We have a 1999 Hunter 380 which has one cowl missing and the other a mess. I bought repalcements from Hunter but they do not fit on the original base which is screwed on to the deck and then adhered to the deck with some sort of adhesive/caulk. Has anyone replaced these bases before? I'm concerned about how much force or what tool to use to pry off the existing base without doing damage and creating a bigger problem. Also, assuming I get them off without damage to the surface, what adhesive/caulking product would you suggest to make sure no water gets into the saloon ceiling? Thanks !!
Cowl and base replacement
- Thread starter jackzimmerman
- Start date
- Status
Are you talking about the dorades? You want to remove those because the horns(cowls) don't fit? I am not understanding why you would not simply get cowls that fit.
I bought the only replacement Hunter offered but the diameter of the new cowl is smaller than the original and will not slide onto the base. Sorry I don't the know the right terminology, is the base the dorade? But you bring up a great point, you're saying forget Hunter's product and just shop the internet for any cowl the fits the exact diameter base I have and avoid the whole issue? Do most cowls just slide onto the base/dorade?
Info
Would you be able to take some close up photo's of the cowls and deck hole and show us.
I have one cowl on my 2007 H-36 and looks crappy and the finish just gets very blackish and very dirty looking no matter what I use to clean and try keep them white,any way mine is a very tight fit and very hard to remove which is good so they don't come off while sailing in bad weather.I have been looking to replace them with something better but nothing yet they are like a white soft rubber and like I said very hard to keep from turning ugly looking all blackish spots.
If you can show photo's maybe me or some one else may buy them so you can get the better fitting ones and what they are made of,I am looking for like hard plastic.
I think it would be a bad idea to try and remove the ones on your deck,they are mounted real good and make them worse trying to remove,show some photo's if you can,what size hole are they
Nick
Would you be able to take some close up photo's of the cowls and deck hole and show us.
I have one cowl on my 2007 H-36 and looks crappy and the finish just gets very blackish and very dirty looking no matter what I use to clean and try keep them white,any way mine is a very tight fit and very hard to remove which is good so they don't come off while sailing in bad weather.I have been looking to replace them with something better but nothing yet they are like a white soft rubber and like I said very hard to keep from turning ugly looking all blackish spots.
If you can show photo's maybe me or some one else may buy them so you can get the better fitting ones and what they are made of,I am looking for like hard plastic.
I think it would be a bad idea to try and remove the ones on your deck,they are mounted real good and make them worse trying to remove,show some photo's if you can,what size hole are they
Nick
Re: Info
Thanks. I am back home now but will take a photo this weekend. It sounds like I have the same cowl as you, soft white plastic that gets black splotches all overand is impossible to clean. I would be happy at this point to just have another one to replace the missing one. Thsi is turning into another hassle.
Thanks. I am back home now but will take a photo this weekend. It sounds like I have the same cowl as you, soft white plastic that gets black splotches all overand is impossible to clean. I would be happy at this point to just have another one to replace the missing one. Thsi is turning into another hassle.
You could go with a metal cowl but not cheap: http://www.sailboatstuff.com/cb_ventABI.html . They are a standard size, 4" I think. I cannot understand how a Hunter supplied cowl could be the wrong size.
I guess they are three inches, here are the PVC models from Defender: http://search.defender.com/?expression=cowl vents . They are also here in the store on SBO. I notice that these have a flange at the bottom. Mine do not, they just plug into the hole. And tightly.
I wonder if you could paint those Nick. With the right paint they would not turn black like they do. My current ones have been pretty good for about six years now.
P.S. they do not have a flange. That's just the base that comes with the cowl vent. The bottom of the vent is 3" but you need a 3 and 3/4" hole to use the new base.
I guess they are three inches, here are the PVC models from Defender: http://search.defender.com/?expression=cowl vents . They are also here in the store on SBO. I notice that these have a flange at the bottom. Mine do not, they just plug into the hole. And tightly.
I wonder if you could paint those Nick. With the right paint they would not turn black like they do. My current ones have been pretty good for about six years now.
P.S. they do not have a flange. That's just the base that comes with the cowl vent. The bottom of the vent is 3" but you need a 3 and 3/4" hole to use the new base.
Attachments
Ed: read "specifications are subject to change". We must "assume" that they changed the spec's and/or mfg during the build cycle.
I might suggest that you look at the metal ones that they sell on this site.
To remove the old ones you may need to get some solvent to loosen up the caulking that were on the old ones. Sometimes a putty knife will do the job.
