Potable water leak

[jbrem003]

New boat owner, new to Trojan, former "gator navy" electrician.

Hokay, so plumbing question! (a little out of my element but I learn quickly) I purchased a 1983 Trojan Tri-Cabin a few months ago and have been renovating the interior and getting it up and running again. Engines are in great condition but the boat was sitting for about 15 years and in need of some love.

The potable water system has me thrown for a loop. I noticed a leak in the engine compartment first, whenever I charge the water system through the deck line, but when I crawled around the port engine I noticed that it was coming from under the wall leading to the aft head. I was already planning on redoing the drawers built in to the port side so I tore up the lumber covering the freshwater tank. Visual inspection shows no leaks coming from the tank so now i'm left with what's in between this space and the engine compartment... the aft cabin head.

The aft cabin head is one molded piece that consists of the tub, sink, floor and wall. If i'm trying to check the potable water lines under this section do I need to saw this piece apart? My guess is yes but I was hoping to poll the forums and say hello at the same time to see if there is someone who has seen or dealt with a similar issue who could help point me in the right direction.

Thanks!
-J

[P-Dogg]

Welcome to the forum!

I would do more investigation before you start sawing. I do not believe there are any water lines that go under the tub, and I would just run new ones instead of finding the leak if there is one. I'm tragically not at my bat to look right now, but I have an '85 and do not recall any lines there. You can search "tricab fresh water tank install" or something like that and see my tank replacement.

[captainmaniac]

Not sure if you are just talking about filling the system, of pressurizing it... There will be a vent in the fill line (serves both as tank vent as well as to dump any over-fill) that in many cases Trojan just dumped into the bilge... Try this : fill at the deck pipe until overflowing, then remove the hose and watch water level in the fill pipe. It will drop a few inches then likely stop dropping. Take a look where you saw the leak - if it stops at that point, it's just the vent.

[Flyboy]

Do not know to much about the Tri-Cabin, however, my experience with the Trojans leads me to believe that you can access virtully all system parts with out sawing things apart. I struggled with my vaccuflush trying ot get it out to rebuild it, almost resorted to cutting things apart, then I found the hidden panel in the engine compartmant to access the vaccuflush. My point is, I think if you look hard and long enough, you will find you can access everything you neede to to repair systems.
Good Luck,

[larryeddington]

I have an 84 tricab and I was working in the rudder control area where the pressure pump is located and was refilling the water tank. water started coming out underneath it and on inspection it was the vent line. They vent as most Trojans inside. Wait and see if it stops. I agree do not start cutting things up, usually there is a way to access most everything. BTW their is a sump pump under the floorboards just outside the rear head that pumps shower overboard. Installed all new fixtures which are available in an easy search of RV plumbing fixtures in Google.

I totally re-plumbed my complete blackwater system and works well now, charcoal canister on vents and no odor, Bigger blackwater tank and vents to ort and starboard side again no odor. Made my charcoal vent filters from pvc and activated charcoal.

FYI the white plastic plumbing pipe works well with sharkbite type fittings from Home Depot etc.

PPDOG changed his tank see URL; http://www.trojanboats.net/wforum/viewt ... er+install

[jbrem003]

Awesome advice, super happy to say that I in fact do NOT have to do any cutting. I pulled up the floorboards along the bed and didn't see any water leaking, but I have now also pulled the whole dresser to pieces (i'm rebuilding it anyways.) What I did find is that the vent line is run into one of the fiberglass chimneys and just dumps the water into the bilge instead of overboard... curious.

I also found that a bird had made a nest/mess of the 4" flexible vent lines, guess I will be replacing those as well.

Thanks!
-J

[captainmaniac]

I also found that a bird had made a nest/mess of the 4" flexible vent lines, guess I will be replacing those as well.

The 4" lines are probably for your bilge ventilation and blower system... before starting the boat up, you should use the blowers are used to pull potentially explosive gas fumes from the bilge and blow them overboard. Run the blowers for at least 5 minutes prior to starting engines. When under way, the vents on the side of the hull and hoses are designed to force fresh air in to the bilge area, and push possible fumes out, so blowers are usually not needed once you are under way.

You referenced 'gator navy' in a previous post, but don't know if you mean that in the US Navy Amphib context, or you just ran a swamp boat in the Everglades (yes, I googled it) ... so not clear what knowledge level I should be talking to... Bottom line is that gas fumes are explosive and heavier than air, so on a boat they will fall to the bilge and be contained there... any spark could set them off and go kaboom! In a car or truck, fumes may fall to the ground, but then any breeze will disperse them, so you don't get the same explosive concentration.

In any event, you want clear air flow to / from bilges when blowers are running or under way, so if the vent lines that were blocked are white and plumbed to a fan or vent, either clear it out or replace it. If you replace the hose, just make sure you terminate in the same place... Trojan put the hose ends in those places for intake / exhaust for a reason.

[jbrem003]

Thanks Maniac, and to clear up the confusion, yes I do mean US Navy amphibious fleet. LPD-15 USS Ponce to be more precise.

I'll make sure to keep those vent lines straight, one of the blowers is making a loud noise as well so that's next on the list to trace out.

-J