[C320-list] Holding Tank Vent and spiders

[Paul Rickman]

Fred, 
The reason it takes so long (short of a miracle ) is that you have to
disassemble the vented loops inside the medicine chest, push the
four hoses out, sew string to the the hoses to pull them back thru,
take off the shelf rail, take out the chest, cut a bigger hole in the side
of the boat, put in a new vent hose from the tank to the new vent,
then put it all back. Maybe you work faster than I do. I estimate
the time and then double it.  
 
The current vent is in two pieces, the outside piece twists off and is
a two walled vent to allow the tank to breath. The inside piece goes
thru the boat and the vent hose connects to it. Mine is glued in place
with some sort of caulk.
The outside just twists on to the threads and holds the entire piece until the caulk
or what ever was used, dries. I was able to put a rag around the outside, use channel
locks and twist it off. Not only was the entire piece clogged with spider web but
it was also partially blocked with caulk. Catalina didn't do us any favors with this
one. 
 
Any more questions, let me know.
 
Paul
Affinity 657
 
Best of luck.
 
 
 

________________________________
 From: Fred LEcuyer <fred.lecuyer at live.com>
To: Catalina320list Catalina320list <c320-list at catalina320.com> 
Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 12:51 PM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Holding Tank Vent and spiders
  

Paul:

Thanks for this. I changed out all the hoses last year and installed a charcoal filter but I couldn't get the L shaped vent off from the inside (was afraid of breaking it).

Are you saying I should have tried to take off the vent from the outside? If it's as simple as "twisting off".... why the three hour estimate?

