Washdown pump installation ideas needed

[Neil McLaughlin]

Happy Spring Everyone! 

A new project for this year is to install a washdown pump.  I have bought a Johnson 5.2 and several parts.  However, I have not yet determined the best location or approach for water intake. 

I am thinking about putting a y-valve on the AC intake which is located under the dining table, starboard, mid ship.  I would only be running the washdown with the AC off and open the seacock, while out in the lake where the water is cleanest.

For the pump, I am thinking either in that same general area, if it fits, or in the v-berth under the articulating mattress head. 

For the hose fitting, I will install inside the anchor locker.

If anyone has completed this job already and can comment with better ideas and can post pictures, that would be awesome.

Thanks so much,

Neil

Allure #154

[ken magida]

I went with the Jabsco washdown pump kit - I think it is 4 or 5 gpm. I do not have A/C and did not want a long run from the galley sink, so I mounted the thru-hull in the v-berth on the starboard side opposite the speed/depth transducers. I mounted the pump just forward under the starboard drawer and ran the hose forward. The bottom of the anchor well is just above the underside of the bunk so I drilled at a downward angle to get the hose up into the anchor well. Then I fabricated a wedge to mount the fitting for the hose and glassed it into the anchor well corner. Very difficult to fold up my old body to do that work so it is not cosmetically pretty but I seem to have accomplished the goal of keeping water out.

I took the power off a separate breaker on the panel and turn it on only when raising the anchor.

The system works well and I highly recommend it.

Ken

 

Ken Magida

23B Norwood Road

Port Washington, New York 11050

Kensa...@outlook.com

cell:      (516) 428-4577

---

From: catal...@googlegroups.com <catal...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Neil McLaughlin <sonas...@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2022 7:15
To: Catalina355 <catal...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Catalina 355:4519] Washdown pump installation ideas needed

 

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Catalina355 group. To post to this group, send email to catal...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to catalina355...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/catalina355?hl=en
 
If changing the topic, please start a new message and send to catal...@googlegroups.com, rather than clicking "reply" to an existing message.
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Catalina355" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to catalina355...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/catalina355/1b2d1366-42b2-4102-9cca-a188e6707039n%40googlegroups.com.

[Neil McLaughlin]

Hi Ken, I greatly appreciate your comments and I can picture what you have done.  How thick was the hull where you drilled through? 

How far above the bottom of the anchor locker did you drill through for the the hose?

Did you glass in a board to mount the pump or use existing wood?

If you can send any pictures too, that would be great.

Thanks, Neil

[ken magida]

Neil:

Here are some of the photos. I will attach more in another email so it is not too large.

I did not drill through the hull - it is beyond my paygrade. However, if I remember, the yard gave me the plug and it was 1" plus.

I glassed a piece of Palight Trimboard - like starboard but it will take epozy, and then I mounted the pump on that.

If you have any questions, feel free to call me.

Ken

 

Ken Magida

23B Norwood Road

Port Washington, New York 11050

Kensa...@outlook.com

cell:      (516) 428-4577

---

From: catal...@googlegroups.com <catal...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Neil McLaughlin <sonas...@gmail.com>

Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2022 6:58
To: Catalina355 <catal...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [Catalina 355:4521] Washdown pump installation ideas needed

 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/catalina355/c27fd9be-aef2-4e8f-ab09-226000295050n%40googlegroups.com.

[ken magida]

Ken

 

Ken Magida

23B Norwood Road

Port Washington, New York 11050

Kensa...@outlook.com

cell:      (516) 428-4577

---

From: catal...@googlegroups.com <catal...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Neil McLaughlin <sonas...@gmail.com>

Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2022 6:58
To: Catalina355 <catal...@googlegroups.com>

Subject: Re: [Catalina 355:4521] Washdown pump installation ideas needed

 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/catalina355/c27fd9be-aef2-4e8f-ab09-226000295050n%40googlegroups.com.

