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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

water system

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pierrem
1st Mate

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64 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/10/2004 : 06:39:35

I have only owned my 25 cat for one year. I have never used the water system. I believe it is empty. Can anyone give me a brief overview of tank location, best practices, purification, operation of the sytem.
Thinking about a one week cruise in Door Cty, Wi.

I searched and found some useful info but was hoping for more.

your thoughts,

thanks
Pierre

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 07/10/2004 : 09:54:31

The water tank is located under the starboard side settee. Depending on model year of your boat, the tank may or may not have a large cleanout cap on top. This is a 4" diameter threaded plastic cap with a square wrench stud molded into it. There should be a deck fill fitting on the starboard side of the deck near the aft lower shroud chainplate. Tank capacity is between 12 and 16 gallons, depending on model year. To prepare the tank and plumbing for use after a long layup, you need to "shock" the system with a heavy dose of chlorine to sanitize it. To do this, first empty the tank if it isn't already, then add 8 ounces of regular 5.25% laundry bleach through the deck fill, then fill the tank with water. Pump the galley and head sink faucets until you can smell the bleached water coming out. Let stand for a day or two, then pump the tank empty. If you see a bunch of gunk coming out with the water, you have had algae or bacteria growing in the tank and/or plumbing. Repeat the above steps until the bleached water runs clean. You also need to inspect the plumbing hoses, which are probably clear vinyl tubing unless a previous owner upgraded to better quality hoses. If the hoses are not clear and clean, you have had algae growing in them, and I suggest you replace them. Once you have shocked the tank and hoses with bleach for three cycles of empty-and-refill, and if the water is coming out clean with no debris or gunk in it, refill with clean water and you are set to go. CAUTION: I recommend that you not drink water from the boat tank even after cleaning and bleaching it. That tank is exposed to the boats bilges, which are pretty dirty on any boat that is more than a couple of years old, and you never know what kind of contaminents are getting into the tank when you refil it from a marina water hose. Use tank water only for hand washing and general cleanup, or if you must drink tank water, boil it first. I have had diarhea too many times on boating or camping trips to ever trust water from a boat or RV water tank. Bring your drinking water from home in gallon jugs and use that for drinking, cooking, and washing dishes.

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Bill Holcomb
Admiral

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USA
769 Posts

Response Posted - 07/10/2004 : 10:03:39

Hi Pierre

Larry has great advice. Here's a link to the C25 Factory Parts Manual located in the brochures section of the website.
http://www.catalina25-250.org/manbro/pictures/pc37.gif

As far as drinking water is concerned, I carry a seperate 2.5 gallon thermos cooler. There is just enough room for it between the companionway stairs and the quarter berth. Additionally, I freeze water in 1/2 gallon plastic jugs. These I use to cool the galley icebox. As the ice melts, it provides additional - and very refreshing - drinking water.

Bill Holcomb - C25 Snickerdoodle #4839

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pierrem
1st Mate

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64 Posts

Response Posted - 07/11/2004 : 23:58:26

thanks to all...great advice! I assume the pump is manual...looks small and must take a long time to empty the tank?

Pierre

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2004 : 08:35:54

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by pierrem
 thanks to all...great advice! I assume the pump is manual...looks small and must take a long time to empty the tank?

Pierre
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yes, that manual faucet/pump will take "forever" to empty the tank. Your best bet is to get a small 12 volt, 3 GPM ShurFlo water pump, or an electric drill pump, and use it to empty the tank during this cleaning process. I have also used a 6 gallon wet/dry shop vac to empty the water tank if no other kind of electric pump was available. If your tank has a cleanout cap on top, just insert the inlet hose from the electric pump into the cleanout. Run the outlet hose out into the cockpit. You could try letting the electric pump discharge into the galley sink, but chances are the sink can't drain that fast and an electric pump will overflow it.

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oldsalt
Admiral

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USA
578 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2004 : 22:09:56

Here's another hint: some tanks have overflow/air vents that don't lead above decks but rather empty into the bilge so if your tank is installed in this manner and you keep filling your tank past its capacity, you'll simply fill the bilge. It happened to me before I became wise to this stupid design flaw.

Edited by - oldsalt on 07/12/2004 22:11:21

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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.