That might dilute the stink a little by spreading it to the cockpit and your dockmates, your boat will still stink and everyone aboard will still "be bothered" by it.
Any clever ideas about how to blow fresh air into Catalina 320?
- Thread starter Ted10028
- Start date
honestly changing the hoses seems like a job and a half and a filthy one at that while putting in a fan is just cutting a hole and popping it in.
You are correct Ted. It is a bit of work. I guess cutting a 3inch diameter hole in your boat is also a bit of work.
One leads to correcting the problem, the other to blowing it out into the air hoping the wind is carries it away.
One leads to correcting the problem, the other to blowing it out into the air hoping the wind is carries it away.
I would say cutting a 3 inch hole is about five minutes worth of work while prying all those hoses off would be a dirty filthy three or four hour job if all went well. Plus boats tend to get musty and smelly and moldy anyway especially from the cushions according to other respondents here so having a ventilation system seems like a good idea in any case.
If you have boat smell from the toilet and hoses, there isn't any amount of ventilation that is going to help. I put a solar vent in my Starwind 27 and it made no noticable difference. It felt good to put it in and I didn't mind the 4" hole because I figured that it could always be useful for a dorade if I didn't think the vent was a good idea (which I now think is not a good idea). I wouldn't do it again, especially on my Catalina 320. Some folks put the vent through a hole cut in the overhead hatch. That's not a bad idea at all and a hatch can easily be replaced if you end up not liking the vent.
Under no circumstance would I ever consider a vent as an antidote to toilet smell. It wouldn't be a bad idea to draw air from the galley as opposed to blowing air into the galley. When you are cooking, you would only be distributing cooking smells throughout the saloon if you are blowing air in. But still, I am reluctant to cut new holes in the cabin top even for powered vents. I might consider a covered vent through the stern, but even that would bother me to do it. I just don't think that ventilation from a small fan really adds anything. Don't get me wrong, I use fans in the boat, but I'm not cutting holes in the cabin to draw air in or take air out.
If you have an aversion to removing smelly toilet hoses, then it seems that you really aren't up to doing proper maintenance overall. That's a job that you simply can't avoid when it's necessary. Hire someone to do it if you must. But on our model, it really is not a difficult job at all.
Under no circumstance would I ever consider a vent as an antidote to toilet smell. It wouldn't be a bad idea to draw air from the galley as opposed to blowing air into the galley. When you are cooking, you would only be distributing cooking smells throughout the saloon if you are blowing air in. But still, I am reluctant to cut new holes in the cabin top even for powered vents. I might consider a covered vent through the stern, but even that would bother me to do it. I just don't think that ventilation from a small fan really adds anything. Don't get me wrong, I use fans in the boat, but I'm not cutting holes in the cabin to draw air in or take air out.
If you have an aversion to removing smelly toilet hoses, then it seems that you really aren't up to doing proper maintenance overall. That's a job that you simply can't avoid when it's necessary. Hire someone to do it if you must. But on our model, it really is not a difficult job at all.
Except that putting in a fan is not going to solve your problem.
Moving air can do wonders for comfort in a room. I ventilated the cabins of my boats using three 6" 12v fans hung high from the overhead, effectively turning 'em into ceiling fans: one that pulled outside air in through the companionway hatch, a second one that pulled air in the cabin into the forward berth and a third that blew it out the forward hatch. All three fans were hardwired into the 12v wiring with a single switch that turned all of 'em on. You'd most likely have to have a dehumidifier too...a portable one sitting next to the galley sink with a hose that drains into the sink works for many people, but may not work if the sink drains below waterline 'cuz the thru-hull should be closed when no one is aboard (my sink drains were above waterline. And I can see some other limitations if there's no power to the boat to keep the batteries charged.
Just sharing what worked for me...You may find some useful information in it that you can adapt to work for you.
--Peggie
Just sharing what worked for me...You may find some useful information in it that you can adapt to work for you.
--Peggie
It doesn't have to be if you plan the job and do the prep before you start and then follow the plan. These directions were intended to be a chapter in my book...they were in the manuscript but left out by the publisher:...I didn't discover that for a couple of years after the current version was released:
REPLACING HOSES IN AN EXISTING SYSTEM
Measure the amount of new hose you’ll need and buy it (add at least one extra foot as a safety margin). Use sanitation hose throughout the entire system, including the toilet intake and tank vent.
Map out your entire plan and determine solutions to all problems and obstacles before you remove a single hose. Photos can be very useful in helping you map it out, and in finding out what you'll be up against in hard to see areas. In some cases, real time video can even be your eyes while doing the work.
If you discover that you have questions that need answers, or problems you aren’t sure how to solve. Ask those questions before you start any work, because it’s always cheaper and easier to do it right the first time than it is to do it over!
Prepping to do any work on any part of the sanitation system starts with thoroughly rinsing out the whole system with plenty of clean water before taking anything apart. Pump out the holding tank VERY thoroughly with lots of clean fresh water. Adding Raritan C.P. to the rinse will remove most of the odor. Rinse out the toilet, all hoses and any macerators or manual pumps, VERY thoroughly with lots and lots of clean water. If the hoses REALLY stink, it may help to smear a healthy glob of Vicks Salve under your nose before you start. If possible, schedule your project for a time when you can do it on a cool day. And be sure to create plenty of ventilation, especially in any closed areas in the bilge.
