Hose life?

[jviss]

Wondering: how long do engine hoses last, like seawater hoses, coolant hoses? I have some originals, I think (1996), and I've bought replacements but haven't installed them yet. I replaced one coolant hose that was leaking due to abrasion. Other then that, no others yet.

Curious about what others think.

 

[kappykaplan]

Rule of thumb given to me was 10 years.

 

[FastOlson]

Rule of thumb given to me was 10 years.

I believe in 20 years, max.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I believe in 20 years, max.

I'll see your 20 and raise you 2. That's when I replaced the antifreeze, sea water, and fuel hoses located within the Nike shoe box :

Outside of the shoe box, I would run the new hose until I hit an existing joint and leave the remainder of the old hose in place. The fuel hose was getting a little stiff inside the box but I could still bend it back 180 deg. Out, out damn spot. The fuel hose outside the box could pass for brand new and hence remained after the first joint.

The hoses outside the box ran against the inside of the hull, under the rear sole and always cool. Inside the box maybe 120 with the exhaust fan and engine running. After the engine and fan shut down, hotter than ol' bejabbers.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

A number of yard managers in both small and large boatyards have told me that the average maximum working life for ANY hose is 10 years, because rubber and plastics dry out...becoming hard, brittle and prone to cracking and sticking. BOAT/US magazine ran an article a few years ago in which they reported that old hoses left connected to an open below-waterline thru-hull is the most common cause of boats sinking in their slips.

--Peggie
There are 3 ways to do anything--the right way, the wrong way and the way that some guy has gotten away with for 20 years.

 

[BigEasy]

I would like to know what independent marine mechanics advise & the practices they use on their own boats.
I changed two thru hull fitting assemblies on my boat two weeks ago for the galley & head sinks that were fitted with Trident 102 hoses. I decided to replace both hoses since I had to remove them to replace the plumbing. The hoses were 18 years old & exhibited no signs of deterioration; could probably last another 18 years. Also recently flushed the cooling system; those hoses are also 18 years old & show no signs of deterioration. I am not changing them at this time, because the thru hull valves are closed whenever I leave the boat. I am planning to replace the Trident propane hoses in the near future. No leaks present at 18 years. I rarely use the stove and always turn the solenoid off when not in use as well as manually close the tank valve. Just checked the diesel lines & they appear like new. On the other hand I replaced the fuel lines on a runabout at the 15 year time period because they had hardened significantly; the previous owner used ethanol gas. So, I believe the practical method is to check the hoses periodically for wear, abrasions, flexibility, cracks, etc. and replace on an as needed basis. If you are crossing oceans perhaps the "rules of thumb" would be worthwhile; however, for most of us, that is probably over kill.

 

[Tally Ho]

My drain hose for the galley sink exits below the waterline and has a thruhull valve. My boat is 36 years old (1988 O’Day 322).

I was not in the habit of losing the thru hulls when I left the boat, until one day I brushed against the hose under the sink and it weeped water through many cracks in the rubber. Had this hose let go, I am sure the boat would have sank. Luckily, I noticed it and was able to replace the hose. And this experience has caused me to close the thruhulls when I leave the boat.

I like @BigEasy’s thought that we should be inspecting hoses annually and replacing when necessary. Some hoses are less critical, but if the hose could sink the boat, it should be checked regularly (and for me, I close the valves religiously).

This video show how rotten this drain hose was when I pulled it out.…scary!

Greg

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

When making recommendations I tend to follow advice from established pros. Whether you follow their advice is up to you...it's your boat.

--Peggie

 

[BigEasy]

My drain hose for the galley sink exits below the waterline and has a thruhull valve. My boat is 36 years old (1988 O’Day 322). one day I brushed against the hose under the sink and it weeped water through many cracks in the rubber. Had this hose let go, I am sure the boat would have sank.

Greg,
I think you might have pushed it a bit too far with those hoses!

 

[Tally Ho]

Greg,
I think you might have pushed it a bit too far with those hoses!

Agreed! I was not in the habit of inspecting them!

I now look at all of the hoses annually and replace anything that looks suspect.

Greg

 

[Crusty Ol Salt]

I grew up on a farm in the middle of no where Indiana. We really did not have boats but we did have tractors and combines. The biggest danger to our hoses was rats trying to get to the water and antifreeze....

 

[Tally Ho]

Man, I hope I don’t have rats on my boat

Spiders I can live with, but not rats!

 

[Dalliance]

I’m not sure about a one size fits all life cycle rule. It seems to me that mileage may vary depending on material, quality, climate, etc.

Certainly, any sign of dry rot cracking, even if it’s not leaking yet, calls for immediate replacement. Dalliance had a number of hoses like that when I bought her as well as multiple stuck gate valves; all replaced now. While the black rubber hoses will show dry rot cracks, I don’t know if the white vinyl sanitation hoses will give you the same warning. Do they just yellow and get brittle? Regular replacement on some kind of schedule seems prudent. I just don’t know what that time period is.

Annual inspection of hoses and seacocks is on my spring checklist and I do actually close all my seacocks when I leave the boat.

 

[FastOlson]

, I don’t know if the white vinyl sanitation hoses will give you the same warning. Do they just yellow and get brittle?

Note that all the vinyl hose types will have a "life span" and will slowly harden and eventually crack. It's just a characteristic of the material that it is not stable over the long term.
I have found that the multi-layer "exhaust" hose construction will make it to 25 or 30 years before the deterioration becomes noticeable. That's a good reason to just schedule a replacement of these at a set interval, like 20 years. I also write the install date on the outside of each hose when it's put into service.
It would be helpful if those all-important head hoses could have an observable "replacement" date certified, since they do not seem likely to change color!

 

[Dalliance]

I also write the install date on the outside of each hose when it's put into service.
It would be helpful if those all-important head hoses could have an observable "replacement" date certified, since they do not seem likely to change color!

Writing the installation date on new hoses is a good idea. I do that with filters and batteries on the boat and should have been doing that with the vinyl sanitation hoses too. I do have record of it in my maintenance log, but that might not help a future owner.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Single wall flex PVC sanitation hose will start to stink long before they yellow and crack.

--Peggie