[Jerry Harris]

Neil:

I had a wash down pump installed when we bought our boat in 2018.  I didn’t want another hole through the hull either, so had the yard tee off the air conditioner water intake just as you suggested.  I had the pump installed on the port side under the seat.  The pump outlet is in the anchor locker near the metal loop that Catalina provided for the the anchor rode.  I have a Jabsco pump with a breaker on the DC panel and the pump generally works just fine. The boat is on the Chesapeake during the summer and we did get a lot of fouling on the A/C inlet 2 years ago, which restricted both this pump and the A/C water flow. We were running the A/C a lot that summer, but I don’t know just what caused the fouling.  The A/C water pump is sensitive to loss of prime, so it is certainly possible that the wash down pump could cause the loss of prime.  I haven’t had that problem, but did have a regular loss of prime when the inlet was plugged up. The A/C cooling water pump lost prime every time that I cleaned the A/C strainer.  I have started using bromine tablets in the A/C strainer and have also stopped using the A/C most of the time.  I just use it to dehumidify the boat and haven’t had the fouling problem return.  Unfortunately, I can’t offer any pictures because the boat is in Maryland on the hard and I am in Key West.

Good Luck,

Jerry Harris

Hull 140

-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Catalina355 group. To post to this group, send email to catal...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email tocatalina355...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group athttps://groups.google.com/d/forum/catalina355?hl=en

 
If changing the topic, please start a new message and send to catal...@googlegroups.com, rather than clicking "reply" to an existing message.
--- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Catalina355" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email tocatalina355...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/catalina355/1b2d1366-42b2-4102-9cca-a188e6707039n%40googlegroups.com.

-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Catalina355 group. To post to this group, send email to catal...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to catalina355...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/catalina355?hl=en
 
If changing the topic, please start a new message and send to catal...@googlegroups.com, rather than clicking "reply" to an existing message.
--- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Catalina355" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email tocatalina355...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/catalina355/c27fd9be-aef2-4e8f-ab09-226000295050n%40googlegroups.com.

-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Catalina355 group. To post to this group, send email to catal...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to catalina355...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/catalina355?hl=en
 
If changing the topic, please start a new message and send to catal...@googlegroups.com, rather than clicking "reply" to an existing message.
--- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Catalina355" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to catalina355...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/catalina355/CO3PR06MB8655BCB36B270680D48D858FBBEF9%40CO3PR06MB8655.namprd06.prod.outlook.com.
<bulkhead behind anchor locker.JPG><bulkhead.front of water tank.JPG><hose in anchor locker.1.JPG><hose in anchor locker.2.JPG><hose in anchor locker.3.JPG><mount  for fitting in anchor locker.JPG>

[Neil McLaughlin]

Ken, these are excellent pictures.  Very helpful seeing how you did it and great ideas.  I think I will try to avoid another through-hull cut and come off the A/C since it is only a couple of feet away.  I really like your mounting position and hose storage approach though.  Were you able to get all the way to the stern with that coiled hose?

Neil

[Neil McLaughlin]

Jerry, thanks so much.  Regarding the pump install under the port side seat, how did you run the hose to the anchor locker from there?  By the way, not sure if others have the same issue but my boat lists two degrees to port with all the tanks full.  Slightly less if empty.  It appears to be caused by the extra batteries and A/C install all on the port side.  I am trying to add as little weight as possible to the port side.  I also try to carry as much wine and beer on the starboard as possible!!  ;-)

Regarding your loss of prime, I am expecting that not to be an issue for me since I will unlikely run the washdown while in harbour and on A/C.  Our harbour is not exactly pristine water and the boat may be even dirtier if I spray it on her.

Neil

[Jerry Harris]

Neil,

I am not really sure exactly how the hose was routed.  It was done by the yard about 5 years ago and I didn’t pay much attention to it. I think that that was the most difficult part of the installation and that they ran it up the side of the hull behind the furniture to a horizontal passage just below the ledge then forward through that passage to the bow.  I don’t know whether that was done forward or aft of the bulkhead between the v berth and the saloon. I think that I recall seeing the tubing below the sole in the area below the v berth makeup table, but am not really sure about that.  I’m sorry to not be more helpful, but I am not near the boat right now. My boat also lists to port and I don’t worry about it.  The wind at the slip has just about as much impact on the list as the loading of the boat. The nuisance about loss of prime is that, if the wash down pump causes air to be sucked into the A/C water pump line while using it at any time, whether operating the A/C or not, there is no easy way to get rid of that air and get the A/C pump operational again other than breaking the fittings near the pump.  Because we have had a problem with loss of prime, we always check to verify that water is being discharged from the A/C water outlet when we turn the A/C on and then when we do our checks on the boat at the slip.

