Deck Fill Cap - lanyards/chains

Jun 20, 2021
165
Beneteau 343 Fort Lauderdale
I get the humor, but bought the boat hurricane damaged and the previous owner neglected maintenance or did repairs with deck screws. I just don't trust anything until I get a chance to inspect it. I'm slowly reaching the end of the refit. Refrigeration and water heater are the only two systems that I haven't gotten to, but I'm not planning to use shore power, so I'm more inclined to remove them or update with 12V systems.
 
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Jan 4, 2006
7,230
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
Sorry you're the butt of my cheap humour but if you don't laugh at this stuff you'll eventually break down.

Previous owners of boats are a particular breed unto themselves. Some of the stunts pulled by previous owners (and reported here) and are both hilarious and horrifying. Something happens when these people get on a boat. All common sense flies out the hatches and ports. Maybe salt water attacks their brains but something goes horribly wrong when they get on a boat.

Refrigeration and water heater are the only two systems that I haven't gotten to, but I'm not planning to use shore power, so I'm more inclined to remove them or update with 12V systems.
I would think that hot water and refrig would be would be mandatory in your neighbourhood with a cold drink and warm shower to wash away the sweat at the end of a hot, humid, sweaty Florida day.

Being that as it may, I would recommend a hot water heater with a heat exchanger to take advantage of the engine heat. Like it or not, I think the tank comes with a 120V connection. I can't imagine life afloat without refrigeration. An absolute luxury when gone for long periods. A camper I'm not. Maybe think about the smallest generator available if you're going without shore power.

Keep us updated as your project sounds interesting.
 
Jun 20, 2021
165
Beneteau 343 Fort Lauderdale
no harm, no foul. It was taken as humor so no worries.

I just ripped out the 230V 50Hz systems last night.
 
Jan 4, 2006
7,230
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
I just ripped out the 230V 50Hz systems last night.
I take it this is not an American production model and you're converting all electrical components to 120V 60 Hz.
Big job. Now you'll have to keep me up to date on what's happening.
 
Jun 20, 2021
165
Beneteau 343 Fort Lauderdale
It's mostly converted, but still had an old inverter and 230V to 12V converter. There have been many surprises.
 
May 3, 2010
7
Tanzer 26 Porr
Good that it wasn't diesel!

One of our water tanks is long and low. If we fill from the fill cap the water will run out the inspection port and flood the cabin floor. It is easier to drag the hose down into the cabin and fill the tank from the inspection port. Less messy too.
You should repair that inspection port. If water can get out insects or contaminants can get in.
 
Jan 11, 2014
12,832
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
But @sunlover now suspects his entire boat to be broken



Is he now doomed to do an entire boat inspection, stem to stern, every time he boards his boat:laugh: ? Every weekend will be spent inspecting his boat to ensure nothing is broken before collecting the courage to take it out:facepalm:.

Surely a fate worse than death :yikes: !
This is a perfectly good strategy. Because the more you use your boat the more things break. So fix it once and then never use it again.

Standard conversation starters for cruisers:
"Where ya from?"
"Where ya going?
"What's broken"

:beer:;)
 
Jan 11, 2014
12,832
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
You should repair that inspection port. If water can get out insects or contaminants can get in.
It only leaks under pressure from the fill hose. Once the water flow stops, the tank is fine. Because of the way the vent is plumbed it is possible to have a 1 ¼" hose full of water pressurizing the tank. When I stop filling the tank and the water drains out of the hose, all is good.
 
Oct 29, 2012
353
Catalina 30 TRBS MkII Milwaukee
I have some of each and frankly those chains are so unreliable I feel better with the cap in my pocket while filling a tank.
Absolutely!!!! The fuel cap chain makes it very difficult while refueling, and I was always concerned it would break during the process. And it is far easier to replace O rings without the stupid chain in the way.
 
