I recently purchased a 2002 Hunter 356 and am still learning all the systems. I am new to a boat of this size with so many systems. Last night I tried the cockpit shower for the first time and could not get it to work. The water pressure breaker is on and the galley sink, head vanity, and head shower all work fine. I messed with the cockpit shower hot/cold handles and the spray setting on the shower head, but no luck. I was reading my manual (what a novel idea) and saw that there was a water system manifold under the galley sink. I located the manifold and noticed that there is a "key" that fits on the various manifolds. I put it over the cockpit shower fitting and tried to turn it, but met with resistance, so I stopped. Is it likely that the cockpit shower manifold is part of my problem?
Cockpit Shower
- Thread starter DanoDano
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You got it on the first try
You need to be careful reading those manuals. It can lead to reading books on becoming a better sailor and we all know where that leads. The manifold is the issue. You will find that you need to work all your valves on some sort of regular basis to keep them from freezing up. I find that if I can get any movement at all out of the valve you can work it back and forth till you get it open. Just be sure to not damage the pipework while you push and pull the valve lever.
You need to be careful reading those manuals. It can lead to reading books on becoming a better sailor and we all know where that leads. The manifold is the issue. You will find that you need to work all your valves on some sort of regular basis to keep them from freezing up. I find that if I can get any movement at all out of the valve you can work it back and forth till you get it open. Just be sure to not damage the pipework while you push and pull the valve lever.
That's what i thought. Now....
Thanks Bill, When you say "push and pull the valve lever" do you mean turn it back and forth i.e. counterclockwise and clockwise? I don't mean to get anal about this, but I don't want to screw up the valve either. I am assuming that it is closed and I need to turn it counterclockwise to open it. When I tried to turn it, it didn't budge. I noticed that the fitting on one of the other manifold tubes..the galley sink I believe...was already stripped. It looks like they are just plastic and it won't take much pressure to strip the cockpit shower as well. Any ideas on how to get it to budge? Maybe I should get a professional to look at it so I don't turn a minor repair into a major one.
Thanks Bill, When you say "push and pull the valve lever" do you mean turn it back and forth i.e. counterclockwise and clockwise? I don't mean to get anal about this, but I don't want to screw up the valve either. I am assuming that it is closed and I need to turn it counterclockwise to open it. When I tried to turn it, it didn't budge. I noticed that the fitting on one of the other manifold tubes..the galley sink I believe...was already stripped. It looks like they are just plastic and it won't take much pressure to strip the cockpit shower as well. Any ideas on how to get it to budge? Maybe I should get a professional to look at it so I don't turn a minor repair into a major one.
Your not getting anal you are being purdent
Yes turning CW and CCW is what I should have said. To determine the "state" of the valve depends on the valve. Is the "handle" centered over the valve or is most of it off to one side or (heaven help you) is it round?
Yes turning CW and CCW is what I should have said. To determine the "state" of the valve depends on the valve. Is the "handle" centered over the valve or is most of it off to one side or (heaven help you) is it round?
Valve Deion
The manifold has a series of vertical tubes each labeled with their function...Galley Sink, Cockpit Shower, etc. In the middle of each tube is a small diamond-shaped protrusion. I assume this is the valve control. There is a "Valve Wrench" or what I call a valve key that is hanging close to manifold. To keep it from getting lost, it is hung by a wire, one end of which is attached to the under sink cabinet and the other to the end of the key. The wrench has a diamond-shaped female end that fits over the corresponding diamond-shaped protrusion on the manifold tube. The whole thing is plastic which concerns me. I have no instructions that tell me that the wench fits over the fitting on the tube and that is what opens and closes the valve to allow water flow. I just assume that is how it works by looking at what's in front of me.
The manifold has a series of vertical tubes each labeled with their function...Galley Sink, Cockpit Shower, etc. In the middle of each tube is a small diamond-shaped protrusion. I assume this is the valve control. There is a "Valve Wrench" or what I call a valve key that is hanging close to manifold. To keep it from getting lost, it is hung by a wire, one end of which is attached to the under sink cabinet and the other to the end of the key. The wrench has a diamond-shaped female end that fits over the corresponding diamond-shaped protrusion on the manifold tube. The whole thing is plastic which concerns me. I have no instructions that tell me that the wench fits over the fitting on the tube and that is what opens and closes the valve to allow water flow. I just assume that is how it works by looking at what's in front of me.
