replacing through hulls in water

[dick sargent]

Diver with toilet plunger worked fine for me.

[battendown]

Honestly it will probably need the through hulls and the seacocks replaced. I'm in south Florida and heading up to Jacksonville for a complete haul out/refit. I'm wanting to get the boat ready to move and didn't want to get a surprise half way up. They are not leaking now but it will mean no head for the 7 day trip up the intercoastal. I'd rather apply the money to haul out up north instead of hauling here and then hauling a week later. I'll just wait until i reach my destination and keep it safe. Thanks for the feed back and its worth the conversation in case of absoult emergency.

[Dockhead]

WARNING: this is NOT based on actual experience. YMMV.

But I don't see why in the world you couldn't change a ball valve (is that what you're talking about?) with the boat in the water.

You need to plug the through hull somehow (diver with plunger, Sea Bung, wooden bung hammered in from underwater, etc.).

THEN, gently work the ball valve on the through hull to see if the through hull is solidly in place. If not, then abort! And haul. If it is, then proceed.

Remove the ball valve and install the new one.

Remove the bung/plug, etc.

Have a beer.

It's easy for others to spend your money -- "don't risk it; haul the boat, etc., etc." If it were me, I would of course try to do it when the boat is out of the water anyway for other purposes. And in fact I have replace a few ball valves over the years, and always found a way to do it with the boat out. But if you can't, then I would seriously look at more adventurous ways to do it rather than spend all that money.


Now if on the other hand you're actually talking about the through hull -- then I agree with all the comments above. You need to SEAL them -- and I don't see how you could do that with the boat in the water.

[battendown]

A former professional diver said the same about the toilet plunger trick. Was wanting to hear from a few that has done it.

[fstbttms]

Replacing a thru-hull underwater can certainly be done. That's not the problem. The problem is: What the hell do you do if you run into an issue with the thru-hull out of the boat?"

[battendown]

The seacocks are bronze and completely seized and very crusty. One casting can rotate which means the through hull is turning with it? There are no bolts in them just resting on wood blocks. I'm sure that the through hulls are siezed to the seacocks and may break the through hull during removal. This is why I'm asking about through hulls. They are not leaking. I don't see how it's not but...

[battendown]

Looks like a composting toilet for me until i haul out.

[Scot McPherson]

If you are suspicious of your thruhull, then get it fixed one way or the other. Don't ignore it with a composting toilet. Once it starts to leak, the leak will continue to get worse.

[Dody]

We are talking about 7 days ... I wouldn't bother but get me a proper bucket and use that instead of the toilet!
Fair winds
Dody

[captstu]

I installed a depth sender in the water - not a terribly difficult job. Took a coffee can in the water (with SCBA), and had a buddy drill a hole from the inside to the outside. Once the point went through the hull, I placed the coffee can - with the transducer and cable inside - and the sealant pre-applied to the threads - over the hole.

Buddy drilled the hole, took out the bung, grabbed the cable and wiggled the transducer into the hole.

Once he had the transducer, he tapped twice, I removed the can and held the transducer while he screwed in the retainer ring and tightened it.

Done.

the water was very cold, I developed a dreadful cold that cost far more than lifting the boat out.

Possible, but now I just ground the boat at high tide, do my thing at low tide, and wait for the next high tide to float off. No problem, no fuss, and no cost.

[Scot McPherson]

Originally Posted by captstu

Possible, but now I just ground the boat at high tide, do my thing at low tide, and wait for the next high tide to float off. No problem, no fuss, and no cost.

I tend to agree with this method, but not with a fin keel. I careen my full keel often, and once accidentally with no harm to the keel or hull (actually it wasn't careened, but standing straight up in the sand), but I wouldn't try this with a fin keel.

[Smokeys Kitchen]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Replacing a thru-hull underwater can certainly be done. That's not the problem. The problem is: What the hell do you do if you run into an issue with the thru-hull out of the boat?"

Totally agree with fstbttms on this. It isn't that it can't be done; just the possibility of anything going wrong and then what is Plan B? And Zee said hers cost as much as 2 haulouts anyway.

I would definitely go for doing this out of the water unless the circumstances were so dire that it needed to be done while in the water, and I can't imagine what that would be.

[Dave22q]

I would check with my insurance company. If they would see this as owner negligence they could void the policy. Haul out makes more sense to me especially if you combine it with your next bottom job.

[zeehag]

in san diego a haul and launch is over 1800 usd for a 35 ft boat. i saved much of that by having certified reputable divers do my work IN WATER, which is not unusual.
i donot feed bottom feeders who require a haulout to do simple tasks, and i donot risk my boat to tomfoolery. it does pay to be intelligent and sensible.

[buzzstar]

I am not clear what thru-hull(s) you are considering. It is nice to be able to do it if one must in a semi-emergency or worse [do not ask me what might constitute a semi-emergency, as that is up to the captain]. But, I cannot imagine the circumstance where you might want to do one, let alone more, anywhere but out of the water if you have a choice. Murphy's Law could have a field day.