Put plastic garbage bags or disposable aluminum pans under hose connections to catch any spills. (Warming hoses with a blow dryer makes them easier to remove and replace). Have a couple of rolls paper shop towels (super heavy duty paper towels) handy...you'll need them.
Now you’re ready to start the real work.
Remove the highest hose connection first to minimize drips, and stick plugs (available from any hardware store) in the ends of the hose. Work on only one hose at a time...and take each section of hose all the way off the boat as soon as you get it loose (your dock mates may insist you take it all the way off the dock!). When taking a hose off a fitting, have a pan or a plastic trash bag under the connection to catch any drainage. Have lots of shop towels handy to mop up what misses the pan.
Removing hoses becomes much easier if you’ll heat them with a heat gun (I’ve always preferred using a blow dryer) to soften them up before trying to work them off. Unless you want to also replace all the fittings, do not pry them off with a screwdriver or saw them off...the screwdriver blade will dimple the fitting, the saw will cut into it, and the new hose won’t seal.
It’s often much easier to pull new hose through inaccessible places if you connect it to the old hose and pull the new through as you pull the old out. Use a male-to male connector. Use PVC cement to secure the ends of both hoses onto it. Do not use duct tape…it won’t hold if you have to pull hard. Do not hose clamps or anything that can get hung up as you pull the hose through, and be sure to butt the ends of the hose tightly together to create the smoothest uninterrupted surface possible. After you’ve pulled it through, cut the new hose cleanly behind the connector and dispose of the old hose and connector.
To put the new hose onto fittings, heat the hose with a blow dryer (use a heat gun only if you really know what you’re doing with one) to soften it. Be careful, and be patientl! You only want to warm the hose enough to slide it onto a fitting; overheating hose can damage it, causing collapse or tearing. Smear a little dish soap (or even better, K-Y surgical jelly; it’s much slipperier than soap and water soluble, so it dries out) on the inside of the hose and the outside of the fitting to lubricate the connection. Don’t use Vaseline or any grease...and don’t use ANY cement or sealant...only Teflon tape on the threaded end of tank fittings. Double clamp all the hose connections with screws on opposite sides of the hose, or at least 90 degrees apart if 180 degrees isn’t possible.
Important note: Plastic tank fittings are NPT (National Pipe Thread) standard, which are slightly (so slightly that it’s not noticeable to the naked eye in such a short piece) tapered. They’re also self-sealing. So when threading fittings into the tank, tighten only one turn past “hand tight,” plus enough to aim an elbow in the direction needed, no more. If the fitting leaks around the threads, wrap them with a couple of layers of Teflon tape. Over-tightening can result in a cracked female tank fitting, if not immediately, within a short time. That little “ping” sound is the last thing you want to hear coming from the tank.
As long as you have the entire system apart, now would be an excellent time to either rebuild or replace your toilet pump. If it’s a top quality manual toilet that’s 5-7 years old, rebuild it. But if you can replace the pump with the identical make/model for little more than the price of a rebuild or “service” kit, I’d definitely replace the pump. Or spend a bit more to upgrade to a higher quality toilet that has a longer life expectancy. If you’ve been considering upgrading to the “push button convenience of an electric toilet, now is a good time. Several are available as “conversion kits” that allow you to re-use your existing bowl, seat and lid.
--Peggie
not sure why you say that , displacing smelly stale moldy dank cabin air can only help. My companionway doors have a tiny vent built-in. I recently covered the vent thinking it would hold the heat in better. It did hold in the heat but It made a huge difference in diminishing the air quality. A fresh air fan that moved 1000 times more air than a little pass vent in the companionway doors will totally transform the quality of air in the main cabin.
I say that because if your problem is with the sanitation system, as it appears to be, then anything but dealing with the problem at its source is not going to solve your issue.
The problem is air quality and a fan seems like a cheaper faster better way to fix it than changing sanitation hoses which are only part of the problem on boats.
It's impossible to eliminate any odor(s) unless the source(s) are found and eliminated, because as long as the source continues to exist it will continue to generate odor.
--Peggie
--Peggie
This thread seems to be going down a rabbit hole with a variety of topics! You seem to be asking for knowledge and advise about ventilation while at the same time there seems to be a fixation on ventilation as the cure for what may ail you.
In summary, I think we all agree that ventilation or air movement is always a good idea. I think most of us agree that cutting holes in the cabin top or sides is not a good idea. That could be a permanent modification that you may regret some day. Instead, most of us seem to suggest that moving air through existing hatches and port lights is the best solution. But that doesn't help when you close up the boat. I think that universally, sailors have good experiences with dorade vents. I tried a single solar vent on my smaller boat and it didn't seem to make very much difference, if any difference at all. As they say, it's your boat ... you get to make your own choices.
