• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

Help needed....bilge/plumbing questions (and could use a diagram?)

mjsouleman

Sustaining Member
Moderator
cockpit drain and the sink drain teed

Discovery is a 1983 Ericson 30+ with an almost identical setup.

Regarding the cockpit drain and the sink drain teed.


When I saw this I thought the PO did some funky plumbing because there is a capped off thru hull just below the sink.

I also thought this was odd because the drain line runs right across the face of the fuel/separator which I found frustrating when replacing the fuel/separator.

As far as the bilge water, I have to say my son has spent a great deal of time and energy getting rid of smells and the bilge is his bug-a-boo.

Discovery's bilge is clean as a whistle and when it rains, we get clear rain water coming from "leaks" in the cockpit at the pedestal base.

Good hunting

MJS
 

jacksonkev

Member III
Does your boat have the factory Par-Jabsco model 3702 pump with a float switch? Note that the exact model # has likely changed some from the 80's, but the pump works and looks pretty much the same.

(If a PO has replaced it with a cheapie Rule centrifugal pump, those can back-flood by syphoning and are unreliable on their best day. Their flow rate is nowhere near the advertised specs, either.)

Also, I meant to mention...I still have the original Wilcox Crittenden "Head-Mate", it doesn't work great. So, I have actually never used it. Just did a couple fill and flushes when I bought the boat and haven't touched it since. I primarily day sail and use the bucket as "the head". Strange but true.
 

jacksonkev

Member III
Getting that last half inch of water out of each bilge division is tedious. I have used a $1.99 turkey baster for many years. Every significant rain storm introduces about two quarts of clear fresh cold rainwater to our bilge, down the inside of our keel-stepped spar.:0


Hi Loren, when I reread your comment about your keel stepped mast I didn't catch that you had an Olson 34. :thinker:
 

jacksonkev

Member III
I'm puzzled about where the water was coming into your boat in the recent heavy rains. Living in BC, we also get lots of rain during the winter, but the bilge stays dry. Have you explored that? Are the ports/windows, hatches dry? No leaks from water tanks, the head, etc.? I once had a strange leak from the anchor locker underneath the cushions at the bow of the Vberth, along the port side and ending in a puddle in the head--took me some real detective work to figure that one out, but after re-bedding the anchor locker it was solved.

We have owned our E30+ for over ten years, and I'm sure I've crawled around in every inch of her at some time or other, so if you have other questions about where things are located or routed, ask away and I may be able to help.

Frank, I meant to ask you, does your E30+ have a vinyl headliner in the cabin? If so, are your access zippers frozen shut like mine? If not, have you found a good way to free them up? I would like to poke around under the hardware to check for leaks but not at the sake of reinstalling my headliner. I've read many tips on freeing stuck marine zippers but would rather hear from someone with the same boat (zippers). Cheers, Kevin
 

Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
Reviving your W/C HeadMate.

Dear friend, It might surprise you to know how simple the mechanics are in that head and how easy it is to tear it down, clean and reassemble it. In many instances all it needs is a good soaking in a 50/50 mix of water and muriatic acid to remove any scale, etc. Beyond that kits are readily available that are far more reasonable to purchase than buying any new head. I recently tore a friends HeadMate apart, acid bathed it, put it back together and it now works like new. The day will come when you have guests aboard who have to heed natures call and nothing like a functioning head trumps a bucket. Go for it, Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey CA
 

jacksonkev

Member III
Dear friend, It might surprise you to know how simple the mechanics are in that head and how easy it is to tear it down, clean and reassemble it. In many instances all it needs is a good soaking in a 50/50 mix of water and muriatic acid to remove any scale, etc. Beyond that kits are readily available that are far more reasonable to purchase than buying any new head. I recently tore a friends HeadMate apart, acid bathed it, put it back together and it now works like new. The day will come when you have guests aboard who have to heed natures call and nothing like a functioning head trumps a bucket. Go for it, Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey CA

Very true, Glyn, okay...I'm on it. I found a rebuild kit for the pump online (I also found a new and assembled replacement pump for not much more). Now, what's this 50/50 acid water trick? I'm assuming mix up equal parts muriatic acid and water in a bucket, fill the bowl, let sit, flush? Do I need to pump out asap or can it sit for a bit as there's likely only half a liter of seawater in there now. Best, Kevin
 

bgary

Advanced Beginner
Blogs Author

jacksonkev

Member III
I use McLube on mine, mostly because I have some handy. Seems to work great.

http://www.fisheriessupply.com/mclube-sailkote-marine-lubricants

I suspect WD-40 would work as well but you'd probably want to keep it off the vinyl.

I've heard there's a wax made for zippers that will keep them working smoothly (and resist getting crudded-up), but I haven't tried it.

Funny, I tried McLube on an old duffel with stuck zips and it didn't work. Maybe I need to let it soak overnight?

I've also read about PB Blaster or white vinegar and a toothbrush. Thoughts?
 

Frank Langer

1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
Kevin, yes I have the same vinyl headliner with stubborn zippers. I have been able to free them all with silicone spray, and then carefully getting them to move, sometimes with a pliers to get the angle right. But I have no magic answers.
Frank
 

jacksonkev

Member III
Kevin, yes I have the same vinyl headliner with stubborn zippers. I have been able to free them all with silicone spray, and then carefully getting them to move, sometimes with a pliers to get the angle right. But I have no magic answers.
Frank

Thank you, Frank. I'll be doing the same in the spring.
 

jacksonkev

Member III
Pardon my naivety, but what does TAFG stand for:confused:

I was in the same boat at first...

quote_icon.png
Originally Posted by jacksonkev
Speaking of which, what's a TAFG Structure? I googled it and came up dry (pun intended).



TAFG is the "tri-axial force grid", basically a structural grid built into the bottom of our boats to take the loads of rig, keel, etc.

Brochure picture attached (from a 32-III)

The net effect is a very strong boat, with a bunch of molded-in bilge "pockets" where water can hide ;-)

attachment.php
 

Emerald

Moderator
Pardon my naivety, but what does TAFG stand for:confused:

Tri-Axial Force Grid

It was a construction technique basically using box type channels for strength with a thinner skin for reduced weight.

And if I've got it wrong, I'm sure another Viking will correct me. :egrin:
 
Top