Thru Hull Question with pics

Feb 24, 2013
82
Coronado C25 San Pedro, CA
I am redoing my head and I need to reroute the hose from the macerator to the thru hull which in turn I now need to rotate the bronze elbow on top of the ball valve clockwise 90 degrees. The boat is in the water and the elbow looks like it's been on there for many years, Question is: (1) How do I rotate the elbow without disturbing the thru hull? (2) should I remove the elbow and clean everything and reinstall it? (3) if so, if it "frozen" or "questionably" tight can or should I use some heat to help break it loose? (4) What other options are there besides hauling the boat out?

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Last edited:
Oct 5, 2008
8
Palmer 32 Gibsons
I'm being cautious. I would wait untill the boat is out of the water. That way if you break something or otherwise disturb the through hull to hull seal or valve to through hull seal you won't sink the boat or have a mad scramble to plug the hole and get an emergency lift.
I have refitted/resealed T.H.s BECAUSE when trying to get the shutoff or the other fittings off the through hull got its seal broken. The parts were all ok but the seal was lost and it all had to be stripped down, cleaned and resealed.

If you are determined then have plugs, rags at hand. Use two LARGE pipe wrenches, the bigger the better so you can get LOTS of leverage meaning you won;t be struggling and jerking. A nice, even torque applied easily from long handles will result in better control of the process than a fight with a too small wrench which when the part releases results in over movement.

Some thread sealing compounds will suffer some movement and still maintain a seal. Some will not and once disturbed will leak. Tfe tape, if well done will likely allow some movement but there is also some other goop and who knows about that stuff.
 
Sep 20, 2014
1,329
Rob Legg RL24 Chain O'Lakes
I would be inclined to try to break it loose. It looks as if it is very close to the side of your boat. Assuming that is correct, put you wrench on the valve, with the back of the wrench propped up against the side of the boat. Then make sure your torque is also pushing against the side of the boat. This way you won't put any side load on the fitting, but only rotational load.
 
Jan 4, 2007
406
Hunter 30 Centerport
Do this out of the water!
1) Remove host clamp and hose... A blow dryer can help soften the hose to make it easier to get off.
2) Soak threads on hose barb an on the 90 degree elbow with PB Blaster spray. Do this daily for a week or so. Each time you spray tap with a small hammer or a box ranch. The tapping helps the PB Blaster penetrate.
3) Use a plumbers propane torch to heat the threads on the hose barb until is sizzles when you touch it with a damp cloth. Red hot is not necessary. ( keep a wet rag and a bucket of water near by in case)
4) while wearing work gloves use a small pipe wrench to take the nipple off. You'd be so surprised how easy the heat makes it work.
5) with the hose barb off you can now do the same heat trick with the 90 degree fitting and you"ll be able to rotate it 360 degrees. This time however you'll need something like a short iron bar to stick into the fitting and turn is and a pipe wrench to hold the valve body still. iF you can find a be use 2 small pipe wrenches. One to hold the valve body and the other to turn th 90 degree.
6) Inspect the valve and replace if the ball is corroded or it doesn't operate smoothly.
7) when you put it all back together use Teflon tape on the threads.
 
Dec 2, 2003
764
Hunter 260 winnipeg, Manitoba
My bad. Meant to put bronze not brass. When I looked at some online they were plastic or brass and guess it got stuck in the brain!

I would use the hose adjustment until you do a haul out then do Nelsonhows method to replace. Breaking free know could cause the thruhull to spin and break its seal with the hull or the depending on age, corrosion etc the thru hull or valve could break leaving you with the need for either tapered plugs or an emergency haulout.

When hauled you could also look at replacing the thruhull / valve with a proper seacock as discussed on MaineSails site.
 
Last edited:
Dec 2, 1997
8,946
- - LIttle Rock
The seacock/thru-hull may not be your only problem...That hose definitely is NOT sanitation hose... I'm fairly certain it's nylon fresh water hose (red stripe indicates HOT water), not rated for below-waterline use.
Once you've solved the seaock/thru-hull problem, do we need to talk about what you need to do next? If so, give me a shout.
 
Feb 24, 2013
82
Coronado C25 San Pedro, CA
The seacock/thru-hull may not be your only problem...That hose definitely is NOT sanitation hose... I'm fairly certain it's nylon fresh water hose (red stripe indicates HOT water), not rated for below-waterline use.
Once you've solved the seaock/thru-hull problem, do we need to talk about what you need to do next? If so, give me a shout.
The hose AND everything else was done wrong from one of the PO's, that's why I'm redoing everything except the thru hull (can't afford a haul out). The elbow in the current orientation is in the way that's why I need to rotate it 90 degrees
clockwise.
 
Dec 2, 1997
8,946
- - LIttle Rock
Fwiw, a "short haul" (the boat is lifted but remains in the travel lift, which moves forward to put it over dry land so you can work on it) is usually very inexpensive compared to hauling the boat and setting it on stands. It's usually quoted by the hour, so you need to have all your "ducks lined up beak to tail" ready to get the job in an hour or less. I did that twice during the 2 yr restoration of my own "project" boat. Not all yards will do it, and it'll prob'ly have to be one that allows DIY work, but definitely worth checking into doing that to replace that thru-hull.
 
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Feb 24, 2013
82
Coronado C25 San Pedro, CA
There is a DIY yard just around the corner from my marina, I don't know if they will short haul but it's worth asking. Thank You