Our Hunter like most of them was supplied with corrugated hose for the sink drains, cockpit drains and bilge pumps. I had a surveyor on the boat for an insurance survey and he told me that I should get rid of all of the corrugated hose and replace with smooth walled hose. His warning was that the cuffs could come off and sink the boat. (All the drains are below the water line.) This sounds like he knows what he is talking about. Why would Hunter use the corrugated hose? Is it because it is more flexible and can make more severe bends? Our boat is 7 years old, all of the drain hoses look to be in excellent condition, but I might go through the drill and replace them with regular hose. Any thoughts? Bill
Corrugated Drain Hoses
- Thread starter Bill Bell
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My surveyor told me the same thing..
and also that the plastic through hulls for bilge, a/c, etc., should be changed to metal. Apparently the uv breaks down the plastic overtime and they will break, the hose will fall back into the boat with the same effect you describe above. I've changed a few of them because they looked bad, but I don't plan to change the hoses. Like everything, it a matter of risk/benefit. If the manuf and insurance companies continue with it, the risk must be pretty low. You might check the ABYC standards (or someone here will quote them) to see what they say.
and also that the plastic through hulls for bilge, a/c, etc., should be changed to metal. Apparently the uv breaks down the plastic overtime and they will break, the hose will fall back into the boat with the same effect you describe above. I've changed a few of them because they looked bad, but I don't plan to change the hoses. Like everything, it a matter of risk/benefit. If the manuf and insurance companies continue with it, the risk must be pretty low. You might check the ABYC standards (or someone here will quote them) to see what they say.
The risk may be low but it is your boat!!!
Bronze doesn't go bad in a life time. Reinforced vinyl hose is the minimum that I allow on my boat. Insurance be damned, it is still too much trouble to clean up the mess that results in a claim.
Bronze doesn't go bad in a life time. Reinforced vinyl hose is the minimum that I allow on my boat. Insurance be damned, it is still too much trouble to clean up the mess that results in a claim.
Corrugated hose on a 7 yr old boat?
Wow! Corrugated hose wasn't uncommon at all on boats built in the '70s and earlier..but in the '90s???? Whether or not it'll sink your boat is really up to you. If you leave seacocks open while you're away from the boat, it certainly can. Keep 'em closed. Plastic thru-hulls may or may not put your boat at risk. Marelon is as safe as bronze, but if they're anything else--especially nylon--they should be replaced with either bronze or marelon. Should you replace all your corrugated hoses? I would, but not because there's any reason to panic...the corrugations trap grease, soap scum etc in sink drains, trash and axscum in cockpit drains...and yes, they can part company from their cuffs. So be sure to close ALL your seacocks when leaving the boat...and over the winter as you have time, replace all the corrugated hoses with smooth walled hoses.
Wow! Corrugated hose wasn't uncommon at all on boats built in the '70s and earlier..but in the '90s???? Whether or not it'll sink your boat is really up to you. If you leave seacocks open while you're away from the boat, it certainly can. Keep 'em closed. Plastic thru-hulls may or may not put your boat at risk. Marelon is as safe as bronze, but if they're anything else--especially nylon--they should be replaced with either bronze or marelon. Should you replace all your corrugated hoses? I would, but not because there's any reason to panic...the corrugations trap grease, soap scum etc in sink drains, trash and axscum in cockpit drains...and yes, they can part company from their cuffs. So be sure to close ALL your seacocks when leaving the boat...and over the winter as you have time, replace all the corrugated hoses with smooth walled hoses.
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