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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Ballast Tank Sloshing

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SailAway
1st Mate

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USA
46 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/14/2015 : 19:38:13

I just spent 3 days/nights on my 2002 C250 WB and I could hear water sloshing around inside the ballast tank all night long. Is this normal? It seems to me that if it were totally full then there shouldn't be any sounds.
Greg

Greg Franklin
2002 C250 WB #649
Carlyle, IL

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 06/15/2015 : 03:00:45

Greg, we've never had water sloshing around in the ballast tank in 10 years!

Any chance the air vent could be blocked, that would slow/stop water filling the tank.

If you want to upgrade your 2002 to a 2005

check out the swap meet.

Paul

Joint Decision. (Sold)
PO C250WB 2005 Sail # 841.

Moved up to C34 Eximius

Updated August 2015

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 06/15/2015 : 06:35:48

I was about to ask whether the vent was open when you filled the tank, and closed tightly afterward.

At an in-water boat show years ago, I commented to a sales rep that his C-250 seemed strikingly unstable sitting in the slip. He said he hadn't filled the tank all the way, since he wasn't going to be sailing her... I tried to suggest in a friendly way that he... ummmmm... (Well, I didn't say that!)

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

SailAway
1st Mate

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USA
46 Posts

Response Posted - 06/15/2015 : 08:37:43

Yep, vent was open and I always listen to make sure I could hear air coming out and it was. I left the boat at the dock with the fill valve open for a good 20 minutes while I did other things. Air was no longer coming out the vent when I closed the valve. Later when I heard the sloshing, I opened the valve for another 30 minutes or so. Still no more air coming out. I did not sail during those 3 days, just slept on the boat. When I pulled the boat and drained the ballast tank, it took about 7 minutes to drain.
Greg

Greg Franklin
2002 C250 WB #649
Carlyle, IL

dubedoo
1st Mate

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68 Posts

Response Posted - 06/15/2015 : 15:54:00

Hi Greg,

Just got off spending a few nights on the boat and I may be crazier than heck but I've always figured that most of that sloshing/slapping was from waves hitting the side of the boat.....have also heard it when the waves hit/slap the stern. Is there any chance we're talking about the same thing...or am I clear off base? Wife just said that she thought some of it was from the ballast tank but then again we both recall hearing something similar on the bigger keel boats on our various trips. And now I read Paul's response......hmmmmmm. Wonder if any wing keel owners have heard slapping?

Steve
C250 w.b. #702

SailAway
1st Mate

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USA
46 Posts

Response Posted - 06/15/2015 : 16:11:42

Steve, that was my first thought too but I asked 3 other people at the docks if they heard wave sounds hitting their boat and none of them do. There aren't many waves on a lake in a marina. Marble someone with a wing keel can chime in? David Crosby?
I found a thread here that gave me a few things to check the next time I'm at my boat. The most probable cause is the rubber gasket on the fill valve floating up. I can also spray water into the vent tube while on the trailer and valve open to make sure it isn't partially blocked as Paul mentioned.
Greg

Greg Franklin
2002 C250 WB #649
Carlyle, IL

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2269 Posts

Response Posted - 06/15/2015 : 16:49:17

I have a wing keel and I've heard slapping in the stern. Basically the boat floats high enough that the stern lifts out of the water an inch or so. Since it's relatively flat around there, when the stern goes back down, it slaps. We have a very protected marina, but it still happens.

You'll especially notice it if you are sleeping in the A-berth, because your forward weight will lift the stern even more.

Rick S., Swarthmore, PA
PO of Take Five, 1998 Catalina 250WK #348 (relocated to Baltimore's Inner Harbor)
New owner of 2001 Catalina 34MkII #1535 Breakin' Away (at Rock Hall Landing Marina)

Edited by - TakeFive on 06/22/2015 05:25:39

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 06/15/2015 : 19:46:47

We hear it on ours as well, especially if we're anchored out and exposed to chop.

David
C-250 Mainsheet Editor

Sirius Lepak
1997 C-250 WK TR #271 --Seattle area Port Captain --

SailAway
1st Mate

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USA
46 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2015 : 10:08:05

Thanks David and Rick, I don't feel so paranoid now :-)
I went out to the boat last night to check the rubber gasket on the fill valve. It was not firmly attached but it was not totally loose either. So, I don't think it could have blocked the opening while the tank was filling. The gasket does look like it's in bad condition though. I don't see just the gasket available at Catalina Direct, has anyone ever replaced just the gasket? What gasket material and type of glue did you use?
Greg

Greg Franklin
2002 C250 WB #649
Carlyle, IL

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1297 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2015 : 11:35:42

Could tank-sloshing be eliminated by loading the bow down followed by the stern, port and starboard. Perhaps an internal partition or some internal structural component is creating an airpocket blockage?

Henk & Johanna
"Floating", a few off your "barnacles".
"Someday Lady" '95 C250WB #151 ('03 - 2016)
"Sea ya" 30ft Bayliner (04-2018 - 09-2018)
"Mariah" '96 C250WB #191 (05-2019 - 15-05-2023)
"Lady J" '00 C250WK #499 (05-2021 - 09-2022)

Edited by - zeil on 06/17/2015 11:38:57

DavidCrosby
Navigator

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USA
229 Posts

Response Posted - 06/21/2015 : 08:56:29

Greg,

With my wing keel boat, I also get a fair amount of noise from wavelets slapping the boat. The noise you are hearing is probably from the outside versus within your tank. Sleeping at the docks at CSA is typically quite noisy. Especially D dock near the sea wall. The carp come in there to spawn. They bang all over the bottom of the boat and the docks. When you pull the boat from the water you sometimes find lots of fish eggs stuck to the hull. The fish also eat the algae off of the docks which makes a popping sound.

If you had stayed on for junior sail camp this past week, you could have added the pitter patter of rain to the list of noises as well.

David Crosby "Small World"
'02 C250 WK #614

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 06/22/2015 : 05:23:06

The sloshing couldn't be coming from the water tank just aft of the V-berth.

Joint Decision. (Sold)
PO C250WB 2005 Sail # 841.

Moved up to C34 Eximius

Updated August 2015

zebra50
Captain

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USA
408 Posts

Response Posted - 07/09/2015 : 15:20:23

Does anyone know where to get another plug for the air vent? Lost mine somewhere.

Jay
Papa's Boat II
250WB #370
Blog:http://zebra50-boilingpoint.blogspot.com

dubedoo
1st Mate

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68 Posts

Response Posted - 07/09/2015 : 21:17:19

Hi Jay,

I picked up an extra plug at the local hardware store (expansion plug - snap tite). I forget the size and won't be up to the boat until Saturday but will try and get a size for you then. Also attached an adhesive backed fastener in the proximity of the vent with a string and attached the plug so that it never runs off when I take it out.

Steve
C250 wb #702

zebra50
Captain

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USA
408 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2015 : 12:07:26

quote:
Originally posted by dubedoo

Hi Jay,

I picked up an extra plug at the local hardware store (expansion plug - snap tite). I forget the size and won't be up to the boat until Saturday but will try and get a size for you then. Also attached an adhesive backed fastener in the proximity of the vent with a string and attached the plug so that it never runs off when I take it out.

Steve
C250 wb #702

Steve
Thanks for your help. If you happen to get the size it will help.

Jay

Jay
Papa's Boat II
250WB #370
Blog:http://zebra50-boilingpoint.blogspot.com

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.