Mark II Water Heater Removal Almost Impossible!

[Bob4203]

I ran a thread several months ago about removal of the six gallon hot water heater in the 1988 Mark II Catalina 30. One advised that the tank could be removed by taking the galley three drawer unit (with frame) out and sliding it back. Well, that's IMPOSSIBLE! Curvature of the hull does not allow that in its current mounted configuration. I found that their are only three ways to remove the tank. Saw a large piece of molding out of the quarter birth structure, which would result in an ugly mess and difficult restoration, tear out the gas tank and slide the heater back or try to rip out the support bracket underneath the heater possibly sinking the boat in the process! In other words, the architects at Catalina never designed the heater to be removed. I tried everything this past weekend to remove it but it will not come out without one of the aforementioned.
I clearly see that the problem might differ in other models. The heater is mounted on a level one by six inch piece of wood about two - three feet long. The board is glassed in with thick roving trending port to starboard that provides a bridge over the throttle and transmission cables. Four small screws hold the heater to the board. One would have to rip out the board sliding the heater back and forth enough to get the heater low enough and then MAYBE get it out through the shelf space. I would have to replace the board to reinstall a new heater. It cannot be dismantled in place as access to the frame screws are also difficult. SO what does one do? Find another location for a heater?
If anyone has had this same problem and has a solution, please let me know. My marina neighbor who owns an older Hunter 30 has the same issue on his boat. Bad design by Catalina.

Thanks
Bob
1988 Mark II

 

[The Garbone]

Sounds like the fuel tank needs to be pulled for access. Things like this happen, I had to remove my forward water tank to get at and remove a waste tank. The joy of small spaces.

 

[Bob4203]

In order to remove the fuel tank, you really have to remove the water heater!!!!! The way the fuel tank is glassed in makes it extremely difficult to move. I see only one way to take the heater out is cutting away the front of the quarter birth fiber glass framework sufficient enough to slide the heater out and toward the bow. A large piece of teak with trim would replace the glass removed (two feet by eighteen inches). Actually this would not look too bad.
Any ideas?

 

[Bob4203]

Okay.....................I plan on cutting out a large (two foot by 18 inches or so) section of fiberglass under the teak trim along the quarterbirth behind the ladder. I can retain the upper section so the cover board remains in the contoured portion. I can slide the heater out as earlier described with an easy replacement of the new heater. The big challenge is to fabricate a teak cover panel, which can be used for access and/or a louvered piece for ventilation. Soooooo, can anyone advise as to where to buy teak?
thanks
Bob

 

[The Garbone]

Can you cut the old heater up with a sawzall and remove the parts? You could then put the new one in an easier to access location or go without.

You may want to try the Catalina 30 owners facebook group. A bit more active and maybe someone has a solution.

 

[Maine Sail]

Bob,

I have removed and installed two C-30 tanks via the galley drawer method. It is a TIGHT fit and you need to be pulling up and pushing to get the old one out. The biggest PITA is getting all the hoses and foot pump etc. that are below the galley drawers out of the way. You may also need to take an adjustable wrench, tightened over the mount foot, and bend the mount foot up on the hull side..

When you get the new water heater in the stickers on top will be scratched.

As can be seen the sticker is scratched from coming in from the galley drawer method.. I installed this one last September..

 

[mortyd]

just curious if anyone has asked catalina

 

[hvbaker]

I had the same experience as Maine Sail. Difficult but not impossible.

 

[Benny17441]

Does it have to come out in one piece?

 

[Bob4203]

I can already see why you were able to pull your tank. The mounting board under the tank is thinner then mine! Thats the difference between success and failure. All the hoses were pulled back and the foot pump was taken off as well. I even had to pull a fuel line off. But the bottom line is that the tank could not be pulled up as it was pulled to port, and it went just so far to port. Maybe the Catalina construction guys just grab scrap wood to glass in and use for the heater mount. I was not lucky on this one. Interesting. Just no room! I did not want to use a crow bar as I would have breached the hull. Three folks studied it, looked at it every way to sunday and we all concluded, "it ain't going nowhere"!!!!!! Soooooo. I think my remedy to cut the glass, slide it out and install a nice finished teak panel will do the trick. Thats my only option, short of cutting out the bottom of the boat and taking it that way!

