where does this water come from and how does this valve work

[gitpicker2007]

I left the catalina at the slip for a few days while they repaired the outboard (bad impeller).
I've only had it a few weeks and it's the first time I left it in the water.
I checked on it today and found a little bit ( 1/2 inch) of water in the compartment under the step down, near the keel crank handle. I've looked at that valve right there before and still am not sure how it works.
I assume it allows the cockpit to drain when the boat is out of the water, but how does it drain when it's in the water? and where does the water go? I can't believe it there's a hole in the bottom of the boat unless it has some sort of one way valve?? Should that valve be fully closed or open?
I do know that one of the hoses comes from the removable sink, which I don't have (previous post), so that's not where the water is coming from.

Any suggestions? I'm terrified that I'm going to go back to the marina and find the boat sunk and hanging by the mooring lines.

I'm sure this sounds silly, but I don't recall seeing any kind of a drain plug like my buddy has on the back of his bass boat, so I'm wondering where the water came from, how do you get it out, and what, if anything that valve and hoses may have to do with it.
There are 2 hoses coming down from the cockpit drains to the big valve, and one coming from the unused sink drain area.
There's also a large, maybe 1.5 inch green hose coming from somewhere under the cockpit and terminated in that area near the battery. Haven't been able to track that down yet.

I hope this makes sense,

thanks and I'll post a pic of the area I'm talking about.


anthony

 

[Cope]

Re: where does this water come from and how does this valve

That valve must remain open. The valve drains through a hole in the keel trunk near the keel lifting cable. no one way valve just gravity. Our boats dont use plugs.
Did it rain while the boat was on the water? I sometimes get water there but its mostly from someone standing on the cockpit locker lid while drying off, or it comes from a wet anchor stored in the starboard locker..
No idea what that gardenhose is for, You should be able to look in the.cockpit locker and see or just stick your head in the battery area and look aft? I would guess its just a random section for a siphon or somethig. There should not be any reason for a drain in that area.
You may also want to make.sure your keelhose clamps are tight. use a towel and mop up the water or just let it dry. You may notice that the gear in there is stored in totes, why? Cuz water gets in.. Check your keel lock bolt locker also mine fills up pretty fast.
Good luck.

 

[Ron20324]

Re: where does this water come from and how does this valve

That valve looks like a garden hose spigot. Those have been all but banned on boats in favor of a true "marine" valve. Best to change it as they are prone to leaks whether they are open or closed.

 

[Cope]

Re: where does this water come from and how does this valve

I think ron hit it. If I zoom in on the valve you can see green on the bonnit nut and a rust stain right bellow on the white paint. Those type of valve are designed to seal only a full open and full close. Also looks like a hose clamp on the tee is almost off the barbs.

 

[gitpicker2007]

Re: where does this water come from and how does this valve

you know, I think you're right. I should have noticed that, and the more I think about it, the more I remember seeing water stacked in the clear tubes. I bet the cockpit drains are full, and are leaking a bit at the loose hose clamp. I'm going to rebuild that whole thing this week.

 

[Steve1976]

Re: where does this water come from and how does this valve

This actually happened to me. One of the drainage tubes popped off the t-fitting above the valve and the boat promptly sank! If the water had been deep the boat would have turned completely upside down. I rented a crane and a barge and a trash pump and finally got the boat back on the trailer. Then I removed the valve and installed beneath it a swing-check valve to prevent water from coming back into the boat. I reinstalled the gate valve, bought new reinforced tubing and double hoseclamped them to the t-fitting and the cockpit drains. Never had another problem. Wish Catalina installed a swing-check valve when the boat was built.

 

[gitpicker2007]

Re: where does this water come from and how does this valve

where did you get the swing check valve?

thanks

 

[Cope]

Re: where does this water come from and how does this valve

With the ammount of stuff that gets in the drains I would worry about the one way clogging up and draining even slower than the factory set up. The factory set up was conisderd so unsafe that they make a retro fit rear drain option. (right out the transom)If I ever need the factory drains for more than rain water and spilled beer, I want them to flow. EDIT-I was thinking more about a one way valve. Lets say the boat goes over filling the cockpit, Now the boat sits a few inches lower in he water and your oneway could be below water level and closes . Now the cockpit can not drain and boat sinks....

I dont think there should be water visable in the tube while under way but Ive never looked that close. I would more likely wager that your drain is cloged and filling up from pounding then draining slow.

You could try tightening the bonnit nut a hair and making sure the valve is all the way open and see if that fixes the leak.

 

[watercolors II]

Globe valve

The shutoff valve with a screw in handle is a gate valve and will not last very long from operating in bad water. Replace with a globe valve, these valves operate with much closer tolerances and are not affected with poor water conditions. They have a long single handle that only moves 90 degrees from open to closed and just looking at the location of the handle will tell you if the valve is open or closed.

This valve should be open at all times when the boat is in the water, it’s the only way rain water will drain out of the cockpit unless you install a transom drain.

I would say it’s a safety shut off in case of an emergency.

I don’t think I would install a back flow unit without the transom drain for fear it could cause additional clogging by narrowing the plumbing even more.

 

[Steve1976]

I bought the swing check valve at a plumbing supply store. I believe it cost $5 or so. that being said, when I park it in the driveway for Spring maintenance it does clog up from tree seeds. I just squirt water from the garden hose and it usually clears it out. if that doesn't work I use a small plunger. A real thru-hull fitting would be best, but I sail on a fairly small lake.

 

[gitpicker2007]

Re: where does this water come from and how does this valve

just FYI, I spoke with tech support at Catalina and happened to get one of the guys who actually built the boat! He said that is the original factory valve.
He also suggested that with any valve, you occasionally pour a few ounces of vegetable oil down the drains while working the valve back and forth, and that will lubricate the internal valve parts.
Thought that was a pretty good idea.

anthony

 

[gitpicker2007]

That valve must remain open. The valve drains through a hole in the keel trunk near the keel lifting cable. no one way valve just gravity. Our boats dont use plugs.
Did it rain while the boat was on the water? I sometimes get water there but its mostly from someone standing on the cockpit locker lid while drying off, or it comes from a wet anchor stored in the starboard locker..
No idea what that gardenhose is for, You should be able to look in the.cockpit locker and see or just stick your head in the battery area and look aft? I would guess its just a random section for a siphon or somethig. There should not be any reason for a drain in that area.
You may also want to make.sure your keelhose clamps are tight. use a towel and mop up the water or just let it dry. You may notice that the gear in there is stored in totes, why? Cuz water gets in.. Check your keel lock bolt locker also mine fills up pretty fast.
Good luck.

Hey Cope, I found out what that green hose is for: It's some sort of a powered Bilge system!
I followed the hose and it goes up to some sort of powered pump, mounted under the port cockpit seating area, and then out another hose to a hole in the transom. I'm still not sure how to turn it on, I don't see any controls, but I'm checking it out. That's a pretty cool idea.
The guy who had the boat before me was a pretty experienced sailor, but sadly, he passed away, just as we were concluding our transaction, so I didn't get to go over the boat with him.