P-35 FRESHWATER FLUSHING SYSTEM WITH NO ODORS
 

     Close to seventy-five percent of all head odors originate from stagnant seawater. Odorless head additive eliminates waste odors with no masking agents or perfumes. However, only fresh water flushing will eliminate the odor from stagnant seawater. Installing a freshwater flushing system on a Pearson Thirty-five is a simple task. It requires the installation of a “T” fitting at the head raw-water thru-hull intake sea-cock, the installation of a simple two valve, three nipple manifold under the head sink drain, the attaching of the overboard sink drain hose, the sink drain and a new hose to the “T” fitting at the head raw-water intake sea-cock to each nipple on the manifold. With this installation either seawater or fresh water can be used to flush the head. Also head sink drain water can be used for flushing or discharging water overboard. A simple mark on the sink bowl can be used to control the amount of flush water used. If too much raw wastewater is collected in the sink and hose, the overboard valve may be used to drain the sink. If additional flush water is needed, fresh water from the storage tanks can be added.
 

Directions for run hoses: Measure the inside diameter and length of the present raw water head hose. Purchase high quality head hose of the same diameter that is two and one half times longer than the present head hose. Also purchase a hose “T” fitting that has the same outside diameter as the inside diameter of the head hose. Use a small length of the new hose to attach the “T” fitting to the raw-water intake sea-cock nipple in the blige. Run a length of hose from the “T” fitting to the head flush water intake using the path of the old hose. Drill a hole in the bottom of the compartment under the head sink that is the same outside diameter of the head hose. Locate the hole forward of the mast compression tube. Run a length of new head hose from the “T” fitting to the base of the mast compression tube, upward along the tube and through the newly drilled hole into the compartment under the sink. There is a small teak panel a few inches up from the head sole, forward of the compression post that can be removed to help snake the hose from the bilge to the under sink compartment.
 

Directions of Manifold: The control manifold should have a nipple of the starboard side to accommodate the new head hose and a nipple on the portside to accommodate the old sink drain hose. Each of these nipples should be attached to a ball sealed, lever activated, gate-valve. Each gate-valve should be attached to a “T” fitting with a nipple that attaches to a small length of hose that attaches to the sink drain fitting. The manifold is, therefore, a valve controlled “T” fitting that allows drain water to be pumped to the head or drained overboard. Please see photo of installed manifold. It will be necessary to shim the manifold forward of the bulkhead under the sink to align it with the sink drain. Threaded brass nipples, gate-vales, and fittings for the fabrication of the manifold are available at most hardware stores. Use high quality locking hose clamps, especially if you intend to flush with seawater, as seawater will be entering the hoses in the bilge, when the sea-cock is open. Always close the sea-cock when the vessel is unattended. The added benefit of fresh water flushing is that there is no open sea-cock to worry about in your flushing system. (Note: you may need to add a few extra elbows and lengths of hose in order to connect the manifold to the sink drain fitting and existing overboard sink drain hose. Please refer to the manifold photo. Also winterizing is simple – just fill sink with RV antifreeze and flush head. The re-add antifreeze with flush valve closed and open sink overboard drain.)

Lastly, adding a second holding tank vent thru-hull in the chain locker on the opposite side of the present one and connecting the two vents with a hose and a “T” fitting will insure that the vessel always has a down wind outboard vent. This will virtually eliminate wind born holding tank odors from coming over the deck and into the forward cabin or aft into the cockpit. New high quality head waste and vent hoses are a must. Also, the holding tank should be rapped and sealed in aluminum foil using aluminum tape. Now your boat will smell sweet.
 

Ken & Cynthia

1978 P-35 #405 Briganta

Cape Cod