Tomcat owners - have you fixed the leaking fish box doors?

matt_unique

I know our fish box covers leak similar to the cockpit doors on the C-25's, have Tomcat owners fixed this leak? If yes, with the same suggestions as presented for the C-25's? (i.e. truss system, sanding/sealing, etc.)

Thanks

thataway · Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 6:03 pm Post subject:

My personal feeling is that short of useing aluminum man holes--with heavy dogs on all sides--sort of like a submarine hatch. The problem I have seen is that the gaskets in the corners, are not completely tight (slits cut)--You can compress the gasket on the dog side, but there is no way of compressing the gasket on the hinge side.

What you are asking is there a way of making this a dry storage box? We use ours as dry storage--and put the items in sealed plastic contrainers or cans. Small amounts of water seem to get in, no matter go well you try and seal these.

But they wre designed as fish boxes--and fish boxes may get water. (I was a bit miffed that my was not insellated, especially since this was a condition of buying the boat--a phone conversation with Jeff M and my dealer assuring me, that they had goofed, but still could correct it--and guess what--zero insullation!

drjohn71a · Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 6:18 pm Post subject:

Matt,

Those fish box lids are mysterious. When you run the macerators, you can hear them tightening down and the vacuum forming at the lid, but for some reason rainwater slowly seeps into them. At first glance, I'd recommend either covered storage or a slanted cockpit cover or a camperback cover to reduce the slow seeping. It seems to take a long time for much water to get in there, but they are almost always damp or wet.

Analyzing the layout, it seems that a "canal" running from the "gutter" of the fish box back to the "depression" leading to the drain scupper would let most of that rain water run aft, esp. since the TomCat tends to sit low aft when loaded heavily. I am afraid that running a surface "canal" like that would weaken the cockpit floor, though, unless some underneath strengthening is bonded below.

I am now wondering if a guy could put some 3/8 inch drain holes in the lid gutters and run some vinyl hose lines back to the scupper colletion area. There would be water in them at all times, but they would reduce the hydraulic pressure on the fishbox lids.

Let me know what you guys are thinking...

John

ps, I have had no problems with the macerator fuses blowing on my boat.

Captains Cat · Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 7:39 pm Post subject:

Why not just drill little holes in the corner of the gutter and let them drain to the bilge which has an automatic pump?

Charlie

Doryman · Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 9:20 pm Post subject:

Discovery · Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:18 pm Post subject:

I have drilled 1/4" holes in the outside corners of the gutters. Problem is that they collect debris and soon plug off. I am constantly running a wire or knife blade into the holes to clean them out. I may try bigger holes.

The stb. macerator pump is always getting an air lock and not pumping. Anyone else having an air lock problem with the macerator pumps?

Brent

Dreamer · Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:38 pm Post subject:

Warren,

I have had holes in the fish box gutters for over a year. It is not the cure-all it should be. It's the condensation. I plan on cutting holes high in the sides of the boxes to let them breathe into the bilges.

My project for this winter is to solve this whole problem once and for all. 1. Fish boxes will drain by gravity into a box similar to a shower sump. 2. Fishbox gutters will drain into the same box. 3. The cockpit will drain into the same box. 4. The unreliable cockpit scuppers will be permanently plugged. 5. A large capacity bilge pump will be added in each box and will pump out any water automatically. 6. The unnecessary macerator pumps will become a spare for the waste pump-out and the second one will go on e-bay. 7. The original bilge pumps will stay in place but will not likely see much use after the above modification. Their automatic function stopped functioning months ago.

The entire drainage system on the TomCat was never really thought out or tested. It just seemed like a good idea at the time. We ended up sorting it out for them and making it work to suit our needs.

Doryman · Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:19 am Post subject:

Dreamer · Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 2:45 pm Post subject:

Warren, Will do! Actually, I'll put you to work. I can always use help and/or supervision...

drjohn71a · Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 1:27 pm Post subject:

Brent,

Both of my fish box macerators suck the lid down and vacuum lock the system so it is almost impossible to lift the lids.

I'll be watching Warren and Roger to see how that works.

My experience in drain holes from various installations, including my genset box is that 3/8 inch holes are the minimum workable considering all the debris bits that accumulate there, and 1/2 inch would be even better, if possible.

Even my big scupper flaps clog with twigs, debris,etc., so I have to flush them with a spray nozzle.

John

matt_unique · Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 3:12 pm Post subject: Ditto

After I tested the macerators, I could not open the fish boxes for a good 15 minutes. You could hear the hissing of the pressure drop...wild. Funny they leak considering how air tight they air with some back pressure.

squidslayer · Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 10:46 pm Post subject: Fish Boxes Tomcat

Whats the big deal about water in the fish boxes??? one push of a macerator button and... wa la...!!! they are empty!!. A bit of bleach and they stay fresh!! I love my fish boxes!! I use them for FISH!! 21 Albacore Tuna last thursday....they were packed with fish and ice..overflow in the live well and cooler

Dick
255 Tom Cat
"ShirleyMae"
Berkeley, Marina