Bee-ware!

[Roadking Larry]

Found an interesting problem yesterday. My Cal 2-27 is on it's trailer sitting in my driveway undergoing some pre launch work. Yesterday I decided to run the engine. The boat has been plumbed so that I can supply water to the Atomic 4 through the galley sink (also used for winterizing). No problems feeding the engine but found that neither the cooling water or sink through hull would drain. Earlier I had noticed a few wood bees around the boat while I was painting and was more concerned with having a bee stuck in the fresh barrier paint.
The bloody things had crawled up into the through hulls and made nests clogging all 3 of my through hull holes.
Easy enough to clean out on the hard but would have been a PITA if I found it after I was in the water.

 

[Brian D]

Nice. We outboard folks have the same issue with the pee hole in the motor. Leave it too long and something crawls up inside and either builds a nest or dies. Either way, when we start the motor there is no tell-tail sign that the water pump is working. So before I start the motor I flush with fresh water, or, I will take a tooth pick and clear out the hole.

Good luck with the bees!

 

[Skipper]

Nice. We outboard folks have the same issue with the pee hole in the motor. Leave it too long and something crawls up inside and either builds a nest or dies. Either way, when we start the motor there is no tell-tail sign that the water pump is working. So before I start the motor I flush with fresh water, or, I will take a tooth pick and clear out the hole.

Good luck with the bees!

Just a note: the best remedy I found for OB pee holes is a plastic tube from a WD-40 can (or similar). Won't damage the engine, rigid enough to do the job, the hole in the tube allows for debris to ram inside it instead of packing it into the engine, and just the right size. A few pokes and it's done.

 

[LooseDiamond]

Reminds me of the time I launched for the first time one season. Sailing along, opened cockpit lazarette, and was greeted by some angry yellow jackets. Not good in a confined area with nowhere to run and a boat to tend!

 

[Darwin19229]

Plugging thru-hulls

This happened to me a long time ago, now I put old socks in all my thru-hulls when the boat is out of the water.

Regards,

 

[Ron20324]

Mud daubers is what we call those little rascals. It makes a turn of the old saying "Up your nose with a rubber hose" into "Up your hose with a rubber nose".

 

[bletso]

It's amazing where they can get to. I bet I have cleared out 20+ of their nests since we started our re-fit. When the boat was uncovered they thought they owned the place. A year into the project and I am still finding places where they had been.

They liked the manual pump opening into the locker and engine compartment and one of the dorades where the screen was missing and then into the cabin.