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Two Projects Completed

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jaclasch
Navigator

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USA
104 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/15/2007 : 21:09:02

Two projects completed this season have made our boat a much more pleasant place to be.

The first project was adding the quarterberth window which seemed at first glance to be a one or two day project. Wrong as usual! Correct placement of the window requires a lot of observation and careful measuring. It would be very easy, for example, to make the cutouts (you are going through a double wall) too close to the aft locker.

I checked both the cockpit wall and the inside wall for flatness. The cockpit wall was very good and the inside wall had a little curve to it but was okay for mounting the window. Then I checked again after making the cutouts and found the inside wall had curved some more, enough so it was not okay. I don’t know why it did this but the problem was cured with the placing of oak stiffeners on the back of the inside wall and fastening the fiberglass firmly to the stiffeners.

The quarterberth is now a very pleasant place to sleep and read instead of just a place to stow things.

The second project consisted of updating the marine head. When the boat was first purchased, my wife and I spent a lot of time cleaning the head area and around the holding tank under the v-berth. But there was always a certain amount of odor.

Not wanting to spend time mucking out and replacing parts on the old unit, I ordered a new Wilcox-Crittenden head from Defender.

I planned to replace the holding tank also but after taking it out found it was in good shape and cleaned up easily. Now that the tank was out, however, it became clear where the odors were coming from.

Under the tank was a flimsy base made of two scrap pieces of thin wall-paneling with four crosspieces of fir strips all tacked together with panel nails. All this was out of view under a great mass of household expanding-foam. Under the bow end was a short piece of 1.5 in. sanitation hose holding the base up (probably while the foam cured). The frame, however, was not level but tilted toward the bow which was why the tank would never pump empty.

I ripped all this out, gave the area a good cleaning and that was the end of the odor problem. Some stains on the foam showed where leakage from the discharge fitting had ended up. After constructing a proper base I made sure the tank tilted slightly aft and installed all new hose.

That’s it for this season!

James
1983 FK/TR
Tiempo Dorado

Edited by - jaclasch on 11/17/2007 17:19:59

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/15/2007 : 21:19:49

Good jobs! Light, air, and no hydrogen sulfide!

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3466 Posts

Response Posted - 11/15/2007 : 22:19:24

Nice work ! I bet everyone wants to try out your Head now ! Maybe start a third project and install a magazine rack next to the Head.
Hmmm...actually not a bad idea...need a place to store papers amd pamphlets.

Edited by - on

Happy D
Admiral

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921 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2007 : 06:32:12

Very Nice Job! That's a ton of work and you've done an excellent job.

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Paul Mailer
Deckhand

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Canada
9 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2007 : 09:33:03

Just wondering why you decided to stay with the marine toilet. I'm considering replacing mine with a port o pottie, which would seem to require much less maintenace.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2007 : 09:50:19

Uh-oh... here we go again! Many past threads have slipped into this debate. (I've been on both sides, depending on my circumstances.)

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2007 : 09:58:34

Great job, Please email me photos and more text for the next Catalina Mainsheet Tech column.

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jaclasch
Navigator

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USA
104 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2007 : 10:27:31

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Paul Mailer
 Just wondering why you decided to stay with the marine toilet. I'm considering replacing mine with a port o pottie, which would seem to require much less maintenace.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Paul,
As with most things, there are practical matters to consider depending on your situation. In my case it is likely that my new system will outlive me with very little maintenance. Also, a porta-pottie has to be trundled off to a dumping station quite often. In my location this is about a 300-yard trundle. My slip, on the other hand, is only 100 feet from two pumpout stations.

James

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stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2007 : 13:14:24

Nice work James!
We have a round port hole in about the same place as your QB window. We cover it with a plastic screw-in cover. On the inside, we have a mosquito netting cover. Yours is much nicer and looks to be a lot more functional.

Well done on the head - replacing parts on a boat or at home will seldom fix the entire problem. R&R seems to be easier and more effective.

Ahhh, the Porta-potti VS Marine head debate. Is it that time of year again, already?!?!

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2007 : 14:57:49

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by stampeder
 Ahhh, the Porta-potti VS Marine head debate. Is it that time of year again, already?!?!

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Somebody should start a new thread on the Dead Horse Forum.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2007 : 18:11:01

And after that we can add the "what truck do I need to tow..." discussion.

And don't forget the any marine product except stainless vs. stainless steel (otherwise known as Randy vs everyone else).

Or the softlink vs hardlink camps.

One of my HS instructors always advised us to "not give an enema to a dead horse".

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2007 : 18:13:44

Paul, I see you are a newbie. You may not be aware that you can do a search for anything that has been discussed, present and past. Its above on the right in small print.
Porta potty is my preference cuz it is rarely used. I make all the guys hang it over the side. The door on the head has a sign, "Ladies" that the the PO put on. I think Ive had to empty it twice in the last year and once was for a 4 day cruise. If I had marine head, I might? use it more often.

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Happy D
Admiral

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921 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2007 : 18:32:27

And add the Varnish, Cetol, or just rip all the teak off thread also.

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Happy D
Admiral

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921 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2007 : 18:34:06

AAAnnnyyywway, James, what window did you use? I am torn between instaling a window and leaving it dark. I kinda like the idea of it being dark for sleeping but I don't know.

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jaclasch
Navigator

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USA
104 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2007 : 18:46:49

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Happy D
 AAAnnnyyywway, James, what window did you use? I am torn between instaling a window and leaving it dark. I kinda like the idea of it being dark for sleeping but I don't know.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I used the Opening Port from Catalina Direct, PN Z2229. It is white with a smoked lens and has a screen. The big benefit is getting air circulation back in that area.

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2007 : 17:30:51

Congratulations on both projects. Well done!

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