After several seasons of hauling up multiple pounds of black Chesapeake Bay bottom goo every time I raise the anchor, I finally installed a washdown system. Not terribly difficult, and was a good opportunity to replumb the head intake into sink drain line (actually the reverse - more on that later). Finished the wiring today, but I'm now hauled for the winter so can't try it out till Spring.
I bought the 5 GPM Jabsco pump that Practical Sailor recently recommended, which comes with a raw water strainer. The pump is mounted to a 3/4" plywood block epoxied to the inside of the hull behing the drawers, under the port V-berth. I didn't want to put any new holes in the bottom, so decided to use one of the seacocks in the head (which are just on the other side of the bulkhead). I've been wanting to replumb the head intake to the sink drain, which would also free up a seacock; however, the seacock for the drain is only about 6" below the waterline, and I was afraid it would not be submerged when on a port tack. The combined head intake/shower drain seacock is lower on the hull, so I moved the sink drain to the head intake line through a tee. This frees up the former sink seacock for the washdown intake. I put a bronze T fitting with one opening plugged (to use for winterizing) in the washdown intake line, just after the seacock. This line then runs forward, through the bulkhead, and connects to the pump on the other side. The washdown pump outlet (pressure) line goes along the port side of the water tank, through the forward storage cubby under the V-berth, through the closed-in forepeak (accessed by removing the forward teak panel), and up to an outlet fitting installed in the windlass "platform" in the anchor locker, next to the water tank fill fitting. I had to cut an access hole with a Beckson screw-in plate in the forward wall of the platform to be able to install the outlet.
Wiring consisted of simply routing a cable under the cabin floor, through the conduit that goes to the back of the battery compartment, and behind the cabin liner to the rear of the electric panel. As with all the other wiring projects I've done, an electrician's fishtape is essential.
All in all, not too difficult a project, and I now can "final flush" the head with fresh water (not to mention properly running pink antifreeze through the entire head via the sink).
I bought the 5 GPM Jabsco pump that Practical Sailor recently recommended, which comes with a raw water strainer. The pump is mounted to a 3/4" plywood block epoxied to the inside of the hull behing the drawers, under the port V-berth. I didn't want to put any new holes in the bottom, so decided to use one of the seacocks in the head (which are just on the other side of the bulkhead). I've been wanting to replumb the head intake to the sink drain, which would also free up a seacock; however, the seacock for the drain is only about 6" below the waterline, and I was afraid it would not be submerged when on a port tack. The combined head intake/shower drain seacock is lower on the hull, so I moved the sink drain to the head intake line through a tee. This frees up the former sink seacock for the washdown intake. I put a bronze T fitting with one opening plugged (to use for winterizing) in the washdown intake line, just after the seacock. This line then runs forward, through the bulkhead, and connects to the pump on the other side. The washdown pump outlet (pressure) line goes along the port side of the water tank, through the forward storage cubby under the V-berth, through the closed-in forepeak (accessed by removing the forward teak panel), and up to an outlet fitting installed in the windlass "platform" in the anchor locker, next to the water tank fill fitting. I had to cut an access hole with a Beckson screw-in plate in the forward wall of the platform to be able to install the outlet.
Wiring consisted of simply routing a cable under the cabin floor, through the conduit that goes to the back of the battery compartment, and behind the cabin liner to the rear of the electric panel. As with all the other wiring projects I've done, an electrician's fishtape is essential.
All in all, not too difficult a project, and I now can "final flush" the head with fresh water (not to mention properly running pink antifreeze through the entire head via the sink).
