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ronald walker
Mar 22, 2009 - 1:04AM
FRESH WATER TANKS(BILGE KEELS)
Hi all
Iv'e noticed the drain plugs on the outside rear bilge keels,the boat has been standing for some time and would like to clean them,what is the correct way to remove them,do they pull out or unscrew there is a small hole in middle of the plug,sorry for keeping pestering you all.you have been so helpfull.This must be the best boating association around.Thanks.Ronnie
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) kushka
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Graham Matthews
Mar 22, 2009 - 8:09AM
Re: FRESH WATER TANKS(BILGE KEELS)
Morning Ronnie,
Dougal is number 66 and a Mk2 so the tank arrangements are slightly different from yours.
For example I think your tank filler is on the foredeck (you may even have 2 of them?).
The drain plugs on Dougal are identical to the deck filler on the starboard side deck. There are 2 smallish holes in the cap and it unscrews with the help of a tool I had made of a piece of flat bar with 2 'nipples'.
Hopefully someone with a slightly earlier SeaDog can be more helpful.
regards
Graham
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Dougal
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Eric Richardson
Mar 22, 2009 - 3:16PM
Re: FRESH WATER TANKS(BILGE KEELS)
Hi Ronnie
Taliesin was as Graham says, its a while since I was involved, but the plugs screwed out and if I remember correctly were 3/4inch BSP. They sealed down on to a taper/conical face with as expected a right hand thread. I washed mine out using a small bore plastic pipr pushed in through the drain and twisted about a bit. After emptying I shot about a cupful of domestos into each tank, filled them up and left them for a few days before flushing them out. I am told that Milton is the thing to use now but we suffered no ill effects from the Domestos. There were two small holes exactly as Graham said and I made a key for them.
Eric
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Ex Taliesin
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Philip Ellis
Mar 22, 2009 - 7:29PM
Re: Re: FRESH WATER TANKS(BILGE KEELS)
Hi Ronnie,
Kuska is I believe No 25 and as such will as Graham says will have two deck fillers on the foredeck one port and one starboard, each of these fills the respective bilge keel tank. Each tank has a vent that terminates in the cockpit on the outside of the lockers at the forward end of the port and starboard lockers.These vents also act as tell tales to signal a full tank and will spill the overflow into the cockpit drains.The original build incorporated two half inch quarter turn cocks piped as a tee piece which allowed water to be drawn via the fresh water pump from either tank or both as desired.
Most of these original valves will probably require replacemnt for more modern ball valves, which are less likely to sieze.
The bilge tanks are drained by unscrewing the brass bsp plug on the outer skin of respective bilge keel.
The original plugs to both fill and drain had the same key arrangment which as Graham said comprises two holes about and inch apart into which a key with two corresponding pegs fit into allowing the plug to be rotated.
If a risk of frost is possible then the bilge keels should be drained whenever the boat is ashore along with all freshwater plumbing.
If the O ring is missing then the sealing of the drain plugs is best achieved with the application of a smear of clear silicone sealant to the threads and the run in with firm hand tigtening.
This will provide a reliable seal that is easy to release later.
Now to your original question, best way to clean the tanks and piping.By cleaning I imagine that you wish to try and sterilise the system, as none of the additives actually clean the surfaces, all one can really do to minimise any nasties is first of all drain whats there, refit plugs and obtain some water sterisation tablets ( sodium hyperclorite) and disolve about five times the standard dose in water (mind your clothes its a bleaching agent)and add to each tank and commence filling fill one at a time until the tell tale discharge into the cockpit then fill the other in the same manner then top them both off, each tank holds around 23 gallons or around 100lts in new money.
When both are full as indicated by the vents on the cockpit discharging into the cockpit drains then stop filling and now pump the now treated water through to all taps, it should smell link swimming pool water, ie heavily chlorinated.
Now leave in the system for a few days, then return, drain fully refill and pump through the fresh water until it smell normal and there you are.
As an added bonus you can fit a charcoal filter to the galley sink if you wish,this will reduce the chlorine taste that is overly strong in some towns water supplies.
The bigest risk to contaminating the fresh water is when filling, the risk comes from the hoses that are left lying around with water in them, often after having fallen in the sea water in an around the dock, so be sure to purge the hose before use.
I would be surprised if the key to the plugs is not on the boat somewhere, but they are available comercially in good Chandlers.
I started this this morning and I see Eric has replied with more infomation which may be duplicated here.
Best of luck
Philip
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Glyfada, ex Natuna
Graham Matthews
Mar 22, 2009 - 10:35PM
Re: Re: Re: FRESH WATER TANKS(BILGE KEELS)
Hi Philip,
What a very comprehensive reply, one for the SeaDog Owners Manual I think! Thanks.
I definitely recommend the use of a charcoal filter, we installed one in the galley cupboard some years ago and no problems with bad tasting water since. Even when the filling hose is clearly not 'food quality'. We change the cartridge at the start of each season, but did go 2 seasons once with no apparent problem.
regards
Graham
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Dougal
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