Hello,
Just last month I bought my first sailboat. I am new to sailing and everything around it.
The boat had been sitting on the hard for over 1 year in dank humidity on the Caribbean side of Panama. The owner told me that one of the problems i will definitely have is with the head and its surrounding systems. So I have been prepared for it. When I bought her, I also inherited a full holding tank which I was unable to empty because the holding tank pump was broken due to non use. I have since taken that apart and fixed it and now my holding tank has been emptied. (Side note: There are NO pump out stations in Panama - they don't exist unfortunately)
Right now I am in the midst of trying to fix my head problem. I currently have a Groco HF head which looks quite old but that doesn't say much. The pump seems like it isn't getting any air thru, and it seems to be backflushing from the holding tank. I've read on other postings that it probably has some issues with the seals. With that said I've learned that rebuilding it with the HF master service kit will probably fix it however I'm tempted to replace the whole thing because it is quite old and looks icky as such. Other people suggest just taking it apart and lubbing or cleaning the seals. I believe the previous owner installed the head in 1999 and has told me he has had to rebuild it numerous times.
Now, my other option is to buy a whole new head. A retail store nearby has a Jabsco Twist’n’Lock Compact Manual Head which looks like it will do the job. Being in Panama my options for retail stores are slim and this is the only one I can find. It is also not much more expensive than buying the replacement kit for the Groco HF and furthermore I can get it immediately. To buy the master service kit I will need to order it from the states which will take 2 weeks and costs $100 + shipping. This sounds like a lot better idea because I get a brand new head and I can install it right away for $200! For the price difference i think it makes sense to get a whole new one.
On the other hand, my slip neighbor tells me that Jabsco makes a bad head and he tells me that the Groco HF i already have is "standard" and to stick with it. His opinion has made me think twice which has driven me to write this post. I am learning everyone has their own opinions but thought I should run this by you guys. Also I am unsure but it looks as though that this Jabsco model head is a new model as I cannot find any reviews of it. This can be a good or a bad I suppose. Does anyone have any experience with this new jabsco model head? (jabsco model 29090-3000)
I recognize that one of my only issues with switching heads is that the sanitation hoses might not be in the same places and thus might not reach. I am also being told I may want to change the hoses -- although they look really good from the outside
-- Although as I am being told, on the inside it might be a totally different story. This is a whole other issue I will need to deal with maybe at a later time.
I appreciate any advice I can get.
Cheers
--Paul
Just last month I bought my first sailboat. I am new to sailing and everything around it.
The boat had been sitting on the hard for over 1 year in dank humidity on the Caribbean side of Panama. The owner told me that one of the problems i will definitely have is with the head and its surrounding systems. So I have been prepared for it. When I bought her, I also inherited a full holding tank which I was unable to empty because the holding tank pump was broken due to non use. I have since taken that apart and fixed it and now my holding tank has been emptied. (Side note: There are NO pump out stations in Panama - they don't exist unfortunately)
Right now I am in the midst of trying to fix my head problem. I currently have a Groco HF head which looks quite old but that doesn't say much. The pump seems like it isn't getting any air thru, and it seems to be backflushing from the holding tank. I've read on other postings that it probably has some issues with the seals. With that said I've learned that rebuilding it with the HF master service kit will probably fix it however I'm tempted to replace the whole thing because it is quite old and looks icky as such. Other people suggest just taking it apart and lubbing or cleaning the seals. I believe the previous owner installed the head in 1999 and has told me he has had to rebuild it numerous times.
Now, my other option is to buy a whole new head. A retail store nearby has a Jabsco Twist’n’Lock Compact Manual Head which looks like it will do the job. Being in Panama my options for retail stores are slim and this is the only one I can find. It is also not much more expensive than buying the replacement kit for the Groco HF and furthermore I can get it immediately. To buy the master service kit I will need to order it from the states which will take 2 weeks and costs $100 + shipping. This sounds like a lot better idea because I get a brand new head and I can install it right away for $200! For the price difference i think it makes sense to get a whole new one.
On the other hand, my slip neighbor tells me that Jabsco makes a bad head and he tells me that the Groco HF i already have is "standard" and to stick with it. His opinion has made me think twice which has driven me to write this post. I am learning everyone has their own opinions but thought I should run this by you guys. Also I am unsure but it looks as though that this Jabsco model head is a new model as I cannot find any reviews of it. This can be a good or a bad I suppose. Does anyone have any experience with this new jabsco model head? (jabsco model 29090-3000)
I recognize that one of my only issues with switching heads is that the sanitation hoses might not be in the same places and thus might not reach. I am also being told I may want to change the hoses -- although they look really good from the outside
-- Although as I am being told, on the inside it might be a totally different story. This is a whole other issue I will need to deal with maybe at a later time.I appreciate any advice I can get.
Cheers
--Paul
