Water heater

M

Mirwin

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Jul 29, 2017
125
Catalina 310 Hixson
Hey all, hope you are staying safe during this troubling time. Our water heater is also leaking. I have crawled into the belly of the beast to see if I could locate where the leak is. We filled the tank and turned on the water pressure. The hoses were all secure with no water coming out. The one place I saw water was at the bracket that secures the heater. I tried to trail it but could not. The water was flowing into the bilge. It is a 20 gallon heater that I am sure came with the boat. I’m not sure why we have a 20 gallon. Any suggestions on a good replacement would be appreciated...or if you have suggestions on where else I could look for the leak.

thanks for your help.
marilyn
 
sail sfbay

sail sfbay

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Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
You might this recent thread on replacing a Catalina 310 water heater helpful:

Catalina 310 Water Heater

Well, we're leaving in a couple of days for a 2 week cruise, and, now my pressure pump cycles and the bilge pump comes on. Took a while to find the source of the leak, I knew it was from the stern of the boat but very difficult to locate. There is water under the water heater, trickling along a...
forums.sailboatowners.com
 
smokey73

smokey73

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Oct 26, 2010
1,904
Hunter 40.5 Beaufort, SC
Wow! 20 gallon? A couple of my water tanks are only 20 gallons each. Most on boats I've seen have been much smaller. Is it a previous owner mod or did it come with the boat?
 
smokey73

smokey73

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Oct 26, 2010
1,904
Hunter 40.5 Beaufort, SC
Mirwin said:
I believe it was original to the boat!
Click to expand
I think you are meaning 20L not 20 gallons. I have a hard time believing you have space anywhere on a 30 foot boat for a 20 gallon water heater nor why you would ever need one that big. I've been wrong before so this won't be the first time if I"m wrong.
 
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Mikem

Mikem

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Dec 20, 2009
820
Hunter 466 Bremerton
smokey73 said:
I think you are meaning 20L not 20 gallons. I have a hard time believing you have space anywhere on a 30 foot boat for a 20 gallon water heater nor why you would ever need one that big. I've been wrong before so this won't be the first time if I"m wrong.
Click to expand
I’m with Smokey on this. Maybe a 6 gallon water heater. I installed 6 gallon water heater on my daughter’s previous Catalina 30. A 20 gal WH would have filled the port lazarette (if it would fit) and affected the trim of the boat.
 
M

Mirwin

.
Jul 29, 2017
125
Catalina 310 Hixson
Search Results
Featured snippet from the web
Pressure hot and cold water is standard and, since 310 buyers will probably spend more time aboard than just a weekend, there is a 35-gallon water tank plus a 20-gallon hot water heater for ample capacity. healthy and quiet engine pushed the boat close to its hull speed of just under 7 knots.

i agree that seems large but this is what it says!
 
jssailem

jssailem

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Oct 22, 2014
21,098
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Maybe previous owner needed long hot showers with soft music and candles.

Clint Eastwood would object...

When I chose my new heater I went from 11 down to 6 gallons. But I made sure that the new heater was well insulated so that the water stays warm from one day to the next.
 
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Michael Davis

Michael Davis

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Jan 5, 2017
2,265
Beneteau First 38 Lyall Harbour Saturna Island
For us not having a heat exchanger is pretty useless. We certainly run the engine more often than we tie up with power.
 
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smokey73

smokey73

.
Oct 26, 2010
1,904
Hunter 40.5 Beaufort, SC
Mirwin said:
Search Results
Featured snippet from the web
Pressure hot and cold water is standard and, since 310 buyers will probably spend more time aboard than just a weekend, there is a 35-gallon water tank plus a 20-gallon hot water heater for ample capacity. healthy and quiet engine pushed the boat close to its hull speed of just under 7 knots.

i agree that seems large but this is what it says!
Click to expand
WOW - I stand corrected but I'm really surprised. First, a 310 is more of a pocket cruiser than a live aboard. I have a 40 foot boat and I think my tank is 11 gallon but 105 gal of water storage. Plus the real puzzle is that the 310 water heater does not have a heat exchanger! That means it is only useful when you can run on 120V AC which means either hooked up to shorepower or with a 120V AC generator. I doubt seriously if most 310 owners have a permanently installed generator so this water tank is practically useless when away from the dock and shorepower. Makes very little sense for a boat of this size. If I were the owner I'd look to see if it is feasable to install a smaller water tank with a heat exchanger and a way to use the heat from the engine to heat water when away from the dock to make it usable. Otherwise it is just an extra 20 gallon tank of water that may or may not be hot.
 
M

Mirwin

.
Jul 29, 2017
125
Catalina 310 Hixson
Hi, I don’t pretend to know much about water heaters or heat exchangers. I do know that when we have been out running the motor, the water gets really hot. I rarely have to turn on the water heater. The 310 was designed as a couples boat leaning towards making the woman happy. I would be happy with a smaller water heater that doesn’t leak! It is very frustrating not knowing where the leak is coming from. Thanks for getting in touch.

marilyn
 
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smokey73

smokey73

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Oct 26, 2010
1,904
Hunter 40.5 Beaufort, SC
Interesting info - googling the Seaward Model HF2000 says it is available in both 120V AC only and also with the option for a heat exchanger too. It looks like you have the heat exchanger option so a 20 gallon tank. You would rarely use that much hot water heated to the normal engine running temperature if it is well insulated. So I stand double corrected! ;)
 
Ron20324

Ron20324

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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
Mirwin said:
... I do know that when we have been out running the motor, the water gets really hot. I rarely have to turn on the water heater.
Click to expand
The reply , as usual, is to install a tempering valve to keep the water mixed, and not get scalding hot. My valve is set at 38 C, and IIRC, that is 104 F? Come Sunday morning, there will be hotter water, and more of it.
 
Last edited:
Mikem

Mikem

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Dec 20, 2009
820
Hunter 466 Bremerton
Mirwin said:
Search Results
Featured snippet from the web
Pressure hot and cold water is standard and, since 310 buyers will probably spend more time aboard than just a weekend, there is a 35-gallon water tank plus a 20-gallon hot water heater for ample capacity. healthy and quiet engine pushed the boat close to its hull speed of just under 7 knots.

i agree that seems large but this is what it says!
Click to expand
Wow. Who knew.
 
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