Jerry

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/catalina355/d0569952-a81e-4f13-a773-e45f9f20b0cen%40googlegroups.com.

[ken magida]

The hose is a nominal 25’

Stretching it would ruin it so just use it at the bow

Ken

Sent from my iPhone

An allegedly smart device

On Apr 15, 2022, at 06:46, Neil McLaughlin <sonas...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/catalina355/3230eb82-b0ab-4c27-b838-771577015613n%40googlegroups.com.

[Eric Carnell]

Hi Neil,

   The prior owner of our boat had an anchor wash installed professionally when the boat was commissioned. Since he was making the head all fresh water, they used the factory seacock under the head sink for the anchor wash. The pump is in the small locker — just outboard of the raw water strainer. The hose is then routed (some how) along the port side and shows up in the forward compartment under the forward berth. Then I see the hose go forward through the upper port part of the bulkhead and into the anchor locker. If this idea appeals to you, I will take some pictures. 

Regarding the listing to left, our boat is even worse. The prior owner installed a second refrigerator under the Nav table ( so even more weight on that side). He told me to consider moving the start battery to the starboard side under the settee and outboard of the water heater. So far, I have not done that. But I usually keep the port water tank empty and the starboard one full — unless cruising. I also moved all of my tools from the cockpit lazarette to the locker on the starboard in the aft cabin. This helps. I might consider moving the start battery in the future. 

--N. Eric Carnell

Hull 126

Solstice 

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 15, 2022, at 2:40 PM, ken magida <kensa...@outlook.com> wrote:

 The hose is a nominal 25’

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/catalina355/CO3PR06MB865510E6F97E309B36F1AC3ABBEE9%40CO3PR06MB8655.namprd06.prod.outlook.com.

[Juan Galan]

Amazon sells 1" HTH[pool chlorine] tablets that fit in the strainer. I used to put 3-4 everytime I changed/cleaned strainer to help kill/eliminate any bacteria in A/C seawater lines. I do not use it on Catalina because it is run only on dehumidify, so it stays clean.

Another useful trick is to buy a spare strainer so you always have a strainer clean & ready to go as it reduces the amount of time you must have AC turned off which your crew will appreciate.

Will also give you more time to properly clean strainer you just took out!! If strainer was fairly clogged, you can leave it overnight  in a soapy bucket which will help reduce effort needed to clean it!

The installation of the seawater line off of the AC seacock sounds interesting. I would make sure you have a seacock on the second line so you can shut off when not in use for two reasons:

Reduce any issues with second hose leaking, when not in use;

Use as a method to backflush AC system with fresh water and some cleaner - control inflow from freshwater at seacock entry instead of at washdown spigot. While you would normally close thru-hull seacock for the reverse flush, I would finish reverse flush by opening the thru-hull seacock as thru-hull may also need cleaning/flushing. Could also be used, at a marina, to undo any plastic bag that may have been sucked into thruhull and is not released when you turn pump off - saves you a dive to remove plastic bag!.

Another trick to help store fenders in starboard aft locker, is to put a loop[I used a plastic pipe holder] so you can put one of the fender lines through the loop and do not have to dig in to pull out fender[s].

Summer is coming up so I wish everyone in North a speedy spring cleaning as I know you have a short season. We had a power boat in the Great Lakes for 4-5 years as well as a Catalina 22 in Moosehead Lake Maine, so we know how nice but short your season is!

May you have Fair Winds & Following Seas in 2022!

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/catalina355/E5593D93-8B8A-4FD3-9343-803C9D4AC153%40gmail.com.

[Neil McLaughlin]

Hi Eric, thanks for the detail on the washdown install and the other tips.  I have thought about moving the starter battery as well.  It would also free up some room in the port side cockpit locker which is where it is now.

When convenient, please do send some pics of the washdown install.

Neil

[Neil McLaughlin]

Thanks miajag44 for the tips.  You are right about our short season.  It has actually snowed today and currently below freezing.  No ice forming in the lake though...hopefully, we've seen the last of that until December.

Neil

[Eric Carnell]

Here are some photos taken under the head sink (using raw water intake which was not used for the freshwater head), in the head locker where the raw water strainer and Racor are located (the Jabsco pump), and under the forward berth (forward most compartment on port side). I'm not sure how the hose was routed from the head locker up to the forward part of the V-berth. I have read that Catalinas are built with some tunnels but not really sure where.