Aft thru-hull fitting

[bdeakin]

Hi everybody --

I'm working on making some repairs to an O'day 22 that I'm going to be using as a daysailor. I noticed that the thru-hull fitting in the aft of the boat had failed (the outer piece had popped off) so I tried to set about removing it to replace it today. However, I wasn't working long before I realized that I couldn't access the inner part of the hull to thread the fitting in. It's behind the cockpit area and the only way I think you could get near it is by going through the starboard lazarette, and it's way too tight quarters for me to get in there.

I'd hate to have to cut into the back of the cockpit to try and get at the inside of the boat. Does anyone have any clever ideas?

I was thinking I could try to seal a smaller size thru-hull into the existing one, but that would reduce the flow and there wouldn't be the threaded backing securing it to the hull, so that's probably not the best idea...

Is this the kind of thing a boat yard could do a lot easier?

 

[Ross]

You need a ten year old kid to go in there.

 

[BobM]

Sure the boat yard could do it...for the price of an O'day 22! You could cut in an inspection plate. You really should have access to a thru-hull anyway. What if your boat was sinking?

 

[BobM]

I agree

You need a ten year old kid to go in there.

I keep telling my friends that a toddler could make a heck of a lot of money in a boat yard...especially with some Yanmar pre-school LOL.

 

[bdeakin]

Sure the boat yard could do it...for the price of an O'day 22! You could cut in an inspection plate. You really should have access to a thru-hull anyway. What if your boat was sinking?

Good point. I'm a little new at this -- you wouldn't normally install it in an area you'd stand on, would you?

 

[Bill Roosa]

inspection ports

I have one of the screw on type that I stand on all the time. Does not present a problem except the wedge shaped finger grips fill with dirt and water. A blast from the hose takes care of that thought.

 

[MrBee]

Can't picture where your talking about but since you might want access after it is replaced you could buy a small Louvered vent, round or Square, to install after cutting to hole.
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc... 710&y=0&x=0&storeId=10001&Ntk=Primary Search

MrBee

 

[PeteK]

Here is one that doesn't catch all the dirt!

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...ue&storeNum=5000&subdeptNum=24&classNum=12946

I have one of those, an original 1983, and it's still just fine. No leaks no problems.

And, yes, you can jump up and down on them.

Pete

 

[bdeakin]

Okay, this might be a bit of a dumb question, but do you just use like a circle cutter (I'd probably end up using the circular cutter tool for my Dremel) and install the deck plate, or is there something in particular you need to do to support it?

 

[BobM]

Circle cutter should be fine. Be sure to seal the core with thickened resin or epoxy if this is in the cockpit floor. Also be sure to seal the plate well. Water in your cockpit core will be a real bummer some day. Dig out about a half inch of core after making the cut. You may need to make it in steps with the dremel. The following thread seems to cover this topic too. Seems like the consensus was that an access port is the smart way to go.

http://forums.s2.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=90507

By the way, you might find this site informative:

http://www.oday22.com/sailboat-specs/

 

[bdeakin]

Thanks so much for your help, guys. When I ran into this problem I got pretty nervous, but I think if I install the transom access port I should be good to go. I'll work on it next weekend.

 

[PeteK]

Yep, what Bob said. Seal up the raw edges (cut the core back like he said) and uses some Life Caulk to seal the port when you put it in. You'll be just fine!

Pete

 

[Barnacle Bill]

You can use silicone to caulk the inspection port, but use life caulk or 3m 101 for the through hull. Make sure you buy a waterproof inspection port with a rubber 'O' ring that seals the lid or cap that unscrews. Using a round vent is not a good idea as it might let water into the interior of your boat.

 

[sailingdog]

Don't use silicone on a boat. It has very few valid uses, and inspection ports aren't one of them. If the inspection port is mechanically fastened, use butyl tape to seal it to the cockpit.

 

[TimCup]

bdeakin- that thru-hull is for your scupper--

In the Oday22, the scupper (drain hole for the cockpit) has an l-shaped tube. It starts vertically, and a couple of inches down, where it's unreachable, it makes a 90 degree turn to exit aft. Not a great design....