Apr 8, 2011
772
Hunter 40 Deale, MD
One of the very first things I learned when I first my first boat with fill tanks was just this. ^^^^

The very best thing you can do is cut all of those chains off and put the caps somewhere safe, 'cuz at the end of one of those chains just ain't it! :)
This makes a lot of sense. Part of me wonders whether the caps with the broken chains are replacements for the ones that the PO was hanging there when the chain broke/came undone while fueling/pumping out/adding water. Cupholders on the aft seats make awesome places to put the fuel and pumpout caps. Can't knock them into the water, and they're right where I left them every time. I can't actually replace mine if I lost one without replacing the fitting - they're no longer made, according to SBO. So...super careful or I've got a very inconvenient project to add to the list. I might consider having a machine shop make one from a remaining specimen if I lost one, rather than replacing a fitting. Sheesh. Bet that wouldn't be cheap.
 
Jan 4, 2006
7,230
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
I might consider having a machine shop make one from a remaining specimen if I lost one, rather than replacing a fitting. Sheesh. Bet that wouldn't be cheap.
It would be cheaper to buy a whole new deck assembly, hire three plumbers to install it, a project manager to oversee it, and throw a catered party with dancing girls to celebrate the installation :facepalm:.
 
Jul 5, 2011
739
Oday 28 Madison, CT
The chain retention screw (water fill) a few inches down from the deck cap apparently loosened, but I'll be darned if I can figure how to attach a new one, even if I knew what size/type it was. Not a clever setup in my view.
 
Sep 20, 2006
2,952
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
Unfortunately you cannot use the chain on the pump out cap and the diesel cap chain was broken off long ago......... and neither cap floats....:banghead:
 
Jun 20, 2021
165
Beneteau 343 Fort Lauderdale
Unfortunately you cannot use the chain on the pump out cap and the diesel cap chain was broken off long ago......... and neither cap floats....:banghead:
looks like keeping spares is the best.
 
Sep 20, 2006
2,952
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
looks like keeping spares is the best.
Indeed, but at $55 US ( times 1.3 for CDN ) plus shipping etc., it's an expensive "spare" :yikes: When I lost the diesel cap I used the waste cap until the new one arrived. Wasn't overly concerned about some rain getting into the waste tank for a week or two.
 
Apr 8, 2011
772
Hunter 40 Deale, MD
It would be cheaper to buy a whole new deck assembly, hire three plumbers to install it, a project manager to oversee it, and throw a catered party with dancing girls to celebrate the installation :facepalm:.
You had me at dancing girls...

It also occurred to me that it is entirely possible to have a cap scanned and 3-d printed for a very reasonable amount if you were willing to accept a plastic cap with a slight modification that did away with the push down/flip up bit that lets you unscrew the cap by hand. If you made the exterior similar to a car's gas cap to allow a fixed surface to be used to unscrew the cap it would be a very inexpensive part to make, and you could use the same gaskets. Or print the cap with two holes for a deck key, and then the cap would be flush with the hull. Offhand I don't imagine the caps have to be metal. Of course, there are 3-d printers that will "print" metal, but I imagine that's significantly more expensive. I'd buy a plastic spare or two in case one of my H36 caps went overboard. Hmmm... @Phil Herring ??
 
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Jun 18, 2015
69
Mascot 28 Pilothouse Motorsailer Grand Manan
I used a foot of 3mm poly twine-(not bothered by fuel,etc.). I tied one end to cover,tied a 3/4"? steel nut to the other end & dropped the nut down the fillers- diesel & water. Still there after 12+ yrs. Works great since I can pull the cap enough to place it out of the way while filling. If twine breaks,steel nut will drop in tank-no harm done?
 
Jan 4, 2006
7,230
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
I tied one end to cover,tied a 3/4"? steel nut to the other end & dropped the nut down the fillers- diesel & water.
Way too simple :oops: !

No way to lose the cap.
The cap can't be misplaced.
The cap's always where you left it.
Nothing to get excited about. Boredom set in.

What about the deck fill manufacturers ? Their sales are cut by a good %.

Hmmmmmmm :doh: ! Perhaps the ultimate solution when the chain is lost, a new cap is purchased and the chain can't be attached.

Maybe charge royalties.
 
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