Practical Boat Owner – June 2019

Hedley Ritchie replaced a leaking water tank, foot pump, pipes

and fi lter on his 19 7 3 Centaur. Here he shows how he did it

I

t all started when I tried to pump

water to the sink using my foot

pump. No water was coming up

to the tap. I checked the foot

pump below the sink and it had

completely collapsed with the rubber

disintegrated. I believe it was the

original – so for a water pump to last

45 years is not too bad.

I went out and bought a new foot pump

and while I was at it I decided to put in an

inline water fi lter and new water pipes.

Westerly Centaurs were never fi tted with a

water fi lter (or mine wasn’t anyway).

I fi tted the inline fi lter to the plastic pipe

and located it beneath the sole boards

under the foot pump and fi lled up the

water tank, which is located in the bow

under the V-berth until water was coming

out through the outlet on the sink.

I didn’t have time to test it then, but on

my return to the boat I tried to pump some

water to the sink and nothing came out. I

tried sucking through the pipe and

nothing happened. I thought perhaps I’d

installed the fi lter the wrong way round

but it was fi ne. I was completely puzzled.

I don’t know what made me do it, but I

lifted the sole boards and that’s where I

found the contents of my water tank,

sloshing around in the bilges.

I suspected the heavy, stainless steel

tank had a signifi cant leak, but as it was

completely sealed in beneath the forward

double berth, it was impossible to access

the tank and its fi ttings to fi nd and fi x the

problem.

But as there were no obvious leaks in

the plastic pipe and joints I decided I’d

were helping to support it.

I measured the tank and ordered a

replacement in plastic from Tek Tanks. I

kept the dimensions identical to the old

one – although there was space for

something bigger. The only change I made

was to specify the outlets should point to

the starboard side, which made it possible

to install the new tank and to secure the

plastic pipes to the outlets with ease.

Hedley Richie’s

Westerly Centaur

Sweet Sultan

have to replace the entire tank as it too

was 45 years old.

So I completely emptied the forward

cabin of sleeping bags, cushions, pillows,

lifejackets etc, and made four preliminary

inspection holes of about 75mm (3in)

diameter in the GRP berth base, being

very careful not to cut into anything below.

Now I could see the size and shape of

the tank I marked the surface where to

cut, allowing 25mm (1in) each end (fore

and aft) of the tank for me to lift it out.

Unfortunately, this meant that the tank’s

outlet, inlet and breather pipe fi ttings all

had to be cut off to get it out the hole.

Being a Westerly, everything is very

strong and robust. The tank itself was of

stainless steel – heavy and quite diffi cult to

lift out. Also, I also had to cut away at

screwed-in battens and GRP strips that

Water water

everywhere...

PRACTICAL

For a lot of the cutting work I used an

electric small hand grinder. When

cutting GRP with a grinder you’ll

need eye, ear and mouth protection.

And I recommend full overalls, gloves

with a hat. My cabin was white with

GRP dust and it gets everywhere.

Keep the forward hatch fully open

and all your wash boards out for as

much ventilation as possible.

Health and safety

measures

About the author

Hedley Ritchie was a

shipwright before joining the

fi re service and has always

carried out all his own

general repairs and

maintenance on his Westerly

Centaur Sweet Sultan, which

he cruises along the south coast of Devon

and Cornwall.

(^3) - (^7) JULY (^2019)
(^50)
th
ANNIVER
SARY
RALLY
‘For a water pump
to last 45 years is
not too bad’