Where does your head drain?

[TooCoys]

Not the head itself, but the drain in the floor? The drain that would allow shower water to drain out.

Does it drain into the bilge, or does it get pumped into the holding tank, or does it go overboard?

The reason that I ask is because the drain in my floor isn't secured. I can take the strainer out leaving a view into what's under there. There seems to be a little water, and its rather black.

What is the best way to dry it out, and clean it without pulling the floor out?

 

[Ventuse]

My Hunter 37c drains into a sump box that is in the bilge. My sump box is located behind the mast under the salon table.

 

[Dalliance]

Don't know about the H27. The shower in my H30 just drains into the bilge -- which would be kind of gross if I actually showered on the boat instead of at the club. I imagine hair and soap scum clogging the bilge pump. Have been thinking about how to fit a shower sump in there, but haven't gotten to that project yet.

 

[Justin_NSA]

If I understand mine, it goes to a pump and then out the starboard side thru-hull. We have never used the shower

 

[SailormanDan]

My 1981 H27 doesn't have a shower, if yours does it may have been installed by the PO. If there is one now but no drain for it, that might explain it.

Off the top of my head, if I installed one, it would be like Dalliance has, something that would just drain into the bilge. Somehow the water would still have to pumped either into a holding tank or overboard.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Not the head itself, but the drain in the floor? The drain that would allow shower water to drain out. Does it drain into the bilge, or does it get pumped into the holding tank, or does it go overboard? The reason that I ask is because the drain in my floor isn't secured. I can take the strainer out leaving a view into what's under there. There seems to be a little water, and its rather black. What is the best way to dry it out, and clean it without pulling the floor out?

Because the head sole is below waterline, shower water can't just drain by gravity out a thru-hull...it has to be lifted to an above-waterline thru-hull, which requires a pump. Which is why, on some boats, the shower drains into the bilge to be sent overboard by the bilge pumps...which is a horrible idea because shower water is full of hair, soap scum, body oils etc that turn the water into a primordial soup that can make the whole boat smell like a swamp or even a sewer. Add ice box drain water and air conditioning condensate and it's even worse.

What's needed is a sump with a sump pump. You may already have one...look for a switch somewhere in the head. Or there may be a float switch in the sump that turns the pump on automatically. If you don't have one, install one! Sumps are a lot easier to keep clean than a bilge...in fact, that may be the only job on a boat that requires -0- manual labor.. If you have my book (if you don't, you should!), instructions are on page 54. I've also posted 'em in various forums here enough times that you can also find 'em if you search the archives...start with the Plumbing and Sanitation forum.

 

[Kings Gambit]

The heads (2) in the Bavaria 38 have liners. Each sump drain in the floor evidently has a hose attached underneath the liner leading to a "protected" pump (i.e. protected with a debris strainer) which pumps water out a thru-hull on the waterline. Each thru-hull is backed by a 1/2" ball valve. The sump pump is switched on at the panel for power, then activated on demand inside the head by a push-button switch.

 

[TooCoys]

My 1981 H27 doesn't have a shower, if yours does it may have been installed by the PO. If there is one now but no drain for it, that might explain it..

It's not a full shower. It's a hand sprayer off the sink faucet. And the "drain" is a small hole in the floor next to the mast. You can see mine in this photo, bottom right.

 

[Kings Gambit]

Humm--funny place to see a Jim Buoy. Must get pretty deep in there.

 

[Justin_NSA]

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

t's not a full shower. It's a hand sprayer off the sink faucet. And the "drain" is a small hole in the floor next to the mast.

That's what all of them are on most boats--although most of 'em have a 3" drain with a cover similar to those in a shower at home.. The water that goes down that little hole has to end up somewhere, preferably in a sump.

 

[Justin_NSA]

And you know what happened to Martin and Kitty in Captain Ron when the rag got stuck in the drain!