You opened the door to a whole new topic when you revealed that your sanitary system seems to be the source of a particularly offensive boat stink. I'm pretty sure that most all of us have experience in knowing that ventilation doesn't solve that problem. Wouldn't it be easy if it did? We know how vexing that problem can be and we probably have some variety of experiences in dealing with it. However, universally, we know that the problem doesn't go away without, at the very least, removing and replacing the stench laden hoses!
Again, this is your choice on how to deal with it. At some point, you can let all of us know how that works out for you!
The cushions can be cleaned by taking the covers off. Place the foam on a deck and soak with soapy bleach solution. work in well and stomp the cushion foam to work in. After 10-15 min, rinse well. Place cushion foam into a garbage bag and suck max water out with wet vac. stand on end to dry. Wet vac foam base again if necessary.
After cushion foam is completely dry - 1-2 days maybe.
Covers (even dry clean only covers) can usually be hand washed in woolite or similar. Spin dry in washing machine, place damp cover on cushion foam. Spend time aligning the cover corners. On my C30, the cushions had buttons that went thru the foam to the opposite side of the cushion. The buttons have hooks on the backside. Unhook one side and pull the other side out. Use a crochet hook to reach thru cover both sides and draw the button string thru. Re-hook and dry cushion as needed.
After cushion foam is completely dry - 1-2 days maybe.
Covers (even dry clean only covers) can usually be hand washed in woolite or similar. Spin dry in washing machine, place damp cover on cushion foam. Spend time aligning the cover corners. On my C30, the cushions had buttons that went thru the foam to the opposite side of the cushion. The buttons have hooks on the backside. Unhook one side and pull the other side out. Use a crochet hook to reach thru cover both sides and draw the button string thru. Re-hook and dry cushion as needed.
"I think that universally, sailors have good experiences with dorade vents."
My boat came with dorades from the factory - it is amazing how much air these bring into the boat constantly - I believe they are a big reason my boat doesn't smell (plus there are no smelly sources inside).
My boat came with dorades from the factory - it is amazing how much air these bring into the boat constantly - I believe they are a big reason my boat doesn't smell (plus there are no smelly sources inside).
My thoughts...
1) Rechargeable fans, I have 2 for galley, can be hung or placed anywhere, move air & can be used as lights, recharge devices, ect.
2) Light a candle, I usually leave one in sink, in case I forget, works very well in small areas like salon.
3) Open all hatches and do as above.
4) Yes, absolutely check/replace head hoses, make sure bilge is dry/clean. Less ye move shiite air.
5) Look under engine, make sure it's dry & there is no diesel/water below, before/after sail. Sometimes drip seal is drippy.
6) Make sure head is always pumped out when you leave boat, rinse with fresh water & deodorize (I use Raritan K.O.) Don't sail on a floating port-a-potty.
Good luck.
1) Rechargeable fans, I have 2 for galley, can be hung or placed anywhere, move air & can be used as lights, recharge devices, ect.
2) Light a candle, I usually leave one in sink, in case I forget, works very well in small areas like salon.
3) Open all hatches and do as above.
4) Yes, absolutely check/replace head hoses, make sure bilge is dry/clean. Less ye move shiite air.
5) Look under engine, make sure it's dry & there is no diesel/water below, before/after sail. Sometimes drip seal is drippy.
6) Make sure head is always pumped out when you leave boat, rinse with fresh water & deodorize (I use Raritan K.O.) Don't sail on a floating port-a-potty.
Good luck.
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i , m with Peggy ! our hoses were at 20 years and they did stink through the whole boat. No vent can fix that....
We did all the hoses in the boat and it smells like a new one now.
An extra what i did was, i made a small blower in the bilge area which goes out one of the transom vents. This with a ventilation opening in the front of the boat so the whole bilge gets fresh air.
We did all the hoses in the boat and it smells like a new one now.
An extra what i did was, i made a small blower in the bilge area which goes out one of the transom vents. This with a ventilation opening in the front of the boat so the whole bilge gets fresh air.
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I guess getting old hoses off would be easy now that I think of it because you could cut them off with a razor. If not it seems impossible to pull most hoses off.
I liked the idea of a solar vent as a partial measure until I read reviews on Amazon. Seems like they last only a couple of years. But still a steady stream of fresh air right in main cabin seems great. I see most people putting them in the glass hatches. A good idea so as not to damage boat. In my case the glass or acrylic is in pretty bad shape anyway so if it doesn't work out I can just replace the glass.
Warming them with a heat gun works...also works--though I'd use a blow dryer this time, less risk of melting the hose--to put new hoses on if you also lubricate the inside of the hose and the outside of the fitting with dish washing soap, or better yet, K-Y, which is a surgical jelly that dries out, so you're not left with a slippery hose connection.
--Peggie
The main failure point of the solar vents are the battery. After battery failure, you can a) replace the battery, b) remove the fan and let the vent be passive, c) repower the fan from the boat's battery. Most of the solar vents are designed to exhaust air, not pump it in.
My 3 year old solar vent fan runs when there is direct sunlight, not otherwise. Battery needs replacement.
Fred W