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Fresh water tank

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Navy1
Navigator

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USA
126 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/12/2008 : 20:05:20

I have several questions: l. How do you drain the fresh water tank? And how much bleach do you use to disinfect the tank? 2. On my 2004 C250WB there is two large eyelets on the foot of the sail, near the aft end of the boom. It is a Catalina sail. What are they for? 3. What size block should I put on the top of my mast to use for a cruising spinnaker (Geneker) or possibly to use for a bosuns chair? Thanks - Roger

Roger Richter

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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4479 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2008 : 23:52:32

Roger,
The only way to drain your water tank is via the faucets in the head & galley unless you want to break the connections to the tank. We find it takes us about half an hour pumping both to drain it.

There are a couple of threads regarding this, I tried searching for them but I keep getting server time outs. If I remember correctly we used about an ounce of chlorine bleach for our 13 gallon tank to disinfect it, and about 1/5 that to simply treat it.

It sounds like you're describing your outhaul cringle. The outhaul is designed to tension the foot of your sail. There should be a line coming out of the aft end of your boom that attaches to the outhaul cringle, and that line exits the front of the boom on the port side and comes back down the boom to a cleat. Inside the boom is a block attached to the line that doubles your effort tightening the outhaul. The second cringle you're describing is probably your aft reef point if it's about 3' up the sail from the first one. This is used in conjunction with another cringle by the luff of the main at the same height as the second one to reef your main.

I'm not positive what size my spinnaker block is, do you have a truck at the top of the mast to attach it to? Some of the other guys will weigh in with theirs.

I hope this was somewhat helpful.

Edited by - on

Navy1
Navigator

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126 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2008 : 09:31:11

David, Thanks for your reply. I'm aware of the foot tension lines and the reef point eyelets. But I have two other large eyelets right next to the boom, maybe an inch away from the boom, and about a foot apart. They are on the aft part of the sail, close to the end of the boom. I had an experienced sailor look at them and he didn't know what they were for. If you put 1/5th of 1 oz. bleach in a full tank of water, is it still safe to drink? The sail slug I lost, attached to the large sail eyelet via an elongated shackle, is the one that goes up the mast track. Thanks - Roger

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Navy1
Navigator

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126 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2008 : 09:32:56

P.S. Yes, I have a truck at the top of my mast to attach a block to. Roger

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Navy1
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126 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2008 : 09:34:47

p.s. Yes I have a truck on the top of my mast to attach a block to. Roger

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zebra50
Captain

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408 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2008 : 11:37:52

Roger;
any chance of a picture of the aft end of the sail? I have two large eyelets also, one for the outhaul, and the other for the single line reefing.
To empty the fresh water tank, I use a "blaster" that I purchased from West Marine by attaching the "in" outlet to the water tank hose. I took it from the Tech Tips for 250s-Cyana: Wash Down Pump - Installation. I use it for also pumping in water when I need to rinse the deck or cool folks off. Last year the blaster was not working so I hooked up a shop vac to suck out the water.

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zebra50
Captain

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408 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2008 : 11:42:58

hope this pic comes through.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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4479 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2008 : 12:41:56

Roger,
I still wasn't able to search the forum for the thread on this I started some time ago, but here's the [url="http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW/faq/emerg.html"]link to the EPA website where I found the original information[/url]. And now I remember why the values weren't set in stone, it depends on how much available chlorine is in your bleach (scroll down a bit on the page for the math).

At absolute worst, if you get too much chlorine in your system (up to a point), you'll suffer some gastro-intestinal distress. The first time we did this, I miscalculated by a factor of 10 which made the water taste distinctly of bleach but didn't make any of us sick. Rita refused to drink it, but I did as did our hound, with no ill effects.

Once I <i>correctly </i>calculated the amount of bleach, I simply made a little calibrated squirt bottle by marking lines on it with a permanent marker.

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Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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1913 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2008 : 16:18:37

Roger,
Just guessing without see the grommets on your sail. I suspect they are there to run the end of your reef line through to tie around the boom. Do you have two reef points?

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piseas
Former Treasurer

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2017 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2008 : 19:34:52

Roger, here is a pic. Is

this what your are referring to?
steve A

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Navy1
Navigator

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126 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2008 : 20:21:25

Steve, yes those are the two grommets I am referring to. What do you use yours for? Tom, I do have two reef points and line to the first one to pull it in. David, I made a copy of the whole website for treating water. Now I can leave it up to the Admiral - ha ha. Thanks guys - Roger

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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3704 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2008 : 20:26:35

Roger, that grommet is used to terminate the reefing line that controls the reef clew. Steve is not using it. If you have your reefing go to the mast or to the cockpit then the boom end of the reefing line would be tied to the boom using that grommet. Someone must have a photo of the setup. It is the standard way to set up a reefing line. I will trey to take a photo tomorrow.

Better yet go to Arlyn's site to see a diagram. This is how mine is set up except I terminate to the cockpit.

[url="http://www.stewartfam.net/arlyn/reefing.html"]Arlyn on Reefing[/url]

Edited by - Nautiduck on 07/13/2008 20:29:14

AADIVER
Admiral

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966 Posts

Response Posted - 07/14/2008 : 16:27:35

That pic is NOT Steve's, it's mine, showing my leech reefing mod. After securing the luff through the starboard clutch, I secure the leech through a block and secure it to a cleat below it (later added). I have no need for either of those two reefing cringles.

