[C320-list] Fragile water lines

[Jack Brennan]

Hello all:

So the installation of my new Cold Machine (not only cold beer, but ice!) had some unintended consequences.

Today, while I was rebuilding the head, I noticed the bilge filling up with fresh water whenever I turned on the freshwater pump. It turns out I fractured the cold water PEX line while tugging the copper tubing through the channel. (The water lines and fridge tubes are close together.)

When I gently tugged on the blue water line, an entire section of the water line came out. It was so brittle after 20 years that I could snap it with two fingers. 

Is this a thing with our water lines, or was this water line just poorly manufactured? I handled lines for the sink and head while doing another job, and they seemed fine. Should all of us be replacing the water lines?

The head rebuild is another chapter of my growing repertoire of stories about the p.o. I thought it was a bad joker valve and decided to replace everything. It turns out the hose between the head and the holding tank was clogged solid.

I mean really solid. As in someone seems to have put cement into the head. After I removed the hose and whacked it onto the parking lot, some cement-like chunks fell out. I suppose it could have been an accident, but ...

It’s a long story, but the boat was repossessed by a bank before I bought it. There have been all sorts of odd problems. Slashed scupper hoses. Wrong transmission fluid. Diesel in the bilge. Halyard wrap
on the jib. Leak in the propane setup.  Sand in the water lines.

It kind of makes me think the p.o. was unhappy about losing the boat.

Jack Brennan
Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
Tierra Verde, Fl.
Dolphin Cruising Club of Tampa Bay


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