3 Through Hulls on R-25?

[joempo]

I've been a bit confused while reading the posts that reference the sea strainer system from which the engine, head and wash-down obtain their water.
SLO Ranger, hull #15, appears to have three different through hulls based upon three 1/4 turn valves in the engine compartment. One is on the port side, obviously leading to the sea strainer that resembles an oversized filter with a clear bowl and on to the engine. The other two are on the starboard side. One leads to the wash down, via an electric pump. The other has a white hose leading forward, presumably to the head.
The first two valves function well. The third will not turn off. I'm wondering if some "sea life" has gotten into the ball valve and is blocking the ball. Also, I've been unable to get water to flow to the head. (Another reason for the diagnosis of something blocking the valve). I've been contemplating putting a wrench to it, but I'm concerned about causing damage to the hull.
Any thoughts or suggestions (pertinent to the discussion 😉 ) would be appreciated.
Joe

 

[RProffer]

Is your boat in the water or on the hard? I would not attempt to work on the valve unless it is out of the water. If the boat is on the hard, then you can remove the hose and give it an eye-ball, and then proceed from there. Some valves can be dis-assembled for cleaning and repair. If the valve needs replacing, do NOT replace it with a plastic valve. Make sure the hoses have two stainless steel hose clamps on them. The valves should also be bonded.

 

[joempo]

Rick, thank you for the reply.
Our boat is currently in the water, so this may have to wait awhile. The valve is brass and is bonded.
Any suggestions regarding the head? I've attempted priming the pump several times to no avail.
If there is something "alive" in the valve, what are the chances of pouring a liquid down through the head fill tube that would drive the critter out the way it came?
Joe

 

[RProffer]

I have had eels crawl/swim into my thru hulls and outdrive on my previous boats. I suspect the eels may have been responsible for clogging the cooling on my previous boat, which resulted in overheating and blowing the engine. Barnacles and plant growth could also clog the lines. If you keep your boat in the water, it is a good idea the close the thru hulls when securing the boat for the day. Closing the valve not only keeps growth from entering the lines, it will also keep your boat from sinking should a line develop a leak.

You could try disconnecting the water line from the thru hull to the toilet, at the toilet end, and try blowing to see if that can clear a clog. If you can blow easily, then the line is probably not clogged. In that case, the valve may be corroded open, and if it is, it must be repaired or replaced.

If water flows easily in the line, then you need to look at the toilet. Is the water turned on? Sometimes I forget to open the water so the water can be pumped. I cannot get to my boat tonight to look at the manual, but you could possible have a seal that is leaking.

 

[Kenny Marrs]

Hey Joe,

I would first have a diver check to make sure the through hull is clear underneath the boat. If everything looks ok, I'd then look at replacing the gaskets on your toilet. I know West Marine sells replacement kits to do the entire toilet. I agree with Rick, you don't want to mess with the sea cock while the boat is in the water. Wait until you have a chance to pull the boat before taking anything apart there. If you have any further please don't hesitate to call the shop.

Thanks,
-Kenny

 

[joempo]

Thank you, Kenny.
We just had the bottom paint renewed prior to launching her on Dec. 8, so I'm fairly certain the through hull is clear.
I had thought about disassembling the toilet pump and pouring water down the raw water tube from the top to determine if it's clogged. The next step would be to re-build the toilet pump.
I certainly appreciate knowing you guys are there and available to provide support.
Joe

 

[cwtauklet]

Joe --- Since we have a similar aged R25 you may have the same problem as ours. The little lever that directs the flow of water moves a cam inside the pump tower. On ours the cam is too short and will flip past where it should be. It is now locked in "drain" no matter where the lever is. I found that it is better to ignore the raw water and keep the valve closed. I know that this sounds weird but we have found that using fresh water eliminates abour 90% of the oder. Add water from the shower head just before flushing. At first this was an emergency procedure but it worked so well that we kept doing it this way. --- Cary

 

[Ken Boyd]

Add my vote to Cary on the benefits of using fresh water for head flushing in an R-25. It really helps to control holding tank odor from coming back into the boat. I also put a couple of inches of fresh water back into the head bowl after pumping it dry to provide a water seal for the head discharge pipe which was the source of the odor. Since I started doing this, I have not noticed any holding tank odor coming back into the boat. A major improvement over the way it was before when at times the odor was almost overwhelming, even with the overhead hatch and the port hole open.

 

[joempo]

Cary,
Great call. I had to get out of the house, so I went to the boat and put some water in the toilet bowl. The bowl emptied regardless of the position of the selector lever when I pumped the handle. We'll be using the shower or a bucket for flushing purposes until we can up-grade to a new toilet.

Ken,
Leaving water in the bowl to maintain a "gas seal" is also a great idea. Our RV toilet does that automatically and we have never had any foul odors.

Thank you both for your input.

Joe