Bob

 

[Bob4203]

"Does it have to come out in one piece"? Obviously Mainesail was fortunate; however, even if you managed to cut it up and get it out in pieces, the question is, How do you get a new one in? I looked at that too, thinking, if I chop it up, I can access the old mounting board, rip that out and install two small boards just to mount the heater mounting brackets. That 1/4 - 1/2 inch would make a huge difference.
As a side note: Years ago when I worked for the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation. I performed several compliance inspections (RCRA Hazardous Waste) at the old Hunter factory in Alachua, Florida. These guys use all kinds of scrap wood for leveling, shimming and mounting, so it was no surprise to see differences in the water heater mounting board size on the 30 (6500 hulls). Mine is so tight in that compartment, it does not need mounting screws. So much for mass production boats!
Bob

 

[The Garbone]

Chop up the old one. Sawzall , angle grinder, big ole hammer.

Build a shelf and put the new one in the port side sail locker, a few feet of hose and some new wire and all is good.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Bob, you've gotten some excellent advice here. One question: have you tried the C30 association and the groups yet? They made 6,000 C30s. I am surprised that you are having to reinvent the wheel.

There's another "Bob" who has a C30 in MA who is active on this board. He's just reported he's selling his boat and moving up. Maybe he'll chime in.

Good luck.

 

[Bob4203]

Thanks Stu......
It is what it is. No need to try to re-invent the wheel here. Plain and simple, the darn thing cannot be removed via the galley drawer area. Simply, the production team that day grabbed a thicker piece of scrap wood to glass in and mount the heater. That very small difference in wood thickness made the job of removal a PITA or in my case impossible without tearing up the boat. I will pursue my method and be done with it.......................

 

[Maine Sail]

You could easily cut it out and possibly replace it with an Isotemp Slimline. Measure twice, cut once...

 

[Bob4203]

It would be easy to cut out a fiberglass section behind the ladder sufficient to pull the heater forward and out as indicated earlier. The glass is very thin at that location and I am not impacting structural integrity regarding quarter berth (cover board for access and cushion) support. I already purchased a replacement heater that is identical to the original, so a small unit is not necessary. The only issue is what material I want to use to patch or cover that cut out piece (two feet by eighteen inches). I searched for teak and found much on Ebay, but a louvered piece would be nicer, especially for better ventilation under the quarter berth. Lots of options, but for now, I would like my hot water back!
Bob

 

[mortyd]

and stu, when did catalina go out of business? shouldn't the factory be the first call? after all, they made the boat.

 

[Bob4203]

Contacting the factory will yield nothing in regards to this water heater. Simply, on the production line, they finished the hull, installed the tanks (water, gas, heater), added the running gear, lowered the finished interior pan over it, installed the bulkheads and popped on the deck. I witnessed the processes at the Hunter factory. Quite amazing, assembly line set up! So, the worker that day used a bigger piece of scrap wood to mount the water heater. Did he care what would happen 28 years later? Obviously not! I bet if this were an Island Packet or higher end sailboat, QA/QC oversight would have ensured the R&R of the water heater would be a lot easier. No big deal gentlemen................it could have been worse.

 

[The Garbone]

I would use a nice piece of starboard. Buy it overthick an put a bevel/notch on the edges so it hangs on the lip of the cut. You could mill it so the factory hatch fits and anchor it with 2 stainless finish screws. Pretty.

 

[Bob4203]

Thanks Gary. you saved the day.
I ordered a "swatch board" of the starboard material for a perfect match so I can avoid the expense of a full teak cover and use this material instead. I will make a teak frame for it to enhance the look. Excellent suggestion............................