 

[Benny17441]

The h27 Cherubini did not come equipped with a shower nor a floor drain. I do not know the reason why a PO may have needed to install a drain but it is likely to be allowed to drain water directly to the underside of the cabin sole to be eventually flushed out off the bilge. Most boats that age will likely have many gallons of water trapped inside the hull below the sole so I would suggest you get a cap for that to reduce foul smells from entering the cabin. You could try to pump some of that water out of there through that drain but it could be a long and nasty task. If you want a shower, install one at the cockpit where you can take a shower "al fresco" and the water will run out overboard.

 

[SailormanDan]

+1 for Benny's post. That drain was installed by the PO.
I'm working on finding all the topside leaks to get the boat dry and then I'm going to dig out my copy of Miss Peggie's book and work on the smells.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

and then I'm going to dig out my copy of Miss Peggie's book and work on the smells.

That sounds like you have the 15 yr old "first edition." A lot of info in it is obsolete now. You'll find a lot more good info in the "2nd edition updated, revised and expanded" that came out just a year ago (see link in my signature here).

 

[TooCoys]

The h27 Cherubini did not come equipped with a shower nor a floor drain.

Ugh! That is NOT good news. How do I clean all of that? Can I run a diluted bleach solution through the v-berth since it to drains into the bilge?

 

[SailormanDan]

Funny you should bring up your book, Peggie, I went to look for it last night after writing that post and couldn't find it, so I will be ordering your new one today.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Ugh! That is NOT good news. How do I clean all of that? Can I run a diluted bleach solution through the v-berth since it to drains into the bilge?

Do not use bleach! It's corrosive and destructive to rubber. Use a strong solution of detergent and water along with some manual labor...a power washer if you have one (if not, buy one...they're inexpensive and will get into places you can't reach to scrub by hand).
I've never understood why so many boat owners think they can just pour bleach or a "miracle" bilge cleaner into the bilge, let it slosh around a while, then turn on the bilge pump and expect to have clean bilge. If you just pour some dish washing detergent into a sink full of dirty dish water, swish it around a bit, then pull the plug, would you have a clean sink? Of course not...and that won't give you a clean bilge either. Cleaning bilges is a 2-step job: First you have to scrub--by hand and/or with a power washer--with detergent, and then the most important step: thoroughly flush all the dirty water out with plenty of clean water. You can stick a power washer nozzle down the "drain" in your head...through the access to your bilge in the v-berth...and I'm sure there are other places that provide access to the bilges that you can reach by hand or with power washer. Finally you need to remove any standing left in the bilges...a shop vac or a dinghy bailer and a bucket or a big sponge and a bucket. Then leave all the hatches open to let the bilges dry out.

Is it a BIG job? Yes...but you shouldn't have to do it more than once a year and it's definitely worth the effort.

 

[Tsatzsue]

Mine drains down my throat to my stomach.

 

[TooCoys]

Do not use bleach! It's corrosive and destructive to rubber. Use a strong solution of detergent and water along with some manual labor...a power washer if you have one (if not, buy one...they're inexpensive and will get into places you can't reach to scrub by hand).
I've never understood why so many boat owners think they can just pour bleach or a "miracle" bilge cleaner into the bilge, let it slosh around a while, then turn on the bilge pump and expect to have clean bilge. If you just pour some dish washing detergent into a sink full of dirty dish water, swish it around a bit, then pull the plug, would you have a clean sink? Of course not...and that won't give you a clean bilge either. Cleaning bilges is a 2-step job: First you have to scrub--by hand and/or with a power washer--with detergent, and then the most important step: thoroughly flush all the dirty water out with plenty of clean water. You can stick a power washer nozzle down the "drain" in your head...through the access to your bilge in the v-berth...and I'm sure there are other places that provide access to the bilges that you can reach by hand or with power washer. Finally you need to remove any standing left in the bilges...a shop vac or a dinghy bailer and a bucket or a big sponge and a bucket. Then leave all the hatches open to let the bilges dry out.

Is it a BIG job? Yes...but you shouldn't have to do it more than once a year and it's definitely worth the effort.

Because if you pour bleach on mold or mildew it kills it without blowing it from ceiling to floor, stern to bow.

If I stuck a pressure washer in the floor under my head, I'd have a green/black interior from everything coming out the other end.