Inspect those hose clamps or experience the consequences!

Jul 27, 2011
4,990
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
In October I was nosing around the engine compartment with flash light in hand when I noticed that one of the two hose clamps (original) connecting the exhaust hose to the waterlock (upstream side) had rusted through; it was just hanging there. Happy me:waycool:; I had averted a potential "disaster" by catching it while at the slip. Of course, I installed a new one and logged the repair as I typically do. Fast foward to December when the Admiral and I were heading out for the Christmas-New Year's break, the immediate destination Channel Islands Harbor. We were motoring, both in the cockpit, when we started to hear this intermittent (few seconds apart) beeping. At first I thought the GPS below was signalling poor coverage or some other message when my astute first mate (a.k.a. Admiral) asked if it could be the bilge alarm. I doubted b/c it was intermittent but went below to check the bilge. Sure enough, the recently installed bilge alarm was sounding off for the first time at sea.:yikes:

I quickly found that water was entering from astern, near that waterlock; so, I backed off the RPMs, installed the handle for the cockpit-mounted whale pump (i.e., mechanism for the manual bilge pump), radioed Channel Islands Harbor Patrol to advise them we might need assistance at the Harbor entrance (we were nearly there), that the boat was taking water but that it appeared to be due to exhaust water spilling into the boat, and then started pumping. (In our boat, the bilge alarm goes off b/f the water reaches the electric bilge pump.)

We get escorted to the HP dock; they were ready with a high capacity water pump. Then together we inspected the boat. Surprise!--another hose clamp-- the one on the downstream side of the waterlock--had also rusted through and broken off. Exhaust water had been pouring into the boat to the point of filling the bilge and setting off the alarm. It was intermittent b/c of the rocking of the boat, but ultimately would have remained on as the bilge flooded. Off course, one could not see, from any angle, the portion of the hose clamp that was rusting out by looking into the engine compartment. You'd have to take it off to inspect it. So, when one goes others might not be far behind. (Everyone knows this; even I :redface:!) If you cannot see the entire hose clamp, loosen and rotate it around where you can. Public service announcement!!

KG
 
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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Maybe just as big a PSA for double clamping!
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,990
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Maybe just as big a PSA for double clamping!
Yeah-- that's pretty standard. Here's the other little catch. There were two hose clamps around the hose connecting to the waterlock at that end. The inside one had the double duty of holding the waterlock to a bracket. Turned out, it was not far enough on to the "bibb" (whatever it's called) to help. It was squeezing the hose, but not squeezing the hose onto the waterlock. One could not know that until physically getting hands on it. So, the whole thing looked to be in a much better state than it actually was.:frown: [Thx. I corrected the misleading part of my post above suggesting only one hose clamp at each end.]
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,990
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
yes, double clamping of all sphincters, too...
Yeah--it was a bit exciting there at first (on discovery). I suppose the good news was that we were within probably a quarter mile of the harbor entrance when the alarm went off, and that it happened there and not in some other place/situation more difficult for us to control. I like to do a short "shake down" of the boat to a near destination b/f leaving on a long trip if it's been sitting in the slip for a couple of months. That's essentially what we were doing.
 
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Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
Double clamp if it makes you feel better, this is not a sink-the-boat scenario. You are maybe pumping 5 GPM; well within the capacity of any decent bilge pump. And if you stop the engine the leak stops. But you do risk CO poisoning, and then there is just the issue of inspecting all your hose clamps for failure or loosening. Recently found one of my exhaust hose clamps to the water muffler loose. Water in the bilge was the tell, but the CO leak was the frightening lesson.
 
Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
With hose clamps you get what you pay for. I'll second the opinion of "take a magnet with you."
 
Dec 1, 1999
2,391
Hunter 28.5 Chesapeake Bay
Double clamp if it makes you feel better, this is not a sink-the-boat scenario. You are maybe pumping 5 GPM; well within the capacity of any decent bilge pump. And if you stop the engine the leak stops. But you do risk CO poisoning, and then there is just the issue of inspecting all your hose clamps for failure or loosening. Recently found one of my exhaust hose clamps to the water muffler loose. Water in the bilge was the tell, but the CO leak was the frightening lesson.
Gunni: How did you detect the CO leak?
 
Sep 25, 2008
1,096
CS 30 Toronto
BTW, some of the "so call" SS is actually magnetic. Depends on the metal. Don't trust anyone is the theme.
 
Aug 16, 2006
281
Ericson 32 Oregon coast
"Marine" grade hose clamps are made of a higher grade stainless steel and are more corrosion resistant than automotive clamps. Even at that they are "resistant" not "immune" to corrosion
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,990
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
One point.. Two clamps!

One word.. AWAB
I think he means:

"AWAB hose clamps are made of Swedish 316 stainless steel with chrome nickel plating for ultimate corrosion resistance. Non-perforated bands are significantly less susceptible to breakage. Rolled/rounded edges reduce the risk of leakage by being gentle on the hose. Conventional or cheap clamps lack this feature and can easily cut hoses (with disastrous results) if over tightened.

All AWAB clamps are designed to provide high clamping force and 360° sealing force around the hose when tightened. Their high quality design allows them to be reused many times."

awab_clamp-tail_tip.jpg

NOTE: The clamp pictured has an AWAB Red Vinyl Tail Tip installed. (Item No. AWA-125015P) Tail Tips are not furnished with the clamps but are available separately, packaged (25) per bag.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
The red vinyl tip will keep you from 1000 cuts.... I you do not use them the exposed ends will still be red from the meat you leave working around the clamps.
 
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