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#1 2006-09-12 06:59:45

davidww1
Member

Head suggestions?

Towser's original head, despite a relatively recent rebuild, is behaving badly (I suspect it was roughly handled during an earlier rebuild, so the newish pump and valve seals don't prevent water squirting out). Everyone knows it's lake water, but there is a vocal junior contingent that doesn't like  "toilet water" on them. The helmswoman says, "It's the only thing you haven't replaced - get rid of it."

Has anyone replaced the head? Suggestions?

David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV


David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV

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#2 2006-09-12 11:43:38

Guest

Re: Head suggestions?

Hi David,
I am faced with a similar task. My '73 MK II has the original recycling head system, which on principal alone I'm not crazy about. Add to the fact it requires both hands and alot of muscle to operate the pump, and the 'distinct' odour is less than subtle, I'm looking at replacing the whole system.... I apparently have a couple of options. Option A) Lubricate the pump with a little vegtable oil, replace hoses, see if that makes a difference. Option B) Replace entire head and hoses. Option C) Replace entire system including hoses, add splitter to the sink through hull and move to a fresh water system. I also would be grateful for suggestions/advice. As for your situation, if the system otherwise operates well and would be remedied by some new seals and a lube job, I'd hate to throw the baby out with the lake water.....

Ian Longman
C&C 27 MK II
'Strider'

#3 2006-09-12 20:32:40

Guest

Re: Head suggestions?

Dave, Is it just the hand pump leaking around top where the shaft comes out?
I had this problem, and a new seal kit sorted it out.
Is the case cracked?
Regards
Ralph Ainslie
Hyperion.

#4 2006-09-12 20:55:30

Guest

Re: Head suggestions?

David, I changed the head in my boat, a $200. Jabsco. It took less than half an hour and sure beat doing the rebuild thing (again).
Allan
Drumroll
1988 30 Mk II

#5 2006-09-12 21:22:39

pura vida
Member

Re: Head suggestions?

David,
Two thoughts. First I rebuilt the head in my boat and after reflecting on it I wish I had simply replaced it. The old Compact is hard to find parts for and is not very easy to use. For a couple of hundred dollars more than the rebuild kit I could have upgraded to a new head and spend the rebuild time sailing.
Second, after workiing my freshman year in college as a janitor I can say that there is only one way too deal with a head, and that is to get dirty and just do it. 
Mike M
SV Wind Horse
#375
Galveston, Tx


Mike M
SV Wind Horse
#375
Galveston, Tx

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#6 2006-09-12 23:46:47

Guest

Re: Head suggestions?

I too, like Allan, installed the jabsco.
I sealed the old mount holes with epoxy and drilled out new ones thru the liner.
After 34 years it was time
Keith
Mark I

#7 2006-09-14 00:06:58

davidww1
Member

Re: Head suggestions?

Thank you all for your suggestions (you can talk as much as you like about the wind in your hair and the spray on your face, but there's nothing like a discussion of heads to get sailors excited).

To get specific about the problem with Towser's head, there seems to be a lot of back-pressure on the pump stroke, which causes water to squirt from the pump shaft and from the flush/empty valve. On rooting through the tons of stores that came with the boat, I have found replacements for the seals for both (thanks for twigging my memory, Ralph), so, with my usual pathological dislike of throwing something away, I will dismantle the pump body and have one last shot at fixing the problem (clean up surfaces with emery cloth, install new seals, etc). I will also try to back-flush the bowl, as I suspect there is vegetable-matter built up in there from a past summer of heavy weed growth in our mooring.

If this doesn't work, I'll deep-six the wretched thing. Has anyone put in anything but the Jabsco?

I will follow up when I'm satisfied that the problem has gone away.

BTW - for Strider's problem, there are a variety of discussions of various materials (tanks, hoses, etc.) but I cannot remember talk of replacing the recirculating system in toto.

David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV

Last edited by (2006-09-14 01:08:18)


David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV

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#8 2006-09-14 09:09:11

Guest

Re: Head suggestions?

The valve/seal in the mechanism operates one way only.  It is quite easy to mix up the direction of the seal and end up with the kind of back pressure you are talking about.  Has the seal been replaced before, allowing this kind of mix-up to have occurred?

#9 2006-09-14 10:06:49

davidww1
Member

Re: Head suggestions?

That head has been rebuilt at least twice. If I correctly recall my shot at this, I did dry-fits with the flappers inserted both ways and determined that, one way, it couldn't work at all - the mis-insertion of one valve would prevent the body from being re-assembled and the mis-insertion of another would cause the whole mechanism simply to lock.

This doesn't mean I got it right, only that it is difficult to get it wrong, but then I take pride in surmounting difficulties like this.

David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV


David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV

Offline

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