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Old 11-06-2014, 14:24   #1
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Cheoy Lee keel drain plug… help!

Okay, so I posted earlier under a different thread, but it seems I have another (possibly bigger) problem.

Does anybody know what the size of the keel plug would be for a 1978 Cheoy Lee Offshore 32?

I just learned the hard way that measuring a 1/2" in diameter is NOT the same as a 1/2" NPT threaded plug. Too big. I've also tried a 3/8" NPT which is too big as well, and 1/4" is too small. Is it possible it's metric?

If that's the case then I'm looking at replacing the whole assembly with something more commonly available… as my vacation and the sailing season disappear… ARGH!
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Old 11-06-2014, 18:54   #2
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Re: Cheoy Lee keel drain plug… help!

I have a 1978 Cheoy Lee 30 Offshore on stands in my backyard. I have the keel drain plug, I have removed it to drain the bilge many of times. Not sure if its the same size but I would bet on it. Did you misplace your? Tell me how you want me to measure it and I will.
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Old 11-06-2014, 19:19   #3
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Re: Cheoy Lee keel drain plug… help!

Could be an SAE thread instead of NPT. Where are you located? If in the US go to a hardware store and try a regular bolt. Note that many sizes come in fine and coarse threads.
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Old 11-06-2014, 20:23   #4
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Re: Cheoy Lee keel drain plug… help!

Until recently I owned a Cheoy Lee Offshore 40 with the same arrangement. I recall it's a very fine thread. Suggest you take a 'print' of the thread using a piece of paper on your little finger, to reduce the number of options when you go back to the hardware store.

Did you misplace the original, or was it pitted by cathodic corrosion? That happened to me once, and I traced the problem to a stray wire in the bilge..

I also recall, every haul-out, the difficulty of deciding how tight to screw it back. I concluded that covering it with antifouling was sufficient to 'lock it', but NOT coating the threads with anything except PTFE tape.
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Old 12-06-2014, 05:38   #5
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Re: Cheoy Lee keel drain plug… help!

Thanks for the replies. Youngsalty, I wish I could tell you HOW to measure it. I have a cheap (but very useful) plastic screw gauge that I think I got from one of the hardware stores, but if this is something other than NPT I don't think it will work. Skipmac, good point, I didn't even think it could be SAE. Although that would seem unlikely for a 1978 boat built in Hong Kong.

Chris, I'll definitely try the paper/finger trick. It does seem to be a fairly fine thread. Just for giggles we slid in a 12mm tap- seems it's about 14mm or so. It was misplaced. We've had it for about a year, and it's been on the hard for about two years total.

Interestingly, I've reached out to Jonathan Cannon at Cheoy Lee in Kowloon and even THEY don't have a record of what it would have been. As an aside, if you do own a Cheoy Lee they are very supportive even though they haven't built these boats for many years.
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Old 12-06-2014, 05:50   #6
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Re: Cheoy Lee keel drain plug… help!

Does yours have a pipe plug style keel drain plug?
I have a Cheoy Lee 47, the keel drain plug is actually a regular drain plug with an O ring, someone previously had lost the "o" ring and used silicone instead, not a very wise choice.
I would pretty much guarantee that it's metric since every other fastener on the boat is. When I checked out the thread on my keel plug it was a metric thread, but it looks like a very short wide flat screw cap with an "O" ring flat on it.
Try contacting Cheoy Lee directly, I've been pleasantly surprised at the responses they've given in support of my 1987 model. I'll dig up the contact info from my email chains, just remember it will be a day or two due to the time zone differences.
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Old 12-06-2014, 05:56   #7
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Re: Cheoy Lee keel drain plug… help!

"joecannon@cheoylee.com"
They even found an obsolete winch I have and disassembled it to show how it went together form me.
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Old 12-06-2014, 06:03   #8
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Re: Cheoy Lee keel drain plug… help!

Quote:
Originally Posted by jmcaleer View Post
Thanks for the replies. Youngsalty, I wish I could tell you HOW to measure it. I have a cheap (but very useful) plastic screw gauge that I think I got from one of the hardware stores, but if this is something other than NPT I don't think it will work. Skipmac, good point, I didn't even think it could be SAE. Although that would seem unlikely for a 1978 boat built in Hong Kong.

Chris, I'll definitely try the paper/finger trick. It does seem to be a fairly fine thread. Just for giggles we slid in a 12mm tap- seems it's about 14mm or so. It was misplaced. We've had it for about a year, and it's been on the hard for about two years total.

Interestingly, I've reached out to Jonathan Cannon at Cheoy Lee in Kowloon and even THEY don't have a record of what it would have been. As an aside, if you do own a Cheoy Lee they are very supportive even though they haven't built these boats for many years.
Don't know about older Cheoy Lees but it would be logical for fittings to be metric. I just assumed if you were looking at NPT then SAE would be just as likely since both are Imperial and not metric. Also I have seen lots of goods from metric countries, especially in years past, that had a lot of non metric parts, either to make them more marketable in the US or due to lack of availability of specialized parts in metric sizes.

If the hole measures slightly larger than 12mm I would also consider 1/2" which is pretty close to 13 mm.
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Old 12-06-2014, 06:55   #9
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Re: Cheoy Lee keel drain plug… help!

Quote:
Originally Posted by lifeofreilly57 View Post
"joecannon@cheoylee.com"
They even found an obsolete winch I have and disassembled it to show how it went together form me.
Thanks lifeofreilly57! Actually, I just heard back from Jonathan Cannon at Cheoy Lee. they don't have a record of the thread, and thanks for looking at yours. I had a sneaking suspicion it was metric.

I'm wondering if I'll even be able to find a bronze metric bolt, or if I'm just going to be better off replacing it with a "modern" fitting that's commonly available.

btw- his email address is: JonCannon@cheoylee.com
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Old 12-06-2014, 18:11   #10
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Re: Cheoy Lee keel drain plug… help!

So… for all that may be interested… the follow up… I searched around town and there was ONE local place that could order metric bolts in brass or bronze. Of course, I'm not certain of the size/thread and once I ordered it would be a week to get it. I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that I need to follow the advice, usually sound, of the guys at the marina and remove the bronze fitting that has sat happily in the bilge keeping the entire ocean at bay for the last 36 years. Bought a new bronze garboard drain assembly for $12.00 at the local chandlery and took a wrench to the old one- there was a large nut on the inside of the bilge that I was able to get a pair of channel lock pliers onto and with a little bit of elbow grease applied got the nut off. Tapping at the pipe from the inside I was able to pop out the old fitting. In fact, a little frighteningly easy. As luck would have it- Cheoy Lee owners may want to pay attention here- the hole for the old pipe was just a skosh smaller than the new one. A little bit of grinding made for a smooth fit. Interestingly, the fiberglass at this point in the keel is over an inch thick! Drilled out the three holes, gooped on some G flex, and… done… I've included some pictures below.
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Old 12-06-2014, 19:07   #11
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Re: Cheoy Lee keel drain plug… help!

Almost any machine shop should have thread gauges to tell ya what size and thread count ya need ! Just a thought
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Old 13-06-2014, 12:09   #12
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Re: Cheoy Lee keel drain plug… help!

Cool, glad it went so easily, now you have a new, shiny bit, for a little while......
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