort of related to the BPA craze) . Peggy doesn't really discuss that, it's just about the water.
"Natterling", #148 1986 mk 1 fin keel std rig, Port Jefferson, NY

Tom Patterson

Thanks for all of the suggestions and tips. I'll probably go with either the Teflon tape or the RectorSeal #5 pipe thread sealant. As far as I know, the tanks are original and we don't plan to replace them.
Tom Patterson
1987 C34 Tall Rig #264
Presque Isle, MI

Stu Jackson

Quote from: csimmerling on July 03, 2019, 03:51:34 AM
I have, thanks for the reminder. I was thinking about the tanks themselves though (sort of related to the BPA craze) . Peggy doesn't really discuss that, it's just about the water.

cs, that's simply not true.  If you read the link you'll see she comments on tanks and complete tank refills.  What she discusses is the entire SYSTEM, water, tanks and hoses.
Stu Jackson, C34 IA Secretary, #224 1986, "Aquavite"  Cowichan Bay, BC  Maple Bay Marina  SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)

"There is no problem so great that it can't be solved."

Ron Hill

Guys : The MK1s starboard tank cleanout is a standard 4" tapered thread PVC cap. 
I always use a bit of pipe dope and screw it on tight !!


A thought
Ron, Apache #788