Wondering if anyone has made this mistake. (Our first boat and I'm still learning alot.) While trying to change to a new Water Filler Cap on the deck water fill, I the dropped the small metal clasp that attaches the chain to the cap. Or course, it when down the pipe, instead of into the ocean or on the deck. I have the chain, but I'm worried about the small piece of metal, either sitting in the fill tube or in the tank. I don't want to run the pump while that clasp is in there, for fear of damage to plumbing or the pump.
Any suggestions on retrieving it?. I'm guessing I will have to disassemble everything, tubes and tank to search for the clasp. I'm wondering if I might get lucky by siphoning the water in the tank back through the deck fill using my shop vac, if that's possible. (It's the port/aft cap.)
Any ideas would be helpful.
Thanks
Mike
Catalina 36 MKII, #2102
Alamitos Bay, Long Beach
I wonder if you can remove it by lowering a small magnet tied to end of a string.
let us know how it goes.
Sail La Vie 1999 Catalina 36 MKII, M35B-17031, Coyote Point, San Mateo, CA
About Sail La Vie
I believe it would highly unlikely that it would make it through the hose to the pump. Also, you should have a strainer up stream of the pump that would catch it if it did.
You didn’t mention which tank it when in. you can remove the hose from the tank outlet and let the water drain into the bilge. The tanks all have a cap that allow access to them and you can retrieve the piece that way.
Bob Wilson
S/V Morning Breeze
2003 Catalina 36, Hull 2122
York River Yacht Club
Williamsburg, VA