Posted: July 20 2009 at 17:31 | IP Logged

Hello to all. i am new here, and a new owner of a 1983 251 Catalina. It needed alot of work  and i am getting closer to the water every day!

 I need to know how to test the boat in my yard proir to launching. i have changed manifold, riser etc. and I want to give it a thorough testing. i was told that there is a hookup to the water intake on the bottom of the hull where the water is picked up while running and brought into the manifold for cooling. How do I hook a garden hose to this?

Thanks!

Posted: July 21 2009 at 20:52 | IP Logged

William, welcome aboard!!! what you need looks like a toilet plunger that has a garden hose hook up on it. can be purchased from anywhere boat parts are sold. the "stick" end props the "plunger" part against the raw water pick up on the bottom of the boat. this feeds water directly to the raw water pump. do not run dry. it WILL damage the raw water pump impeller.

good luck!!

Posted: July 23 2009 at 12:13 | IP Logged

Hi William,

What Floater is talking about looks like this:

On my Catalina 280, I installed the Perko flush valve (similar to other Cat owners) in line after my raw water strainer and allows me to flush the motor and transmission heat exchanger both in the water and on land, especially helpful if you boat in salt water... looks like this and connects to a garden hose:

Regards,

Tom

(Long Island, South Shore)

Posted: July 23 2009 at 15:13 | IP Logged

thank you guys. I appreciate the very good, concise and helpful advice. I will have a plunger tonight and fire up the engine tomorrow!

sea you on the h20