Tuesday, January 28, 2014

New Holes Old Holes...and a little break!

   I really haven't had the ambition to keep my posts up to date with the work I have been doing. Sorry! As some of you know, I used to do daily posts in detail of my work but find the boatyard life has very little time allotted for me to screw around with a camera documenting my 30 or more trips up and down the ladder daily as I get these thru-hulls done.

  I made up an appropriate size plate of multi-layered fiberglass mat and woven roving for enough material to cut and have a little extra backing plate to reinforce the thru-hulls I planned on replacing. Eight of the twelve thru-hulls I removed, I'm putting back in with extra backing plate and thru-bolts. After relocating the position of two thru-hulls to more accessible places on the hull, I will be left with six holes to patch in the hull. (note: I discarded the old PERKO 3/4" thru-hulls due to the fact I was not happy how the rebuild kit parts fit..totally unacceptable. I returned them and bought what you see in this first picture, solid bronze base and removable bronze ball valves. I was happy enough with the larger rebuild kits and kept them.)

  Here is the backing plates cut out and sized for the fittings.

 


After a thorough cleaning of the interior hull, I epoxied the backing plates to the hull along with about 19 other steps for each and every one. Then, in a little more than half a day, Vicky and I installed them all!  Here you see a few of the new thru-hulls firmly attached to the boat. We won't have to worry about these anymore.






This is one of the examples of replacing and relocating holes. This is in an aft locker under a bed. There was a salt water strainer (not in picture) feeding this kinda cobbled together manifold which feeds different things on the boat that require salt water, refrigeration cooling, water-maker and salt water pump at the galley sink. The manifold is a great idea for minimizing thru-hulls, but I want something more central and a littler neater and easier to get at. What a great storage locker this will be when the hole is plugged and there is nothing that needs access to.



Another storage locker under that same bed that will be great without a thru-hull taking up space.
This particular 1 1/2" diameter  thru-hull, was the one that only had one and three quarter turns of thread holding it to the hull. No bolts, no backing plate...just some 30+ year old silicone and less than two threads!!!!!!


Here is a view of the outside holes needing to be properly plugged along side a couple of new.

This is where I'm at today,  the first day that I really took a break in three weeks. It's raining, the temperature is dropping and tomorrow is predicted to be even colder and just as wet if not more.

1 comment:

  1. I bet those repairs/upgrades will bring a good sense of accomplishment and one more task marked off the list. Looks like everything is coming right along!

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