Plumbing the depths for..

[puddlejockey]

Plumbing advice specific to the early 80's bini..

Can someone tell me how the plumbing is setup on the h27?

The head gets very difficult to pump, if you don't vent the tank by unscrewing the cap. I'm assuming, after reading and searching, that my vent is clogged...which I can't find. The boat also appears to be equipped with a direct to sea pump out if you choose, which is odd to me on this boat.
I keep meaning to take pics.

Any help?

Thanks

 

[David in Sandusky]

Plumbing

Our '77 h27 has a vented port-potty that is plumbed to pump out. This arrangement works very well for us.

You do need to find and clear the vent (or add one if it's not there.) Look below the toerail around the location of the tank on the outside hull.

The Y valve allowing pumping overboard is legal (and common). If you are beyond 3 miles from shore in the open ocean you could use it.

In inland waters (all of the Great Lakes, for instance) and maybe in the sounds of NC, you cannot use this option, and must seal the valve closed. You should find out from local sailors what to do where you will be keeping and sailing the boat.

You have a truly great cruising sailboat. My wife and I have spent 20 to 50 nights per summer on ours. We have also cruised for up to a week with 4 friendly adults!

 

[claskey]

On my 84 the comes out of the tank on the forward side, and runs up between that anchor locker and the hull exits the Stnc side under the toe rail

 

[puddlejockey]

Thanks guys ! That gives me a direction ....

 

[DianaOfBurlington]

Clear the vent lines! Also-- they should NOT use gasoline-tank vent fittings with those little tiny screens that inhibit water (and air). Peggy Hall has written reams about this. Use an actual through-hull fitting of about 3/4" for a holding-tank vent. Also, as per Peggy Hall's advice, I installed two vents in mine, one to each side of the hull, using rigid PVC rather than hose. PVC won't sag, creating lows which can collect water and gook. Having one to each side encourages air flow when on any kind of tack. The holding-tank vents should not have any kind of filters in them (why would you inhibit airflow when the air is exactly what the tank needs?).

Also, use nothing alcohol-based as a treatment in the tank (a little bit of head-pump lube won't hurt). Nitrator, like the West Marine 'Pure Oceans' stuff, is really the only thing you should ever add to the tank.

BTW-- I don't have a Y-valve. All toilet effluent goes straight to the tank. There are two vents and two separate exits. One exit goes to the (manual) discharge pump. The handle from this is removed (and hidden) when under way inland. The other exit goes to the deck plate for dockside pumpout. A (big) check valve protects the pump diaphragm from the dockside pump's suction (and also makes pump maintenance less gooky). According to strict rules of golf, this setup is legal (actually to be desired).

* * *

 

[puddlejockey]

Just as a follow up to this,
I traced the holding tank vent hose ( after you fine folks gave me at least a starting point), and found where the PO had taken several zip ties and "neatly coiled" the vent hose in on itself. Which looked really good in case someone stuck their head up under the V berth, then felt like jamming themselves between the bottom side of the anchor locker and the toerail bolts....and also was restricting flow.

I guess the lesson here is 1: look for the easy stuff first and 2: the old guy I bought her from OBVIOUSLY had allot more fun in the V berth than i would've suspected. yuck.
Thank god we redid the cushions...

 

[DianaOfBurlington]

Puddle--

Gotta love those PO's! Hah!

I have a rule about this: always look for the stupidest, most no-brainer potential issue first. In my experience it's surprising how often you way out-think the nitwit who caused the problem. Maybe this is why we so often overlook what turns out to be the obvious at the start. :naughty: