Relocating Waste Pumpout Deck Fill and Hose on Early Model C-355s
For those of you who have earlier model 355’s, I would highly recommend doing this project sooner rather than later. This would only apply to hulls who have their pumpout deck fill on the stern of the boat. Later hulls have this moved to the location described below (not sure what hull number this change was made). Obviously, the sooner this is done, the less ‘messy’ the job is and it if done before you have had a pumpout, so much the better. There is no need to remove the old deck fitting—just leave it there to avoid having to come up with a way to close the hole.
The Problem: The waste hose that goes from the Holding Tank to the pumpout at the stern requires a rather long run of horizontal waste hose. This poses to two major problems:
The Solution: Simply moving the hose so that it is positioned directly above the holding tank will create a vertical positioning of the hose and alleviate the problem. As I mentioned, this is what the factory is currently doing on new boats.
If you choose to do this yourself, here is what you will need:
If you haven’t had a pumpout yet, you can simply cut the hose to size and reattach it to the new fitting.Then simply disconnect the remainder of the hose from the old fitting (the one on the stern). If you do decide to use new hose, you can either use Novoflex (what the factory uses) or Raritan’s Saniflex. Not sure yet on the quality of the hose Catalina is using, but we will find out over time.
Tip: The hardest part about this project is getting the hose onto the new fittings. I would recommend boiling some water and sticking the hose end in for about a minute to soften it and then quickly putting it on the fitting. Here are some photos of before and after. I also got the location of the new deck fill from Warren Pandy at Catalina, but the placement does not have to be exact.
The Problem: The waste hose that goes from the Holding Tank to the pumpout at the stern requires a rather long run of horizontal waste hose. This poses to two major problems:
- Residual waste will cause odor permeation rather quickly because residual waste will become trapped in the hose;
- there is no way to flush this hose or if you are a northern sailor to properly winterize the holding tank via the pumpout.
The Solution: Simply moving the hose so that it is positioned directly above the holding tank will create a vertical positioning of the hose and alleviate the problem. As I mentioned, this is what the factory is currently doing on new boats.
If you choose to do this yourself, here is what you will need:
- Stainless Waste Deckfill—you can get these anywhere (WM, Defender, the factory).
- 1 7/8” hole saw—Double check that the hole saw is the correct size for the outer flange. Although these are standard deck fills, it doesn't hurt to make certain this is the correct size. I drilled a hole in a scrap piece of wood to make sure the hole was correct.
- 3- 3/8” #10 pan head self tapping screws
- 3M 4200 or 4000UV white (I prefer the latter)
- Reuse the hose clamps from the old location
If you haven’t had a pumpout yet, you can simply cut the hose to size and reattach it to the new fitting.Then simply disconnect the remainder of the hose from the old fitting (the one on the stern). If you do decide to use new hose, you can either use Novoflex (what the factory uses) or Raritan’s Saniflex. Not sure yet on the quality of the hose Catalina is using, but we will find out over time.
- 1 ½” PVC pipe hanger (Home Depot or lowes) to secure the hose to the bulkhead (see photos)
Tip: The hardest part about this project is getting the hose onto the new fittings. I would recommend boiling some water and sticking the hose end in for about a minute to soften it and then quickly putting it on the fitting. Here are some photos of before and after. I also got the location of the new deck fill from Warren Pandy at Catalina, but the placement does not have to be exact.
Old Setup:
New Setup:
New Setup - Interior View:
If you have this done professionally, hopefully this information will shave a bit of billable time from the yard bill. Just let me know if you have any additional questions..
Jon Vez
Solstice #17
Jon Vez
Solstice #17