(new to me) 1989 232... great boat, a couple questions...

[TheFatFisherman]

I picked up a 1989 Grady 232 about a 6 months ago, and am happy... so very happy with it... what an amazing boat for the west coast of Canada. I've been very busy getting the deck very bloody over the last 6 months (hundreds of sockeye!), and finally have found some time to do some maintenance... but the archaic manual only tells you so much.

Here's some things I'd like to get up and working... but am having some issues even finding where they are located.. and how to access them, etc...

The fresh water tank/pump etc... I can't even find the pump! Any help??
The raw water washdown exactly the same issue... where is it?

I really appreciate any help you guys can give me!

Thanks!

 

[Workdog]

Re: (new to me) 1989 232... great boat, a couple questions..

They are both under the port side pedestal seat. Pull out the cabinet under the pedestal, unbolt the 2X4 there and you will see the livewell/raw water washdown pump screwed to a stringer. The freshwater tank with pump attached is down to the right (forward). While you're in there you might want to pull the freshwater tank to clean it and replace the hoses. They are probably all moldy. Have fun, it is a squeeze to get in there.

 

[cgmiller]

Re: (new to me) 1989 232... great boat, a couple questions..

Welcome to the Gulfstream club...the boats are beasts!

My washdown/livewell pump is mounted to the aft bulkhead under the small rear hatch aft of the main fuel tank coffin lid. The fuel filters, fuel transfer pumps and oil tanks are also in this area. Let us know how make out with the water tank..I have not yet searched for mine....

 

[TheFatFisherman]

Re: (new to me) 1989 232... great boat, a couple questions..

Hey CGMILLER, thanks for the tip! I am assuming you're talking about the engine well in the rear of our boats. (you have to fold down a gate to access the engine well). As well as folding down this gate to lift the outboards?

I opened up the access hole, and found the bilge pump as well as the valve selector for the seacock... No pump in this area, so I'm going to imagine the previous owner removed it. I'm going to install a pump so I can have the raw water washdown... seems simple enough, with the seacock, battery and washdown outlet there should be a half-day job.

I do have one rather simple... almost embarrassing question though... So, everytime I want to use the washdown, I'll need to pop the access panel get on my knees and open the seacock? And then when I'm done I need to shut it off? It almost doesn't seem worth it to me... Please, anyone.. let me know if I'm correct in how to use the raw water washdown?

Thanks again!

Welcome to the Gulfstream club...the boats are beasts!

My washdown/livewell pump is mounted to the aft bulkhead under the small rear hatch aft of the main fuel tank coffin lid. The fuel filters, fuel transfer pumps and oil tanks are also in this area. Let us know how make out with the water tank..I have not yet searched for mine....

 

[cgmiller]

Re: (new to me) 1989 232... great boat, a couple questions..

Fat,

The hatch I was talking is on the forward side of the bulkhead that the splash gate sits on. In that rear compartment are the bilge pumps and sea cock for the washdown and live well system. If you want peace of mind that you are not going to blow a hose and sink your boat, then run with the valve open. If you are certain that everything is 100% with no worries, then you have nothing to worry about...a little aggravation and a few minutes of your time is certainly worth the effort when faced with the opposite..wasn't there just a 27 Grady that rolled over outside of hatteras due to a loose washdown hose.......

 

[Workdog]

Re: (new to me) 1989 232... great boat, a couple questions..

Hey Fat, sounds like you got a 230, not a 232. Your engines are mounted on the transom not on a bracket, correct? The only pump under the motor well is the aft bilge pump. The previous owner didn't move the livewell pump. Again, you will probably find the livewell pump and water tank under the portside pedestal. My RACORS are mounted in the splashwell to the portside wall. The only thing under the small square hatch in front of my flood gate is my oil tanks.

Disclaimer: I'm assuming that since we both have the same boat/year model that the location of equipment is similar.

 

[TheFatFisherman]

Re: (new to me) 1989 232... great boat, a couple questions..

You're correct, it is a 230. I always thought it was a 232 as that's what the manual cover says.

I've tried to get under the port-side seat, but am really having problems there. I remove the drawers and underneath is a solid piece of teak, not a 2X4 as others have described. There is about a 2inch round hole in the teak bottom towards the back of the compartment, commonsense says that hole is to slide the piece of teak out... but it's not moving anywhere. (I really should take photos).

I'd like to get both the washdown and watertank working... however the washdown is much more essential for me. If I can't get into the watertank compartment, I think I may just install a washdown pump where the oil tank use to be (I run 4 strokes now). Really quick question... in my excitement of getting the water tank working, I filled it with water... If I can't get to the pump, is there anyway to empty the tank?

Thanks!

 

[Workdog]

Re: (new to me) 1989 232... great boat, a couple questions..

You pulled out the drawers, but, did you unscrew the container the drawers slide into? There are 3 (or 4) screws top and bottom on the frame of the container that screw into the fiberglass pedestal.

 

[TheFatFisherman]

Re: (new to me) 1989 232... great boat, a couple questions..

You pulled out the drawers, but, did you unscrew the container the drawers slide into? There are 3 (or 4) screws top and bottom on the frame of the container that screw into the fiberglass pedestal.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

I just pulled the teak box/frame out, and I must admit I got a bit of a chubby seeing that compartment down there, with the washdown pump and the fresh water tank!!! I'm pretty sure the washdown pump is fried, but I'll disconnect it and see what happens when I test it. I also noticed the pump for the freshwater tank is pretty small (it's directly attached to the tank, right?), but I guess the only thing it flows to is the sink in the cabin, so I'll pull that off and test it as well.

I can't thank you guys enough. Looks like I'll have all the "domestic" things working soon enough that my wife may actually come fishing with me... ..... AH CRAP, I may want to think twice about hooking up the freshwater tank!!! HAHAHAHA

 

[Workdog]

Re: (new to me) 1989 232... great boat, a couple questions..

Not to despair about the washdown pump just yet. The pump housing may just be frozen with corrosion, or, you may just need a switch rebuild kit (goes on the pump motor) which will save you some $$$. Play with it. You might find the electric motor itself in working order. The pump on the water tank is kind of crappy. Be carefull you don't snap the tube that connects to that pump. In my boat, I also found that the electric switch at the sink (found in the cabinet under the sink) to have been bad. It was at this point I lost interest in getting my sink to work properly, but will probably reattack that switch sometime in the future.

By the way, you may consider replacing the hoses to your washdown pump while you have this all apart. The heavy duty hose goes from the seacock to the pump. Then a hose goes from the other end of the washdown pump back to the selector switch. From the selector switch (mounted in the aft portside battery compartment), a short lighter weight hose goes up to the raw water washdown port, and the other lighter weight hose from the selector switch goes to the livewell. If your seacock is in the open position, even with the washdown pump off, while motoring about on plane water will come up through the seacock, to the washdown pump, back to the selector switch, and to whichever direction the selector switch is pointing. If there is a rupture in any of those hoses, water can flow into the boat (even with the washdown pump off).