Big Surprise .....................

Jan 4, 2006
6,444
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
........... for this 1999 Hunter 310 owner. And maybe a few others as well.

In the last fourteen years, I thought I had plumbed every nook, crevice, and cranny in the boat and no further surprises could possibly exist. Yeah, you bet. I also hear the Pope's converting to Judaeism.

While replacing my macerator pump a few weeks ago, I found that the hose to the deck pump out didn't look as good as it could under the gear clamps. What could be easier than replacing the hose ? Two hour job tops in addition to the one week I'd already spent on the new macertor installation. Hell, the macerator replacement was only supposed to be an hour. So .................. first thing is to disconnect the hose down near the tank.






Maybe this'll only be a one hour job, tops. Next is to disconnect the hose from the bottom of the deck fitting. This is accessed through a panel in the rear of the medicine cabinet. Now this is interesting, how does one get their big meat hooks up behind the wall in order to undo the two gear clamps. You can't even slip a piece of paper in here, and surely not a screw driver, and loosen two hose clamps up in there ? ? ? Sure, and for my next trick, I'll be turning water into wine.

So, these boat assemblers were smart. The way you disconnect it is to go out on deck, dislodge the deck fitting, and pull out the SS deck fitting, followed by the gear clamps and finally the hose. No, not exactly. The hole in the deck for the fitting is just big enough to accept the deck fitting and no more. Any bigger and the screws would be screwed into thin air. The hose and the gear clamps are NOT coming through this hole on a bet.







I now see these assemblers were beyond smart. Mechanical geniuses at least. So how the hell'd they put it together ?

Down below again and look behind the medicine cabinet. Wait for the answer to pop out of thin air. Absent-mindedly place my hand on the hose and wiggle it. The hose drops, my jaw drops, and I'm left with a sewage hose hanging in mid air. These characters had managed to push the hose, at a lenght of about a foot, onto the barbed fitting for all of 1/4 inch. Sort of like pushing on a rope. I was so gobsmacked, I couldn't even let loose with the usual barrage of obscenities.

So just how the hell does one manage to get the pump-out hose on the barded fitting and crank up a couple of gear clamps in a space that's so small there isn't even enough room to spit ? Desperation is the real mother of invention.

Unscrews the stainless fitting from the deck, and sure enough, you can see how far the hose was on the fitting ............. about 1/4 inch :doh:. There truly must be a god of the sea or how else did this hose stay on the barb for 14 years without falling off ? Or, maybe all this stuff about about carefully fitting hoses on to barbed fittings is all a load of crap. Just slip it on a quarter of an inch and forget it. Look ma, no hose clamps :eek: .

I can feel insanity setting in and decided to get out of the marina, running. After a few hours of staring at the fitting, it comes to me ...... maybe.







If we extend the length of the stainless fitting down to the opening in the medicine chest, we can jam the hose on there and finally apply two hose clamps. Two clamps because I just couldn't bear to have a leak way back there on my toothbrush.

Back from the machine shop with this weird looking 13 inch long deck pump out fitting and we're ready to install.
















Fortunately, it was easy to run the new hose from there.







Unfortunately I now have this insane compulsion to jam my head into tiny little spaces on the boat looking for another hidden screw up. I know it's in there ......... somewhere ............. I've just GOT to find it :confused:.
 
May 16, 2007
1,509
Boatless ! 26 Ottawa, Ontario
Ralph, smart solution ! Well thought out. Nicely documented. I replaced our macerator pump this year. It was also a one hour job that turned into a day. I added a plastic ball valve between the tank and pump so the pump can now be serviced in the boonies without a full tank emptying into the bilge.
Bob
 

DougM

.
Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
Ralph, great solution, but you went about it in a logical way. Boat builders haven't considered serviceability...
Don't you know that you are supposed to take all the fasteners out of the hull to deck joint, dissolve the adhesive, remove the deck, unfasten all of the cabin partitions, remove the cabin module from the hull, do the repair, then reassemble?

Your solution is way too professional and well thought out. Good job!
 
Jan 6, 2010
1,520
Ralph,

Impressive post on your problem & fix.

Plato(?) once quoted that, "Necessity is the mother of all invention". Your style & drawings lead me to assume you may be in a tech/engineering field. I use the same approach with first background, scope, study & then options for modifications. I'll bet you also have a thick folder of sketches & drawings.

Great fix, great job.

CR
 
Oct 26, 2008
6,043
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
It sounds like you were just a bit lucky that the original hose came off so easily? What if it was jammed up on the barbed fitting far enough that pulling it off would be like a Chinese finger torture? I've had that experience. But, you just gave me inspiration to tackle my water tank hose, which is similarly connected in a tight space. A similar solution might just do it.
 
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
...Don't you know that you are supposed to take all the fasteners out of the hull to deck joint, dissolve the adhesive, remove the deck, unfasten all of the cabin partitions, remove the cabin module from the hull, do the repair, then reassemble?...
Doug, you describe the solution used by those who get paid by the hour, not those who DIY:doh:
 
Jun 8, 2004
2,841
Catalina 320 Dana Point
Very well done, I gotta think there's a market for the "Johnstone Extended" deck fitting, even with access sticking your arm up there is next to impossible on most boats.
 
Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
I'm feeling very dumb, had the a similar problem with the deck pumpout port corroding shut. I found that prayer and a generous mitten full of impact modulation while angling the hose-clamp-port assembly in "just the right way" accomplished the job. More art than engeneering and my years as an auto mechanic where fully pressed into service.
Well done
 
Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
Ralph,
Nice work. You'd think that if that hose came off, you'd pretty quickly determine if something was wrong or if you should have reconsidered that take out food.
 

capta

.
Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Nice job of making the next hose change easier, RJ.
When working for a man with several yachts, I was asked to trouble shoot a galley fresh water pump problem on his 10 meter tsmy. Upon inspection, it seemed the pump was shot, as every time I turned on the breaker, it would flip off, immediately. OK, let's have a look at the pump. Where is the pump? Where IS the pump?
Long project short tale, it seemed the pump was under the galley floor, but there was no hatch in that floor, anywhere. Since this pump wouldn't run, making some kind of noise, I had to drill 8 holes in the floor before I found the pump! Finally! I then cut a big hole, which became a hatch and the easy part was replacing the pump. They had installed the galley fresh water pump under the floor, then laid the floor, and I'm guessing here, but it seems someone forgot to put in a hatch to access the pump. Not difficult access, no access at all! Great job Sea Ray. Ain't yachting fun?
 
Jan 4, 2006
6,444
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
It Could Not ...................

It sounds like you were just a bit lucky that the original hose came off so easily? What if it was jammed up on the barbed fitting far enough that pulling it off would be like a Chinese finger torture?
...................... have gotten any worse than that.

I was prepared to use an angle grinder to grind off the top of the thru deck fitting and then pull the remainder down through the deck. To beefy to use a Dremel.

STEP #2 - the grinder catches on an edge of the stainless fitting and the edge of the grinding disk is rammed into the side of the cabin at high RPM.

STEP #3 - grind off the top of the stainless fitting and take some of the anti-skid with it.

STEP #4 - repair the gouge where the grinding disk hit the side of the cabin.

STEP #5 - try to match the colour of the anti-skid (light grey) to the existing colour but it's a mismatch.

STEP #6 - try to reproduce the pattern of the ruined anti-skid.

STEP #7 - try to keep going even though you are more pissed than you have ever been before on a project.

STEP #8 .................................................. ................... ....... .. .
 
May 27, 2004
1,964
Hunter 30_74-83 Ponce Inlet FL
Ralph, I will call you next week with my latest "project du jour" dilemma. I'm sure you'll come up with the solution!
G.

BTW, I just submitted the patent application for the "Johnstone Deck Fill Extension".
Royalty check's in the mail soon. :thumbup: :D
 
Last edited:
Oct 17, 2011
2,808
Ericson 29 Southport..
I don't know.....I would have went with the grinder. Where's your sense of adventure?.....

Nah, cool refit man.
 

PSR

.
Sep 17, 2013
117
Catalina 27 4743 MB Yacht Harbor, Richmond CA
Thanks for the great documentation of a cool fix!! I hope I remember this if I run into a similar issue. In the photo of the upside down deck fitting there is a tab inside with what looks like a machine screw hole. What is that? Just curious....
 
Jan 4, 2006
6,444
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
Big Surprise .....................

In the photo of the upside down deck fitting there is a tab inside with what looks like a machine screw hole. What is that? Just curious....
This is where a small retaining chain is attached and the other end attached to the screwed on cap. Saves looking for a safe place to stow the cap when it's out.
 
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
This is where a small retaining chain is attached and the other end attached to the screwed on cap...
... which makes/breaks the suction and spews crap all over EVERYTHING around it. :eek: I cut that chain off all of my deck fittings.
 
Jan 4, 2006
6,444
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
Not to Downplay ...................

... which makes/breaks the suction and spews crap all over EVERYTHING around it. :eek: I cut that chain off all of my deck fittings.
................... the near life and death consequences of ANYTHING to do with holding tanks, but doesn't this indicate a plugged vent line ? Tank could be pressurized (run for your life :eek:) or under a partial vacuum (ho-hum :neutral:) when you unscrew the cap.

I don't follow how removing the chain changes anything other than allowing me to lose the cap overboard each time I lay one on the deck :doh:.
 
Oct 2, 2008
3,807
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Re: Not to Downplay ...................

I think Ron means when you are trying to get a good seal for a pump-out the little chain is in the way. Some have such poor suction that the little chain will slow the removal from the tanks.

All U Get

PS after changing the hose on mine, I wish I had an extension with a curve inboard.
 
Jan 4, 2006
6,444
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
Re: Not to Downplay ...................

I think Ron means when you are trying to get a good seal for a pump-out the little chain is in the way. Some have such poor suction that the little chain will slow the removal from the tanks.
How obvious, once pointed out :redface: . Apologies Ron.

I have to admit, I've never used my fitting for a pump out, only for filling the holding tank with fresh water for a rinse and then emptying in the deep with the macerator pump. We don't believe in pumpout stations in this part of the world (or very few and far between). So far, we just don't have the population. Strong currents and long clearances from shore seem to be working to date.

Must be quite the experience with crap and corruption flying hither, thither, and yon when there's a hiccup in the process :eek:.