I HAD THE SAME ISSUE- the outside fitting broke off, and was allowing water to enter around the above mentioned tube. Cutting an inspection port above the scupper inside was a possibility, but I was afraid I still wouldn't have room to work, and rebuilding the entire deal was WAY more work than I was willing to do for such a small return.

I say small return because that thru-hull is above the waterline (the Oday22 has NO thru-hulls below the waterline... a great design). Water could only come in while sailing, and it didn't amount to much anyway.

I finally decided to clean the area thoroughly, and then made an exception to my own rule about using 5200. I applied the fast drying 5220 liberally around the tube, sealing it to the boat. That was 3 years ago, and it's still perfect. If it starts to leak again, I'll have alot more work, having to remove the 5200, but at that point I felt it would only make a tough job a little tougher!!


BY THE WAY, with regard to that scupper design, I roll course screen into a small tube and stick it into the scupper, leaving it stickin out about 3 inches- that way leaves and trash can't clog it up, and your cockpit won't be full of water after a big, wet weekend..... ask me how I know!!


cup

 

[bdeakin]

Re: bdeakin- that thru-hull is for your scupper--

Yeah, we are expecting rain up here in the NE so I decided that in the meantime I would put some 5200 in around the tube just so that water wouldn't run in there in the meantime (since I had removed a cracked portion of the tube).

Maybe this is a dumb question, but could I take a cup, draw a line in the cup to show the water level, then pour it through to another cup (with the same line marked) and verify that it's all coming through? Repeat this test a few times and then I'd be reasonably confident that the tube is good?

 

[TimCup]

i'm not sure about that method-

'Maybe this is a dumb question, but could I take a cup, draw a line in the cup to show the water level, then pour it through to another cup (with the same line marked) and verify that it's all coming through? Repeat this test a few times and then I'd be reasonably confident that the tube is good? [/quote]

Trying to measure that way would be pretty tough- I don't think all the water drains out- I think some still remains in the tube....

A better method, I think, is to seal up the outside (even with ducttape),and then fill the scupper on the inside. Watch the level for a 1/2 hour or so, it the level is the same, your seal has worked!

good luck-


cup

 

[sailingdog]

'Maybe this is a dumb question, but could I take a cup, draw a line in the cup to show the water level, then pour it through to another cup (with the same line marked) and verify that it's all coming through? Repeat this test a few times and then I'd be reasonably confident that the tube is good?

Trying to measure that way would be pretty tough- I don't think all the water drains out- I think some still remains in the tube....

A better method, I think, is to seal up the outside (even with ducttape),and then fill the scupper on the inside. Watch the level for a 1/2 hour or so, it the level is the same, your seal has worked!

good luck-


cup

The problem with both of these methods is that they don't account for a very slow or tiny leak, which is all that is necessary for the wood core to rot. It doesn't have to have very much water come in at a time... say a drop a day, and sooner or later, you'll have a rotten transom.... Replacing it properly if you have any doubts at all makes a lot more sense.

 

[TimCup]

And, By the way-

"in the meantime I would put some 5200 in around the tube just so that water wouldn't run in there in the meantime (since I had removed a cracked portion of the tube). "

you should know there's really no such thing as using 5200 "in the meantime". The cheaper stuff takes 7 days to fully harden, and after it's cured, the bond weill be stronger than the structure of what it bonded to.... in other words, if you tried to remove it with force, the fiberglas or wood would splinter before the bond broke. The more expensive 5200 is just as strong, just takes one day to harden.

Having said that, if you "lock" in the tube, sealing it fully to the transom surrounding it, I doubt you'll ever have another problem (assuming the tube isn't cracked inside). Short of someone shoving a screwdriver or some other object in the scupper-trying to clear a clog- that tube really isn't exposed to any pressures that might make it crack. And, remember, it's above the waterline, so water intrusion is minimal anyway. I believe any water that does get in leads to the bilge, but I'm not sure- maybe someone else will know. With that bilge being so shallow, you'd have to use a mirror and a flashlight to see if the bilge runs all the way to the transom...

cup