My old bilge hose is leaking, I would like to replace it but am unable to remove it.Nor can I figure out how to run the new hose through the same space the old one is. Has any one with a H-33 replaced the hose? thanks S/V PEARL
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It ain't easy
My friend Joe and I both have H-33's, 15 hull numbers apart. The bilge hoses runs in each are totally different. Hoses appear to have been placed before the floor pan was placed in the hull. Easy for them, impossible for us. My hose exits a hole drilled in the starboard side of the bilge, makes it's way between floor pan and hull into the after end of the aft starboard locker, then makes it's way under the 3 drawers into the head cabinet and overboard. Joe's exits the aft end of the bilge through that large opening there, and makes it's way to the head cabinet. We changed his out, here's how. - Remove the companionway ladder. - At the base of the ladder, against the head bulkhead is a small square of wood trim probably about 3" x 4" (just guessing) held in place by 1 or 2 screws. Remove it, drill or cut the largest hole you can that will allow replacing the wood trim. Looking in the hole you see right through the head door sill into the space under the head cabinet. - Remove the plywood 'floor' from the head cabinet. - From the bilge, snake an electricians wire snake back to this hole. Then bend it 90 degrees through the raised lip of the head's door sill into the space under the head cabinet. - We then used the snake to pull a light but strong line from cabinet, to hole, to bilge. - The line was then used to pull hose from bilge, to hole, to cabinet. As I recall, one of us pushed the hose from the bilge while the other tugged it to the hole (the tighest space is somewhere between bilge and the hole), then under the door sill. I don't remember all the details, but much sailor-like language is required so make sure all children are off the boat. You may have to experiment with different size hoses to find out what will fit. Different size bilge pumps have different sized hoses so use hose that fits your pump, or will fit a replacement pump.
My friend Joe and I both have H-33's, 15 hull numbers apart. The bilge hoses runs in each are totally different. Hoses appear to have been placed before the floor pan was placed in the hull. Easy for them, impossible for us. My hose exits a hole drilled in the starboard side of the bilge, makes it's way between floor pan and hull into the after end of the aft starboard locker, then makes it's way under the 3 drawers into the head cabinet and overboard. Joe's exits the aft end of the bilge through that large opening there, and makes it's way to the head cabinet. We changed his out, here's how. - Remove the companionway ladder. - At the base of the ladder, against the head bulkhead is a small square of wood trim probably about 3" x 4" (just guessing) held in place by 1 or 2 screws. Remove it, drill or cut the largest hole you can that will allow replacing the wood trim. Looking in the hole you see right through the head door sill into the space under the head cabinet. - Remove the plywood 'floor' from the head cabinet. - From the bilge, snake an electricians wire snake back to this hole. Then bend it 90 degrees through the raised lip of the head's door sill into the space under the head cabinet. - We then used the snake to pull a light but strong line from cabinet, to hole, to bilge. - The line was then used to pull hose from bilge, to hole, to cabinet. As I recall, one of us pushed the hose from the bilge while the other tugged it to the hole (the tighest space is somewhere between bilge and the hole), then under the door sill. I don't remember all the details, but much sailor-like language is required so make sure all children are off the boat. You may have to experiment with different size hoses to find out what will fit. Different size bilge pumps have different sized hoses so use hose that fits your pump, or will fit a replacement pump.
Clearly I'm speculating
So take this with a grain of salt. Dale has an experience and I have a theory. Use the existing hose as the snake for a strong line. So as you take out the old hose you pull the snake too. Killing two birds with one stone. The most difficult part of these chores is the "attaching" the line to the hose so it does not come off half way through the process. Make the line long enough to go through twice and tie the hose on in the middle of the line. Then if it does come off you can start again with out having to run the line. Also I have found that either making a "handle" for the hose or just piercing it works best. My handle is an old piece of barbed hose nipple that just has a hole drilled in it to pass the line. Keeps the "pull angle" nice and straight. I use zip ties to secure it to the hose in stead of a hose clamp. Roosa Family TRITIUM
So take this with a grain of salt. Dale has an experience and I have a theory. Use the existing hose as the snake for a strong line. So as you take out the old hose you pull the snake too. Killing two birds with one stone. The most difficult part of these chores is the "attaching" the line to the hose so it does not come off half way through the process. Make the line long enough to go through twice and tie the hose on in the middle of the line. Then if it does come off you can start again with out having to run the line. Also I have found that either making a "handle" for the hose or just piercing it works best. My handle is an old piece of barbed hose nipple that just has a hole drilled in it to pass the line. Keeps the "pull angle" nice and straight. I use zip ties to secure it to the hose in stead of a hose clamp. Roosa Family TRITIUM
h33 bilge hose
Dale Baker's friend's H33 bilge hose runs as the one I replaced several years ago on my 79 H33. Dale tells the difficulties of replacement well. A couple of comments: Probably will help to do it in the water. With the flexing of the hull from sitting on the keel, space between hull and liner will be even smaller. make sure the replacement is a smooth hose and use a lubricant if necessary in pulling it through. The original hose is expandable plastic reinforced with spriral wire, hydraulically rough inside so that a smooth hose can carry more water at the same diameter (or equivalent water at a lesser diameter if necessary).