I might suggest that you look at the metal ones that they sell on this site.
To remove the old ones you may need to get some solvent to loosen up the caulking that were on the old ones. Sometimes a putty knife will do the job.
Wooeee. I had a 1999 Hunter 380 and I replaced the Dorade Cowls for shinny stainless ones, I believe, bought from this web site. All you had to do was take the old ones off, clean the fiberglass beneath them, then caulk and insert the base and then screw them in. Maybe I bolted them in--I can't remember. Either way it was easy. Then you screw in the Dorades and tighten a set screw. Wow, did they look good and they really improved the looks of my boat. I think they helped sell my boat three years ago. She looked good!
As an aside to some of you. Back in the 1930s I believe Sparkman and Stevens designed a wood boat which was named Dorade. The design team came up with a box that was on either side of the mast that had cowls. But the entrance to the cabin was aft of the cowls so no water would get into the cabin. It was a unique and different solution to getting air into the cabin. From that time, devices that allowed air into the cabin without all the water were essentially called Dorade vents.
Another point to make. If one has Dorade vents, one cowl should fast forward and one cowl should face aft. Wind going past the aft facing one sucks air out of the cabin while of course the one facing forward pulls air in. Aim both forward and you actually can stop the movement of air into the cabin.
Dorade was a beautiful full keel cutter yawl which for a number of years sailed out of a camp for kids on Orcus Island in the San Juan chain. She earlier had won a cross Atlantic race and was the beginning of a series of S & S designed, smaller, lighter sailboats....although today she would be considered more of a heavy boat. She was beautiful under sail.
As an aside to some of you. Back in the 1930s I believe Sparkman and Stevens designed a wood boat which was named Dorade. The design team came up with a box that was on either side of the mast that had cowls. But the entrance to the cabin was aft of the cowls so no water would get into the cabin. It was a unique and different solution to getting air into the cabin. From that time, devices that allowed air into the cabin without all the water were essentially called Dorade vents.
Another point to make. If one has Dorade vents, one cowl should fast forward and one cowl should face aft. Wind going past the aft facing one sucks air out of the cabin while of course the one facing forward pulls air in. Aim both forward and you actually can stop the movement of air into the cabin.
Dorade was a beautiful full keel cutter yawl which for a number of years sailed out of a camp for kids on Orcus Island in the San Juan chain. She earlier had won a cross Atlantic race and was the beginning of a series of S & S designed, smaller, lighter sailboats....although today she would be considered more of a heavy boat. She was beautiful under sail.
Hi everyone, thanks for your guidance and suggestions. I'm at this less than a year so everything seems like a challenge!! So if I do force out the existing base plate with a putty knife what adhesive or caulk would you recommend using to install the new one? Thanks
Les, on the older Hunter 34's , both cowl vents feed a common box. To get air into the cabin, they both should face the same direction otherwise air will go in one cowl and out the other, not entering the cabin at all. I suspect that some other hunters have a similar arrangement that requires both to face the same way.
The Dorade story is a good one.. Thanks !
The Dorade story is a good one.. Thanks !
Last edited:
If you look at the West Marine catalog, they have a compatibily chart for the different type of caulking/sealants. Just stay away from 5200 (don't know what would be recommended).
If you use plastic vents, the recommended caulking MAY be different than if you use metal ones.
If you use plastic vents, the recommended caulking MAY be different than if you use metal ones.
Great
My cowls are 4'' and the rubber that they are made of seems to be peeling and not a nice smooth finish any more so thats why they are hard to keep clean.
The boat is 2007 and have been just always cleaning them but would like to replace with some thing that looks good with out so much work,maybe stainless would look good or a harder plastic finish that can be waxed would be good,thanks for the info for replacement.
I might try painting with a good paint and see if they stay nice.
Nick
My cowls are 4'' and the rubber that they are made of seems to be peeling and not a nice smooth finish any more so thats why they are hard to keep clean.
The boat is 2007 and have been just always cleaning them but would like to replace with some thing that looks good with out so much work,maybe stainless would look good or a harder plastic finish that can be waxed would be good,thanks for the info for replacement.
I might try painting with a good paint and see if they stay nice.
Nick
Re: Great
I repainted mine with a paint that was described to be for fenders etc- think it was a Phab product. It has held up well and this is year 2. I cleaned with acetone first.
Krylon plastic paint might work also
I repainted mine with a paint that was described to be for fenders etc- think it was a Phab product. It has held up well and this is year 2. I cleaned with acetone first.
Krylon plastic paint might work also
- Status