Looking for the group's expert advise on thru-hull removal and replacement.
Specifically interested in suggestions on how to unscrew old fittings w/o
buying some special tool, what adhesives to use when installing new fittings
and some brand preferences.  Thanks once again.

Southern Comfort
Chesapeake, VA

Hi Mike:

On a recent haul out I had the yard replace four 1 inch bronze thru-hulls.  Rather than "unscrew" them, the mechanic used a cutting burr on an air die grinder to grind the inside of the mushroom flange (from outside the boat) which then allowed the flange to fall off.  We, then, could easilly remove the remaining threaded shank and nut from inside the boat.  This made for a quick and easy job without damage to the hull.  The replacement bronze thru-hull fittings were available at West Marine and made by Buck Algonquin.  We used commercially available ( West Systemed plywood) backing blocks and everything was bedded with 3-M 5200.

George
M/V Ocean Lady

Michael and Cindy Ewing mikeandcindyewing@cox.net wrote:
Looking for the group's expert advise on thru-hull removal and replacement.
Specifically interested in suggestions on how to unscrew old fittings w/o
buying some special tool, what adhesives to use when installing new fittings
and some brand preferences. Thanks once again.

Southern Comfort
Chesapeake, VA

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Agree on Groco ball valves - not the ones with rubber plugs in them. You can
Apollo MARINE ball valves much more economically. Try to get them with
stainless ball. When I have removed a seacock, I've encountered some that
fit so tightly that they have to be unscrewed, There is a cheap tool you can
buy or make to removes these from the outside. Double nuts or a very large
monkey wrench can work from the inside. You may have to use Debond if 5200
was used.

I'd "stick" with 5200. Don't forget the teak backing plate on the inside -
mount with 5200. Only the use of the external tool would allow reuse, but
you want to replace them anyway, I guess.

Ron Rogers

----- Original Message -----
From: "Keith" keith@anastasia3.com

| Considering how much it would cost to try to remove them intact vs. the
cost
| of a new one, we just used an angle grinder to grind off the mushroom part
| on the outside then yank them out. Reinstalled with Lifecaulk polysulfide.
I
| wouldn't recommend 5200, maybe 4200 if you want a polyurethane, but
| polysulfides have been used for years with great success. Personally, I
| really like the Groco line of seacocks... I replaced all the old ones in
my
| boat with those. See: http://www.groco.net/ They have all kinds... check
| them out. Very high quality.

A quicker way is to use two hole saws on a common (long) drill bit or
mandrel. The small one pilots in the thru-hole opening, the larger one
is the size of the threads. Cuts out the thru-hull without damaging the
hull. Use a chisel to get the outside ring off.

I have the thru-hull removal tool, from Jamestown Distibutors for about
$37. Be prepared to use a big wrench on it...

Paul Esterle - Freelance Boating Writer
Columbia 10.7/Matilda 20
North East MD
www.captnpauley.com
pages.preferred.com/~pesterle/