Dale Baker's friend's H33 bilge hose runs as the one I replaced several years ago on my 79 H33. Dale tells the difficulties of replacement well. A couple of comments: Probably will help to do it in the water. With the flexing of the hull from sitting on the keel, space between hull and liner will be even smaller. make sure the replacement is a smooth hose and use a lubricant if necessary in pulling it through. The original hose is expandable plastic reinforced with spriral wire, hydraulically rough inside so that a smooth hose can carry more water at the same diameter (or equivalent water at a lesser diameter if necessary).
Painful process
I feel for ya', just gave this a shot a couple of weeks ago and decided to bag it--they don't make that sucker to come out. We had a leak in the hose at a point behind the head cabinet but decided the smart thing to do would be replace the whole hose as long as we were there. We tried the method that Bill suggested but the original wouldn't budge, much less work as a snake. We're heading out next week and didn't want to tear the thing up so we just replaced the bad section and gave up on the project for the short term. I imagine that Dale's method is pretty much what you're going to have to do. I have trouble believing you could get much through there beyond 3/4" hose (that's what ours has now)--I was thinking of upsizing the hose since upgrading the bilge pump, but made do with an adapter instead (Rule makes a good one).
I feel for ya', just gave this a shot a couple of weeks ago and decided to bag it--they don't make that sucker to come out. We had a leak in the hose at a point behind the head cabinet but decided the smart thing to do would be replace the whole hose as long as we were there. We tried the method that Bill suggested but the original wouldn't budge, much less work as a snake. We're heading out next week and didn't want to tear the thing up so we just replaced the bad section and gave up on the project for the short term. I imagine that Dale's method is pretty much what you're going to have to do. I have trouble believing you could get much through there beyond 3/4" hose (that's what ours has now)--I was thinking of upsizing the hose since upgrading the bilge pump, but made do with an adapter instead (Rule makes a good one).
how about a bilge pipe
unstead of a bilge hose ? When I needed mine replaced shortly after buying my H33-82, the guy who did it, shoved a piece of PVC tubing from the bilge opening at the aft end of the bilge toward the head and exited under the sink cabinet in the head. A few 90 degree connections later, and he had c-clamped a standard flexible bilge hose to the PVC pipe and exited through the existing thru-hull. He used thin-walled PVC, so it was flexible, and I guess it just followed the shape of the hull. At the other end of the PVC pipe, he used an elbow to raise the pipe to just beneath the level of the flooring, then another elbow to lower it into the bilge where another short piece of flexible bilge line was clamped between it and the bilge pump. Has worked great for two years now, and has very low resistance to pumping. I don't think there is any worry of it splitting or wearing out either. If you want, I will take a photo and send it.
unstead of a bilge hose ? When I needed mine replaced shortly after buying my H33-82, the guy who did it, shoved a piece of PVC tubing from the bilge opening at the aft end of the bilge toward the head and exited under the sink cabinet in the head. A few 90 degree connections later, and he had c-clamped a standard flexible bilge hose to the PVC pipe and exited through the existing thru-hull. He used thin-walled PVC, so it was flexible, and I guess it just followed the shape of the hull. At the other end of the PVC pipe, he used an elbow to raise the pipe to just beneath the level of the flooring, then another elbow to lower it into the bilge where another short piece of flexible bilge line was clamped between it and the bilge pump. Has worked great for two years now, and has very low resistance to pumping. I don't think there is any worry of it splitting or wearing out either. If you want, I will take a photo and send it.
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