[C320-list] Thru hulls

[Graeme Clark]

Good point Jeff

What is “rescue tape” - not something I’m familiar with on this side of the ‘pond’!

Graeme

On 21 Jul 2016, at 17:26, Jeff Hare <catalina at thehares.com> wrote:

> Graem,
> 
> In my opinion, you're far less likely to break off the thru-hull than you
> are to break the handle.  If the handle just breaks cleanly you won't be
> able to open/close it, but if it breaks further in where the screw holds it
> in place, then you'll get water coming in where the handle connects to the
> body of the valve.  In this case, the bung won't do you any good.  
> 
> Also, I believe a wooden plug doesn't work great with these thru-hulls
> anyway because if you plug it with too much pressure, you can crack the body
> and water will still come in.  They're really a carryover from bronze
> thru-hulls where you can hammer a wooden plug in without worrying about
> splitting the bronze.
> 
> In My Opinion:  The best bet is to attach a roll of rescue tape to the
> thru-hulls instead of plugs and know where to get hands on a pair of
> scissors quickly.
> 
> I also keep a little rescue kit containing a balled up wax ring (like they
> use for setting toilets) inside a ziplock bag that I can open up and press
> over a leak.
> 
> -Jeff
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf
> Of Graeme Clark
> Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2016 11:51 AM
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Thru hulls
> 
> The problem I have  with thru-hulls is that you are damned if you do and
> damned if you don't!
> 
> If you never shut it, a plastic thru-hull, is unlikely to fail whilst the
> boat is moored up. They don't corrode and there is no significant load on
> it.
> 
> BUT if you never open and shut it, it will eventually seize up (I think
> Marelon advise regular exercising of all their thru-hulls) The bigger risk
> is probably a hose popping off the spigot of the thru-hull or splitting
> somewhere else below the water line. I think this is why we use double hose
> clips etc.
> 
> With a 20 year old boat, I notice some of my  thru-hulls are  stiff to
> operate and wonder if one day something will break off in my hand whilst
> operating it For that reason I make sure there's a wooden bung of the
> appropriate size attached with a bit of cord to each thru-hull, ready to be
> thrust into the breach, should it ever happen!
> 
> Graeme
> Jaskar, #366
> 
> On 21 Jul 2016, at 16:39, Brian/Carol McLamb <bjcnmclamb at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> In my humble opinion you are doing it correctly.  We keep our boat in NC
> on the Neuse River in Oriental and are familiar with summer humidity.  All
> of our sea cocks remain closed when we are not physically present, and keep
> some damp rid containers in a couple of places throughout the boat.  Mold
> has not been an issue for us except for the year we retired and took off in
> the rv for an extended period of ten months.  
>> 
>> Brian McLamb s/v Serenity #1075
>> 
>> Sent from my iPad
>> 
>>> On Jul 20, 2016, at 8:57 PM, Troy Dunn <troutwarrior at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> So...we are new to the boat ownership thing.   Everything we have been
>>> taught and read has led us to believe that boats in general are notorious
>>> for sinking in their slips.   Usually because of some downstream failure
> of
>>> a filter, hose, or fitting that is attached to a thru hull below the
>>> waterline.   Our interpretation of that information has been to close all
>>> thru hulls prior to leaving the boat for an extended period of time.  
>>> I suppose what constitutes extended is open to interpretation, but as 
>>> weekend sailors (for now) we religiously close all thru hulls before 
>>> we leave the boat for the week and go back to our jobs so we can find 
>>> money to pour into the boat.
>>> 
>>> So imagine my surprise this past few weeks as various posts have 
>>> surfaced with problems whose solutions including zip tying a thru hull
> permanently
>>> open.  Seriously?  Is this actually a good idea?   We are totally new to
>>> this, but that sounds like a bad idea based on what we've been told 
>>> by folks we think know what they are talking about. Key word is think.
>>> 
>>> On the other hand...our boat has one of those really nice A/C systems
> which
>>> has a humidity control function.   We've wondered aloud if it was ok to
>>> leave the A/C thru hull open all week and keep the humidity out of our
>>> boat.   Does the joy of knowing our clothes and bed linens won't mildew
>>> outweigh the risk of arriving to a boat that has settled 4 ft. into the
>>> Chesapeake muck?   Just don't know.
>>> 
>>> Curious about your thoughts.  We have 4 thru hulls that we have to open
> and
>>> close each week.   Our macerater thru hull is permanently closed and
> wired
>>> shut per regs for our location.
>>> 
>>> Troy and Kim Dunn
>>> Hull #514.
> 
> -------------------
> I work irregular hours and often write emails late in the evening and at
> weekends; that doesn't mean I expect you to do the same; reply when
> convenient!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 

———————————————————
I work irregular hours and often write emails late in the evening and at weekends; that doesn’t mean I expect you to do the same; reply when convenient!