peggy, we have just purchased our first sailboat about 3 weeks ago. 1984 catalina 25. and frankly we are mystified by the head operation......we can't get the thing to pump. the owners manual is vague in that it tells you what to do but not where all the valves are located, etc. the previous owners are no help...they say they almost never used the thing...and hadn't sailed it in 2 years. we have 2 small children so the head is a must! I am getting a head ache trying to figure it all out! can you give me some idea of what we might need to check...where the valves might be, etc. as far as I know, there have been no modifications to this 1 owner boat....so it should still be the factory system (whatever that might be) please help! thanks! new owners of DUNVEGAN celticsong100@yahoo.com
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Hoo boy...
I have more questions than answers at the moment. Does it only refuse to bring in flush water? Or won't it empty the bowl either? If it's only a flush water problem, have you checked to make sure head intake thru-hull is open? What make/model is the toilet? Is it original to the boat? Do you feel any resistance/backpressure when you try to flush it? What kind of resistance? Once I have all the answers to at least those questions, I think I can figure out what the problem(s) is/are...and I'll be glad to help your help you sort 'em out here. But at the risk of attempting to sell something, I also think you really NEED my book (link below), if not to solve this problem, to help you prevent future problems.
I have more questions than answers at the moment. Does it only refuse to bring in flush water? Or won't it empty the bowl either? If it's only a flush water problem, have you checked to make sure head intake thru-hull is open? What make/model is the toilet? Is it original to the boat? Do you feel any resistance/backpressure when you try to flush it? What kind of resistance? Once I have all the answers to at least those questions, I think I can figure out what the problem(s) is/are...and I'll be glad to help your help you sort 'em out here. But at the risk of attempting to sell something, I also think you really NEED my book (link below), if not to solve this problem, to help you prevent future problems.
some more dumb questions
peggy, part of the problem is that, I don't know where the through hull valves ARE....owners manual is no help on this. no, it does not bring water into the tank, and yes, I feel resistance both when pulling the handle up and pressing it down. if I pour a couple of bottles of water the head will flush after several pumps. yes, the head is original to the boat '84 catalina 25. does this help?
peggy, part of the problem is that, I don't know where the through hull valves ARE....owners manual is no help on this. no, it does not bring water into the tank, and yes, I feel resistance both when pulling the handle up and pressing it down. if I pour a couple of bottles of water the head will flush after several pumps. yes, the head is original to the boat '84 catalina 25. does this help?
First, find ALL your thru-hulls...
You need to know where they are and what condition they're in...'cuz what would you do if a hose on one of 'em parted company with it and the boat started taking on water? That's NOT the time to START looking for the for the one that's open and just hoping it can be closed! To find your head intake thru-hull, trace the head intake line--the small one that comes into the top of the pump--back to it. Do the same thing to find your engine intake thru-hull and any others--start at one end, trace it back to the thru-hull it's connected to. I think at least part of your problem is a closed intake thru-hull. The toilet also needs lubrication and almost certain needs rebuilding too...but till I know what make/model it is and how old it is, I can't tell you whether it's worth spending the money and the effort to do it. If it's a Par/Jabsco manual you're better off just replacing the whole toilet 'cuz they're almost always on sale somewhere for $99 and you'll spend at least half of that just getting the one you have to work again. If the toilet hasn't been used, neither has the holding tank...which means there's a VERY good possibility that the tank vent is clogged--another hose you need to find--this one will most likely end in a rail stanchion...there'll be a slit in the backside of the stanchion at the bottom of it. Don't try to use the toilet again until you're sure the vent line and that slit are open...the resistance you feel when you pump it MAY only be due a lack of lubrication, but more likely it's because the tank is becoming pressurized due to a blocked tank vent...which can have results you don't want to think about.
You need to know where they are and what condition they're in...'cuz what would you do if a hose on one of 'em parted company with it and the boat started taking on water? That's NOT the time to START looking for the for the one that's open and just hoping it can be closed! To find your head intake thru-hull, trace the head intake line--the small one that comes into the top of the pump--back to it. Do the same thing to find your engine intake thru-hull and any others--start at one end, trace it back to the thru-hull it's connected to. I think at least part of your problem is a closed intake thru-hull. The toilet also needs lubrication and almost certain needs rebuilding too...but till I know what make/model it is and how old it is, I can't tell you whether it's worth spending the money and the effort to do it. If it's a Par/Jabsco manual you're better off just replacing the whole toilet 'cuz they're almost always on sale somewhere for $99 and you'll spend at least half of that just getting the one you have to work again. If the toilet hasn't been used, neither has the holding tank...which means there's a VERY good possibility that the tank vent is clogged--another hose you need to find--this one will most likely end in a rail stanchion...there'll be a slit in the backside of the stanchion at the bottom of it. Don't try to use the toilet again until you're sure the vent line and that slit are open...the resistance you feel when you pump it MAY only be due a lack of lubrication, but more likely it's because the tank is becoming pressurized due to a blocked tank vent...which can have results you don't want to think about.
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