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frog0911
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1349 Posts

Response Posted - 07/14/2008 : 20:55:50

Here is my setup. If I use the second reef it would secure around the boom at the second cringle forward.

First reef pulled in

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piseas
Former Treasurer

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Response Posted - 07/14/2008 : 21:30:49

Frank, I did not say it was my photo. I was looking for one to show as an example. Sorry, I should have given you credit for the pic. My apologies.
Steve A

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Navy1
Navigator

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126 Posts

Response Posted - 07/15/2008 : 12:05:56

Frog, How do you attach that block to the reef grommet? Don't you have to retie the line when you change reef points? I think my 71 year old brain is missing something. Evidently there is more than one good way to reef and/or use the cringle grommets. Thanks guys - Roger

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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Response Posted - 07/15/2008 : 14:18:20

Roger, he has a 3/4" SS ring on the other side of the grommet. The block is attached to it and that hold it in place. The ring is too big to get pulled through the hole. I use the same reefing setup. The in-boom line controls the reef clew. Another line controls the reef tack. Both lines go back to the cockpit. It is the scenario illustrated in Arlyn's web site except the lines go to the cockpit and do not terminate at the mast.

Personally, I do not care for reefing lines that terminate at the boom, especially the reef clew. On a windy day I don't want to be messing around the boom. All lines to the cockpit.

Edited by - Nautiduck on 07/15/2008 14:20:34

frog0911
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Response Posted - 07/15/2008 : 23:08:07

Mine is single line reefing. I don't go anywhere except the cockpit to reef.

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Nautiduck
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Response Posted - 07/15/2008 : 23:37:41

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> Mine is single line reefing. I don't go anywhere except the cockpit to reef.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I had the same setup as Frog but then added the second line to control the reef tack. So the in-boom line controls just the reef clew. Having had the one-line and now the two-line I prefer the two-line. The sail shape ends up better and by securing the reef tack first you ensure that tightening the reef clew will not pull out sail slugs. Both single-line and two-line do the job. Frog is right, take all reefing lines to the cockpit.

We marked all of our lines (main halyard, reef clew, reef tack) at the points where they are when the reef is set. So, we can reef prior to raising the main or easily reef when the main is already up. Lower the main halyard to its mark. Pull the reef tack line to its mark. Pull the reef clew line to its mark. Done.

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Stardog
Captain

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319 Posts

Response Posted - 07/16/2008 : 08:46:01

Hi Roger,

I've drained out my water tank a number of times, you'll get it done more quickly if you use a pump or siphon. You'll want to put the bleach in before you pump the water out. Stir it up and leaving it overnight, then drain. You'll want to squirt out the inside of the tank with a hose and drain the water a couple of times to get the residue out. It doesn't take that much bleach, so don't go nuts or you'll have a hard time getting the smell and taste out of the water. Recommendation from a professional service says "1/2 cup bleach per five gallons of water"... "let it stand for at least 3 hours and no longer than 24 hours". You'll want to pump the flipper pumps to get the solution running through the lines too, as bacteria growing in the confined spaces of the lines are usually the cause of offensive odor in the water.

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Navy1
Navigator

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USA
126 Posts

Response Posted - 07/16/2008 : 14:12:45

Hi guys, You will make a sailor out of me yet. Navigator, where do you insert the hose to siphon or pump out the fresh water tank? I assume the fill cap to the tank is a long ways. Randy, thanks for your feedback on the reefing setups. I understand it better now and will try to get 728 set up that way too. Can anybody tell me what size block to use on the top of my mast for a cruising spinaker? Thanks - Roger

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frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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1349 Posts

Response Posted - 07/16/2008 : 21:36:02

I used a Ronstan RF41100 for mine. I takes line sizes to 7/16" Dia. It is on p-1194 of the WM 08 catalog.

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Stardog
Captain

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319 Posts

Response Posted - 07/17/2008 : 09:59:42

I'm going to have to defer to those who own Cat250s as to where the water tank is located. I've looked at all of the manuals and brocures I could find and was not able to find this information. I have a Cat25 and it's under the starboard settee on my boat, so it's probably under one of your settees. It will have a large port with screw cap on top. The port is large enough to fit your hand inside the tank, so getting a pump in will be no problem.

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Nautiduck
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Response Posted - 07/17/2008 : 13:35:28

The fresh water tank is just aft of the V-berth storage area, basically under the seat forward of the of the mast support. The fill cap is in the anchor locker. IMHO the easiest way to drain the tank is to just pump the faucets, plus it builds up your biceps.

Edited by - Nautiduck on 07/17/2008 13:36:05

Stardog
Captain

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Response Posted - 07/17/2008 : 13:38:47

I think building up your forearms so you look like Popeye is really great. But seriously, virtually all tanks have access ports on the top for maintenance.

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Russ.Johnson
Commodore

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Response Posted - 07/17/2008 : 14:53:17

Roger,

You can attach a siphon or pump to the top of the fresh water tank.
The fill hose fitting that connects to the tank can be unscrewed.
The fitting looks to be 1-1/2 inch and is on the Port side and on top of the tank.
It's a tight fit and you have to reach between the tank and the seat from the v-berth.

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