[C320-list] Fresh Water Engine Flush

Tue Sep 3 14:26:28 PDT 2019

After draining the tanks, I have a two-step process where I use a small air compressor to blow out the water system from the galley sink to the head sink. I do have the water heater blocked off, you can drain the water heater through the drain valve with the air backpressure. However, it takes a while in the spring to get all the air out of the water heater. I then run two gallons of pink through each tank with the WH still blocked off, but I crack the valve to get some antifreeze into the WH to mix with any residual water in the bottom.

Then re-purge everything with air. 

In the Spring I pump 2 gallons  through each tank about 3 times to get rid of any pink in the tank and then purge the rest of the system with a water supply connection. In a similar manor as the air pressure.

Don't forget the cockpit shower.

Just food for thought.

Art Harden
Tortuga -Catalina 320
937-477-5544
Sandusky, OH

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> On Behalf Of Ted Harrison
Sent: Tuesday, September 3, 2019 2:34 PM
To: C320-List at catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Fresh Water Engine Flush

I use the green non-toxic. It has a higher ratting that the pink. 

I also vacuum out the water lines and the heater. 

I collect the green in a bucket in spring and dispose of accordingly. 

Been doing this for 6 years now with no problems 

Ted Harrison
Hull 424 1997
Lake Ontario - Whitby Yacht Club 

> On Sep 3, 2019, at 2:20 PM, Gus Macdonald <rathlyn1 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Good discussion on this subject.  As an aside and a question for John—when winterizing, do you use an automotive type ethylene glycol anti-freeze in the “fresh water” cooling circuit or a non-toxic type anti-freeze (usually pink)?  I have asked many people this in the Great Lakes  area and the responses are about 50/50.  Naturally if the ethylene glycol type is used it must be removed before the boat goes back in the water in the spring to avoid pollution.
> 
> Gus
> Hull #999
> Georgian Bay
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> On Sep 3, 2019, at 12:23 PM, John Meyers <jcmeyers7 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Like Christian, I also have a Tee for antifreeze here on the 
>> (Unsalted and Shark Free) Great Lakes. I put my Tee just after the 
>> thru hull and before the strainer so that the antifreeze is also in 
>> the strainer. Not that it makes much of a difference but my thru hull 
>> outputs forward which makes it slightly easier to attach the short 
>> hose to the bucket of antifreeze in the cockpit.
>> 
>> John Meyers
>> Wind Chime #406
>> Muskegon, MI
>> 
>>> On Tue, Sep 3, 2019 at 11:25 AM Christian <ccaper at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Bob,
>>> I have done this for winterizing my boat to flush out water and get 
>>> anti-freeze in the system.  I installed the t-fitting last fall.
>>> 
>>> Here is the t-fitting I ordered, available at Walmart for $1.67.
>>> 
>>> https://www.walmart.com/ip/LASCO-Fem-Tee-Insert-x-FNPT-3-4-In-PVC-14
>>> 02007/406982633
>>> 
>>> Take this t-fitting to Home Depot, and in the pvc section get the 
>>> male end cap, matched to the threads in t-fitting.  You will want 
>>> this end cap in the t-fitting during normal boat use, and use some 
>>> teflon tape on this threads as well.  Then, go to the plumbing 
>>> section and get a male PVC to male garden hose adapter that will 
>>> convert the threads to a garden hose thread.  This allows you to connect a garden hose to your raw water line.
>>> Mine was a metal adapter.  Also get hose clamps for 3/4" hose, 
>>> you'll need at least 2. I recommend 4, 2 on each side of the 
>>> t-fitting, each one flipped 180 for redundancy.
>>> 
>>> All parts will be less than $15 total.  You'll also need auto hose 
>>> cutters, and a likely a wire cutter at that hose has re-enforced 
>>> wire you'll need to cut where hose cutter couldn't cut through.
>>> 
>>> When you want to use the t-fitting, connect the garden hose to the 
>>> t-fitting, pass the hose through a port light opening, have a bucket 
>>> in the cockpit, put other end of hose in bucket, and CLOSE through 
>>> hull for raw water intake.  Start engine, and just mind you don't 
>>> run out of water in the bucket and that hose is at bottom of bucket 
>>> and hasn't floated to the top, only sucking in air.  Nice thing 
>>> about this is you can also easily start engine on land when needed.
>>> 
>>> I've included a link to two pictures I took when I did this.  Don't 
>>> make the same location mistake I made, and put the t-fitting right 
>>> under the Racor filter, as now I have a difficult time draining my 
>>> racor (I plan to adjust that this fall during haul out).
>>> 
>>> https://www.instagram.com/p/BorFrCCDV3B/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
>>> 
>>> Hope this helps.
>>> 
>>> Christian Caperton
>>> 1994 C320 "Canuck" #138
>>> Monroe Harbor, Chicago, IL
>>> 
>>>> On Tue, Sep 3, 2019 at 10:00 AM Bob Hoyt <rehoyt at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> A diesel mechanic recommended that I flush the raw water side of 
>>>> the
>>> engine
>>>> with fresh water when not using the boat for more than 2 weeks. 
>>>> This
>>> would
>>>> require installing a barbed tee piece between the strainer and the 
>>>> water pump. Has anyone done this as I didn't find it in the forum archives?
>>> Also,
>>>> I live in Florida so I don't need to do this as part of winterizing.
>>> Thanks
>>>> 
>>>> Bob Hoyt
>>>> "Ikigai"
>>>> !994 Hull #58
>>>> Pensacola, FL
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> 
>>>> *Robert (Bob) Hoyt MD, FACP, ABPM-CI*
>>>> 
>>>> *Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Internal Medicine*
>>>> 
>>>> *Virginia Commonwealth University*
>>>> 
>>>> *Richmond, VA*
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> *CAPT (Ret) USN*
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> *-------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> --------------------------*
>>>> 
>>>> *Adjunct Associate Professor, College of Allied Health Professions*
>>>> 
>>>> *University of Nebraska Medical Center*
>>>> 
>>>> *Omaha, NE*
>>>> 
>>>> *Diplomate, Clinical Informatics*
>>>> 
>>>> InformaticsEducation.org  <http://InformaticsEducation.org> 
>>>> rehoyt at gmail.com
>>>> 
>>>> robert.hoyt at unmc.edu <robert.hoyt at unmd.edu>
>>>> 
>>>> robert.hoyt at vcuhealth.org
>>>> 
>>>> Cell: 850-384-5235
>>>> 
>>> 
> 