[C320-list] Holding tank leak

[Jeff Hare]

Hi Brian,

We had what could be exactly this problem a few years back.  In our case,
it was because the lower fitting on the holding tank was not tight.  Not
hose clamps, those rarely leak in my experience because of how tight the
hoses fit on the barbs.

The lower fitting is an elbow that has to be oriented to point up directly
at the macerator pump.  This is a decent challenge because they have to get
just the right amount of sealant/Teflon tape/whatever built up on the
threads so that when the fitting is completely tight, it ends up at the
proper orientation.  Too much or too little Teflon and the elbow will be
pointed at the wrong angle when it's tight and leak proof.

I pumped out the tank, flushed it once more and then removed the tank.
(Surprisingly Easy and quick job really and not nearly as nasty as I
expected).  I got that fitting loaded with Teflon tape and really tight and
oriented perfectly without much trouble.  Then dropped the tank back in and
never had another problem.   Remove/ReAttach the lower hose to this fitting
while the tank is out and save yourself a lot of work.

While I was doing this, I used the opportunity to replace the black rubber
stock hose with high quality OdorLoss (?) hose. Measure the original hoses
carefully along the outside of each bend radius NOT THE INSIDE radius or
you'll find yourself a couple inches short.

You can tell if your rubber hoses are shot and permeated if you rub your
fingers on them and you can smell it on your fingers.  If you replace the
hoses, you'll probably never have to do it again.  While the tank was out,
wipe down the area with some bleach wipes and use the opportunity to clean
up in there.

Good luck!
-Jeff Hare #809


-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf
Of Amiraults Family
Sent: Friday, October 9, 2015 11:30 AM
To: c320-list at lists.catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] Holding tank leak

All:

 

Over the past couple of weeks I have been finding brownish liquid collecting
in the aft bilge section. In a seven day period it was never higher than
would allow it to drain into the main section where the bilge pump hoses are
located. Never malodorous, it was always sponged up and disposed of (I'm a
fanatic for latex gloves on the boat thankfully). The leak leaves a trail
from the bilge back under the starboard side head area.

 

Thursday I did my first (and final) pump out for the year as I am readying
the boat for haul out and winter storage. The process is to pump 15 gallons
of fresh water thru the head, pump out the tank, and repeat. The result of
this was to find a small amount of clear water in the bilge where I had been
finding brown. I rather think that this is a holding tank leak. That the
aroma is not objectionable I credit to this being the first year since
getting the boat that we only day sailed and raced; managing no overnights.
Thus I suspect the content is a little urine and a lot of local river water.


 

If anyone has experienced this, please feel free to contact me directly. I
am swamped with a host of family and personal commitments that will likely
prevent me from doing any research on the matter until after the boat is on
the hard on November 01. If anyone can give me a jump on possible cause and
corrective action it would be a boon. Not having had the opportunity to
actually look, I am not even sure at the moment whether the fill/empty
fittings are on the top of the tank. If they are, then it must be a tank
failure but if they're not, then it could be a hose failure or a loose
fitting.

 

Insight would be appreciated. If a tank failure, then I need to confirm this
before closing up Bear for the winter - allowing me to source a new tank.
And writing of that, if anyone has done a tank replacement, then information
on source and the pitfalls of the replacement process are likely also
timely.

 

Regards;  

 

Brian Amirault

797 Waltzing Bear, too



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