Fresh Water

[Art Femenella]

I bought your book and it is excellent. I Have a 1988 Catalina 30 with two plastic water tanks. The boat was not well taken care of and has been in Florida for the past 15 years. There are sections of the fresh water hoses that are black from growths. If I follow the fresh water regimen in the book will this be sufficient? Or should I replace the fresh water system hoses?

 

[Debra B]

replace

nothing last forever - especially if it hasn't been taken care of. Hoses on fresh water are realtively easy to replace and inexpensive. Look for a Goodyear Rubber hose supplier in the yellow pages. Don't buy from a marine store for fresh water hoses. You might also check your big box home center, they sometimes carry hoses that will work in the plumbing section - look for spa parts. (Don't scimp on the waste hoses though!)

 

[Peggie Hall/HeadMistress]

Recomission according to directions in my book

If doing it twice doesn't completely clean out the hoses, replacement would prob'ly be a good idea, especially if the hoses are clear plastic. Base your decision--even a decision to repeat the treatment--on taste/smell/anything left that you can scrape out, not just color that could just be stain.