Fred

> Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:18:50 -0700
> From: ilove2sail at verizon.net
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Holding Tank Vent and spiders
> 
> Fred,
>  
> From my personal experience with the original vent is that I flushed it
> last fall with my last pump out. It is possible that the spiders got in and
> built a nest during the winter but based on the mess I found yesterday,
> a flush won't do it. Accepting the fact that the tank needs something
> bigger and the original vent needs to be changed I would twist off
> the outer fitting and clean it, then using a hooked wire or pipe cleaners,
> run it in and out of the L shaped fitting then flush it, then twist the outer
> fitting back on. You may also what to use some spider control in the
> valve. Afterward you may need a pump out depending on how
> much flushing you do.  This is the procedure I would use if I didn't want
> to change the fitting. It is at least a three hour project. Could be much 
> longer depending on how prepared you are in advance, all required tools
> and parts in hand before you start.
>  
> New subject: What do we do about spiders, how to control them, how to
> rid your boat of all spiders. I do use a spider spry, but obviously this is
> not enough. 
>  
> Paul
> Affinity 657
> Bay Bridge Marina 
> Chesapeake Bay, Maryland
>  
>  
>  
> 
> ________________________________
>  From: Fred LEcuyer <fred.lecuyer at live.com>
> To: Catalina320list Catalina320list <c320-list at catalina320.com> 
> Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 11:26 AM
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Holding Tank Vent
>  
> 
> Karl,
> 
> The vent on the hull is L-shaped. You just run a hose on it and it's enough?
> 
> Fred
> First Light
> Hull #926
> 
> > Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2012 19:52:58 -0400
> > From: kmielen at suddenlink.net
> > To: C320-List at catalina320.com
> > Subject: Re: [C320-list] Holding Tank Vent
> > 
> > I run a stream of fresh water through my vent line every time I pump
> > out. Keeps the line clear and the shower of clean water helps keep my
> > level gauge clean.
> > Just be sure to let the water get sucked in in a way that still allows
> > air to be drawn in. You don't want to risk collapsing that tank.
> > 
> > Karl
> > 
> > On Mon, Apr 16, 2012 at 4:41 PM, Paul Rickman <ilove2sail at verizon.net> wrote:
> > > Today I started taking everything apart to replace the holding
> > > tank vent. What a job and I'm not done yet. What I found when
> > > taking the outside fitting off is a cotton like substance that was
> > > plugging up the vent. I took a small screw driver and raked it
> > > into and back out of the thru hull portion and found the same
> > > substance. It was completely stopped up. Now with some
> > > reasoning and logic, there was no stink when I bought the
> > > boat but over time the stink became worse and worse until
> > > last year it was unbearable.  Since I now have the cabinet out,
> > > and messenger lines tied to all hoses and so fourth, I'll complete
> > > the job and replace the fitting -- I don't want to have to do this
> > > again. Now, for those of you who have not started I would take
> > > the outside fitting off and clean it out, using something like pipe
> > > cleaners back and forth in the thru hull. You could even run
> > > a little water thru it. Put it back together to see if you have any
> > > improvement. If so, keep cleaning it once every 5 years or so.
> > > So far I haven't looked for the thru hull but I think it must have
> > > an L fitting, otherwise the hose will eventually colapse onto itself
> > > and stop the venting process.
> > >
> > > Paul
> > > Affinity 657
> > > Bay Bridge Marina
> > > Chesapeake Bay, Maryland
> > >
> > >
> > > ________________________________
> > >  From: Mike Ott <wmo48 at yahoo.com>
> > > To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> > > Sent: Monday, April 2, 2012 2:37 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [C320-list] Holding Tank Vent
> > >
> > > Pat,
> > > Thanks. I sewed seizing line to the hoses and will lube the hell out of them
> > > when I put it back together.  I tried the technique before I went to far and it
> > > work, so on to replace the vent.
> > > Mike
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ________________________________
> > > From: Pat Ireland <cherie320 at gmail.com>
> > > To: C320-List at catalina320.com
> > > Sent: Mon, April 2, 2012 1:58:39 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [C320-list] Holding Tank Vent
> > >
> > > Mike
> > >
> > > There are two approaches.  Use a messenger line tied to each hose to pull
> > > them back into the holes in the cabinet.  Wire worked better for me.  The
> > > other approach is to take the back off the closet and access the hoses from
> > > behind the liner.  I did the messenger route.  It's not a snap, but works.
> > > The closet back sounds like the trick, but I have not tried it yet.  Search
> > > the forum history.  Jeff discussed.  Would never have figured it out
> > > without the help.
> > >
> > > Pat, Cherie, 801
> > >
> > > On Mon, Apr 2, 2012 at 9:49 AM, Mike Ott <wmo48 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > >
> > >> Jeff,
> > >> I checked out your photo gallery but I'm having a real bear of time
> > >> getting the
> > >> 'medicine cabinet' out.  I have removed 4 screws holding the cabinet to
> > >> the IGU
> > >> and the 2 anti-siphon valves so now I have a loose cabinet with 4 hose
> > >> sticking
> > >> into it.  The cabinet won't swing out far enough from the top to pull it
> > >> out,
> > >> there is not enough clearance in the IGU cutout.  There is a lot of slop
> > >> in the
> > >> hoses so they can be pushed below the cabinet which would free the cabinet
> > >> but
> > >> how would I thread the hoses back into the cabinet ?  Did you have this
> > >> same
> > >> problem ?
> > >> Mike
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> ________________________________
> > >> From: Jeff Hare <catalina at thehares.com>
> > >> To: "C320-List at Catalina320.com" <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
> > >> Sent: Sun, April 1, 2012 7:49:46 PM
> > >> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Holding Tank Vent
> > >>
> > >> Hi Mike,
> > >>
> > >> The holding tank vent from the factory is a 5/8" fuel vent and vents out
> > >> the
> > >> side of the boat.  The hose leading to that is 3/4".  The factory used a
> > >> makeshift technique to adapt the 3/4" hose to the 5/8" fitting. Not only
> > >> is this
> > >> prone to leak fumes, it isn't particularly waterproof.  If you have a boat
> > >> with
> > >> the Black plastic vent, this is designed in a way that can actually vent
> > >> gasses
> > >> back into the boat since no sealant is used on the fitting.  On top of
> > >> that the
> > >> baffles or screens in the vent prevents the tank from breathing.
> > >>
> > >> Last summer I did a fairly simple project to replace the vent hose with a
> > >> quality hose and installed a 3/4" thru hull fitting similar to the bilge
> > >> pump
> > >> outlet thru hull.  The result was instant and dramatic.  Went from having
> > >> holding tank smell in the head and aft cabin closet whenever the head was
> > >> flushed to zero smell inside or outside the boat.
> > >>
> > >> This is (in my opinion) a must-do project.  Even though we flush with fresh
> > >> water, there was always a smell in the aft cabin closet.  That is
> > >> completely in
> > >> the past now.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> There are pictures in my c320 website photo gallery of this project.  It
> > >> took me
> > >> a few hours one evening after work to do.
> > >>
> > >> Jeff Hare
> > >> #809 Woodbine II
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> On Mar 30, 2012, at 7:03 PM, Jane & Ken <obuoy4848 at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> > >>
> > >> > Mike,
> > >> > On hull #219 (OBUOY) the tank vent is the one under the rub rail and no
> > >> >stantion vent is present.  The "old" catalina boats did use the stantion
> > >> as a
> > >> >vent--bad stuff on deck when over full.  Ken
> > >> >
> > >> > --- On Fri, 3/30/12, Mike Ott <wmo48 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> > From: Mike Ott <wmo48 at yahoo.com>
> > >> > Subject: [C320-list] Holding Tank Vent
> > >> > To: c320-list at catalina320.com
> > >> > Date: Friday, March 30, 2012, 12:53 PM
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> > According to my owners manual ('98), it shows the holding tank vent
> > >> exiting
> > >> >into
> > >> >
> > >> > a deck stanchion.  The stanchion has a small hole (1/8" +/-) through
> > >> which the
> > >>
> > >> > tank vents.  I also have, what appears to be, an overflow vent located
> > >> in the
> > >> > hull just below the holding tank pump out deck-fitting.  Is this also
> > >> acting a
> > >>
> > >> > vent for the holding tank ?  The reason for my question is the Feb '12
> > >> article
> > >>
> > >> > in Practical Sailor that says holding tanks should have at least a
> > >> minimum 3/4"
> > >> >
> > >> > vent to have an effective bacterial reaction.  Now maybe in '98 this
> > >> > installation was acceptable but now ?  If my vent is only the 1/8" hole
> > >> in a
> > >> > stanchion, maybe I should go back to using bucket.  Knowing our group,
> > >> I'm sure
> > >> >
> > >> > someone out there can give me the poop on this fragrant issue (I know,
> > >> pretty
> > >> > bad puns).
> > >> > Mike Ott
> > >> > 'Amanda Lu'
> > >> > #508
> > >>
> > >>