[C320-list] autohelm st 50 plus wind instrument

[Elizabeth Schwartz]

Ahoy all, has anybody out there upgraded, and have an st 50 plus 
masthead transducer??  Thanks....Joe...#245 


On Mon, Oct 29, 2018 at 08:56 PM, Doug Treff wrote:

> Jeff,
>
> I use much the same process. The only difference this year is that I 
> now have a freshwater flush electric toilet. I will have to manually 
> disconnect the toilet line under the vanity and clear it with the shop 
> vac so that I don't draw any contamination from the toilet bowl back 
> into my water system.  Yuck!
>
> The extra complication is worth it because the admiral likes the fact 
> that my head no longer stinks from the raw water flush.
>
> --
> Doug Treff
> doug at treff.us
>
> On Mon, Oct 29, 2018, at 2:44 PM, Jeff Hare wrote:
>> Hi, I used to use compressed air and you had to pay much more 
>> attention to the sequence.  Much easier I think to use a shop vac.  I 
>> use a small Stainless Steel shop vac with the smaller diameter hose 
>> because it's easier to move around and seal around the pex.  Note 
>> that I just use my hand and a wash cloth/small towel instead of 
>> trying to get vacuum seal.  Doesn't need to be a good seal at all 
>> when you're sucking the water out of the lines!  Doesn't take all 
>> that much suction to do the job so don't bother trying to make it 
>> anything special.
>>
>> My current process is this:
>>
>> - drain both water tanks and use the shop vac to drain/dry the 
>> remaining water and leave the caps *off*.  - remove the drawers below 
>> the galley sink
>> - remove the 5 screws holding that drawer frame in and remove/set 
>> aside the drawer frame
>> - turn on the hot water in the galley sink and open the hot water 
>> heater drain with the shop vac hose over it.  When water stops 
>> draining out freely, LEAVE the valve open and go on to the next step.
>> - unscrew the fitting on the water heater to the line that enters the 
>> water tank about mid-level below the overflow valve.  This has a 
>> brass check valve in-line and is KEY to draining the water tank 
>> properly!
>> - with the above line off put your shop vac over that water heater 
>> fitting.  You'll get about 4-5 gallons of water out now and really 
>> quickly. When no more water is coming out, and you've run about 60 
>> seconds or so longer, the water heater is now empty.
>> - The next step is to simply drain the pex lines.  I like to continue 
>> working under the sink since I'm set up there already.
>> - if your water pump has a filter/screen assembly, open that up also 
>> make sure both tank valves are in the open position in case they're 
>> located there.  I also unhook the outlet line from the water pump.
>> - open the galley sink valves (or put the faucet in warm position if 
>> it's a single handle)
>> - Open the stern shower hot  and cold valves and unscrew the shower 
>> wand (don't lose the rubber washer).  - Open the Head faucet valves 
>> and just unscrew the stream/sprayer head.
>> - Under the sink disconnect the most convenient hot and cold pex 
>> lines (one of each) and put the shop vac hose over them one at a time 
>> until no more water is coming out.
>>
>> Then reassemble everything.  This year I was done with this part in 
>> 40 min.  The next part took another 20 min or so, but all in all, the 
>> whole thing was about an hour and a couple beers.
>>
>> Don't forget the SHOWER/FRIDGE drain lines, drying out the muffler or 
>> the Bilge Pump lines.
>> 
>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Remove the shower sump's water pump's intake filter and use shop vac 
>> to suck out the water from the shower sump and fridge drain.  You'll 
>> need to flip the "Y" valve when you go from the shower sump to the 
>> fridge drain.
>>
>> Next, you have 2 Sump Pump lines to deal with.  The electric bilge 
>> pump and the manual bilge pump.  The shop vac works for those also. 
>> I typically put the shop vac hose over the side into the bilge pump 
>> thru-
>> hull opening on the starboard stern quarter.
>>
>> If your aqua-lift muffler has a working drain valve, open that up and 
>> put the shop vac hose over that and see how dry you can get the 
>> muffler.  (Which reminds me, when you're running winterizing 
>> antifreeze through the raw water system, run the engine for 10 or 15 
>> seconds after all the water stops coming out of the exhaust to blow 
>> as much out of the lines as possible.)
>>
>> That was a bit rambling and sounds like a lot of work, but it's the 
>> process I use and our water system stays clean enough to drink from 
>> if needed with no smell.  If you reconnect everything tight, you can 
>> just fill the water system in the spring and you're good to go.
>>
>> You could put "T" fittings with terminators in the places you 
>> separated PEX fittings and just be able to open valves instead to do 
>> the whole job.  I just haven't.  That would probably save me 15 - 20 
>> min per year and make the process feel easier.
>>
>> Good luck!
>> -Jeff Hare
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: C320-list  On Behalf Of islgirl3 at aol.com
>> Sent: Monday, October 29, 2018 1:50 PM
>> To: c320-list at catalina320.com
>> Subject: [C320-list] Fresh Water System Winterizie
>>
>> Can anyone explain the procedure for using compressed air to blow out 
>> fresh water system? Including water heater?
>> Thank You,
>> Rich Nuzzolo#897
>>
>