Solar vent

Jul 25, 2016
197
Catalina 22 Sacramento
Hi All! The dorade on bow is cracked. Not a bad run for being 47 years old! I'm thinking of replaced it with a Marinco Day/Night solar vent or maybe a new dorade. Sort of leaning towards the solar vent because it might move more air. Any thoughts?

Also, the existing hole is 3.5 inches, and of course the solar vent requires 3.75. Arrg! How would you enlarge this opening?

Thanks!
 
Nov 26, 2012
1,653
Hunter 34 Berkeley
I have the marinco. Kind of expensive and kind of cheaply made but still going after three years. As for making the hole bigger, use a hole saw to drill a couple of 3 1/2” plugs from a piece of plywood then switch to the 3 3/4 hole saw and load the plugs onto the hole saw to serve as a guide to fit into the existing hole as you cut the larger hole.
 
Sep 14, 2014
1,251
Catalina 22 Pensacola, Florida
I love my marinco, runs in daylight and charges up to run at night. Easy peasy install after the fortifying drink before making holes in the deck moment. Measure like 3 times and consider wisely before turning on saw or drill.
new solar vent 2.jpg
 
Apr 5, 2009
2,774
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
To enlarge the hole just put a piece of scrap plywood over the old hole and drill the new size. When you penetrate the plywood it will start the hole in the deck. Once the hole has been started, you can remove the plywood and finish the hole.
 
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Mar 20, 2015
3,094
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
load the plugs onto the hole saw to serve as a guide to fit into the existing hole as you cut the larger hole.
This works well, especially in areas with limited acess, as long as the saw blade is the right wall thickness.

Depending on your mandrel, you can even use 2 hole saws on the same mandrel to make an even bigger hole.
Use the smaller saw with the wood plug as the guide, and the second bigger saw mounted to the mandrel at the same time to create the hole size you need.

Depending on the hole saw, it works well. Even when drilling steel plate.

On the hatch I'd just use an old crap of plywood.
 
Last edited:
Sep 14, 2014
1,251
Catalina 22 Pensacola, Florida
I just used a jigsaw and free handed it after marking the hole using the bottom for a template. The hatch is thick and you will be going pretty slow anyway.