Looks like you've been cutting and paste-ing Steves stuff.
Steve Deion???
Hey Steve, it was close!
Steve Deion???
Hey Steve, it was close!
Typical Hunter stuff
Sorry this is taking multiple iterations. Anything made of plastic is bound to strip over the course of time. The valve is either a ball type or a gate type. The ball type only take a 90 degree turn of the key to go from off to on while the gate type are like your water faucet and open/close slowly as you turn it through several rotations. The ball type are intended to show the state of the valve by the position of the valve handle. Perpendicular to the flow through the valve is off and parallel to the flow through the valve is on. Gate valves open in the CCW direction and close in the CW direction. My guess is that you have a ball type valve. Depending on how the valve was installed it could be turned CW or CCW to open. Perhaps there are markings on the valve that would indicate it's operation or state.
Sorry this is taking multiple iterations. Anything made of plastic is bound to strip over the course of time. The valve is either a ball type or a gate type. The ball type only take a 90 degree turn of the key to go from off to on while the gate type are like your water faucet and open/close slowly as you turn it through several rotations. The ball type are intended to show the state of the valve by the position of the valve handle. Perpendicular to the flow through the valve is off and parallel to the flow through the valve is on. Gate valves open in the CCW direction and close in the CW direction. My guess is that you have a ball type valve. Depending on how the valve was installed it could be turned CW or CCW to open. Perhaps there are markings on the valve that would indicate it's operation or state.
I can't stand it anymore
On the handheld shower head there is a twist on and off control. All on, all off. try that, and check your hose in the locker for a kink. Usually works for me. Good luck!
On the handheld shower head there is a twist on and off control. All on, all off. try that, and check your hose in the locker for a kink. Usually works for me. Good luck!
Thanks Bill
Bill, Thanks for your suggestions and assistance. This is turning into a bit of a circus, so I think I'll just let this one go. Thanks again.
Bill, Thanks for your suggestions and assistance. This is turning into a bit of a circus, so I think I'll just let this one go. Thanks again.
just saw this! your answers (I hope)
the manifold is ball valves, so a 90 degree turn is all that's needed-I'm not at my 356, but put the wrench over one you know works so you'll see the orientation. you also got several valid responses- there is a turn on/off on the head, and the hose on the pull out shower handle can beome kinked-look thru the stbd stern locker to check. if you're not getting flow thru the hot or cold faucet, and you've turned them both on at the manifold, then you've got a kinked or blocked hose/head at the shower.
the manifold is ball valves, so a 90 degree turn is all that's needed-I'm not at my 356, but put the wrench over one you know works so you'll see the orientation. you also got several valid responses- there is a turn on/off on the head, and the hose on the pull out shower handle can beome kinked-look thru the stbd stern locker to check. if you're not getting flow thru the hot or cold faucet, and you've turned them both on at the manifold, then you've got a kinked or blocked hose/head at the shower.
you're welcome!
welcome to the board and perhaps the Hunter family! the 356 is a great boat, and there's lots of helpful people and info here-but bear with us, sometimes we get a little punchy-especially now when we're trying to get launched! Hunter is also very helpful, and they're really good if you need Hunter specific parts
welcome to the board and perhaps the Hunter family! the 356 is a great boat, and there's lots of helpful people and info here-but bear with us, sometimes we get a little punchy-especially now when we're trying to get launched! Hunter is also very helpful, and they're really good if you need Hunter specific parts
Re Launch
Since I never "unlaunch" in Corpus Christi, I forget that not everyone gets to sail year round.
Since I never "unlaunch" in Corpus Christi, I forget that not everyone gets to sail year round.
Thank you to everyone that offered suggestions
Chuck and all, It did turn out to be a kinked hose. Thanks!
Chuck and all, It did turn out to be a kinked hose. Thanks!
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