Replacing Sanitation Hoses On a Camano 31

[demarkie]

My Camano 31 has a Vacuflush sanitation system. I called a marine services company about having the hoses replaced, and was told it was too difficult on this boat without doing "major" cabinet work. Has anyone out there had this maintenance service done on their Camano? Looking for information. Thanks.

[Comodave]

I am not familiar with that boat but this can be the case in a lot of boats. Mine is like that. I would use Raritan SaniFlex hose for the replacement. It is extremely flexible and lasts a long time. Defender sells it by the foot.

[DavidM]

I have found that what service companies say is "too difficult" can often be done by the owner with a little more thought and maybe a lot more grunt. Such as: hooking the old hose up to the new with barb connectors, heating the new hose up a bit with a heat gun for maximum flexibility, and pulling the new hose through using the old hose as the pull cord. Or running a fish tape through the old hose, pulling the old hose out but leaving the fish tape in place, connecting the tape to the new hose and pulling it through, maybe with heating as well.

David

[porman]

One of the things that impressed me the most about our Camano was the ease of access to all wiring, plumbing, etc. If I remember correctly, the Vacuflush unit was under the berth, the holding tank was under the galley floor, and the macerator was in the head between the toilet and the holding tank. All the hose runs should be fairly easy to replace. As opposed to our current Mainship, where I had to cut two holes in the aft cabin floor to replace the aft toilet hoses.

[nussbda]

I have a Camano 31 with the manual flush head. The cabinet under the sink in the head removes with 4 screws. When I changed the hoses and macerator pump removing the one cabinet was the only "cabinet work" I had to do. There's also a small removable panel to outboard of the mirror in the head that comes off to access the vent line. If you open the door below and outboard of the sink in the head, and remove the floorboard in the galley, you can get a good sense of the where and how the hoses run. I'm not sure how much longer the hose runs are with the Vacuflush.

[BayBum]

Our Camano had a Vacu-flush system installed before we bought the boat and the plumbing was installed using PVC 90 degree elbows and straight PVC sections where the plumbing went through the bulkheads. The vacuum generator is mounted on the port side in the engine area between the engine and the water tank.

[High Wire]

Sani flex - excellent
White pvc “148” hose - don’t do it. You will be replacing it all within a year.

[Chrisaensing]

Originally Posted by nussbda

I have a Camano 31 with the manual flush head. The cabinet under the sink in the head removes with 4 screws. When I changed the hoses and macerator pump removing the one cabinet was the only "cabinet work" I had to do. There's also a small removable panel to outboard of the mirror in the head that comes off to access the vent line. If you open the door below and outboard of the sink in the head, and remove the floorboard in the galley, you can get a good sense of the where and how the hoses run. I'm not sure how much longer the hose runs are with the Vacuflush.

Demarkie, I have accessed all of those hoses & the macerator pump & the tank vent. All of that is accessible.

[rwidman]

Whoever told you that is an idiot!

The cabinet in the head compartment comes out with four screws and you can set it aside. The floor panel in front of the head door lifts up and you can set it aside.

Now you have access to all your hoses. I replaced them all myself several years ago.

Do it yourself or find someone else to work on your boat. Someone a little smarter.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by DavidM

I have found that what service companies say is "too difficult" can often be done by the owner with a little more thought and maybe a lot more grunt. Such as: hooking the old hose up to the new with barb connectors, heating the new hose up a bit with a heat gun for maximum flexibility, and pulling the new hose through using the old hose as the pull cord. Or running a fish tape through the old hose, pulling the old hose out but leaving the fish tape in place, connecting the tape to the new hose and pulling it through, maybe with heating as well.

David

The hoses in the Camano aren't long enough or in difficult to access places to even need techniqes such as you mentioned.

I took mine all out and laid them on the dock and measured them before I bought new hose. At the price they get for quality hose, I didn't want any left over.

[AlanT]

Originally Posted by High Wire

Sani flex - excellent
White pvc “148” hose - don’t do it. You will be replacing it all within a year.

Agree, the only acceptable options IMO are SaniFlex where you need it and Schedule 40 PVC pipe (not hose) where you can use it for the straight runs. The Schedule 40 will outlast the boat. The SaniFlex will last 10-15 years before it becomes permeable to odors.

~A

[RickyD]

My, new to me, Californian came with smells in the aft cabin. I was assured that it could not be the sanitation hoses because they were just replaced with the really expensive new hoses. It was theorized that there was some kind of a spill that ended up in inaccessible bilge spaces. Spent a few hundred $$ on cleanup with no change. Then I changed all of the hoses with the ridiculously priced Sani-hose. Now we smell great!! It has only been three years but it was well worth the cost. I think it was just under $10 a foot.

[Comodave]

SaniFlex is absolutely the way to go. It is so flexible that it is much easier to install and it won’t smell.

[koliver]

For easier attaching of sani hose, or any others, my heat gun was loaned out, so I needed to improvise. I tried a pot of hot water, not even close to boiling. Left the end 6" of hose in the water for a few minutes and it was pliable, even stretched a little, so made the slipping over a barb easy. When it cooled it resumed its original dimensions and stiffness. Way easier than a heat gun.

[Comodave]

Originally Posted by koliver

For easier attaching of sani hose, or any others, my heat gun was loaned out, so I needed to improvise. I tried a pot of hot water, not even close to boiling. Left the end 6" of hose in the water for a few minutes and it was pliable, even stretched a little, so made the slipping over a barb easy. When it cooled it resumed its original dimensions and stiffness. Way easier than a heat gun.

I have used this method too. Works great if you have access to hot water.