When to replace hoses?

[poiu]

I have a ton of thick walled ribbed plastic reinforced PVC hose below the waterline plus a few heavy duty rubber ones (engine room). Most are 12 years old now. I have inspected them and they all look perfect with no cracks anywhere. They feel flexible and haven't hardened. Should they be replaced on an age or on a condition basis - what is best practice here?

[JDs Sailing]

Replacing hoses is a preventative maintenance measure as I'm sure you know its certainly not something you want to wait until it fails. That being said you mentioned you haven't noticed any visible cracks but you might want to check beneath the hose clamps and where the hose makes a bend. Those are going to be your two most common places where the hose will fail. Second check to see if your engine hoses have any bulges or swelling in them as this could indicate they are failing from the inside-out. If they are 12 years old I might recommend changing them out just on account of their age... but that's just me. New hoses won't break the bank and they are a heck of a lot cheaper than the result if/when they do fail! PM me if you have any questions! See you on the water! - Josh

[El Pinguino]

My boat is rising 30 years old.... all the FW system hoses are original and I have no plans of replacing any of them.

However.... the other hoses are a different matter... all bog discharge hoses are now changed every 5 or six years... these are now on the preventitive mainenance list although the first changeout was a breakdown maintenance issue... not an experience i wish to repeat.

Engine hoses? As said in the previous post failure of these can take the edge off your entire day... I replaced mine at about 16 years after all the water on FW side of the system ended in the bilge while the engine was running. The new ones are of a far higher quality than the original and currently look OK but maybe a change is due in a few years.

I've had the inside wall of my exhaust hose collapse just behind the exhaust elbow... that was just after I bought her and I think that may have been due to the PO having had a few overheating issues prior to me buying her.

[Kenomac]

The right time... 1-2 years ago. I'll be replacing all hoses, connectors and through hull fittings prior to putting the boat back in the H20 this Spring. I believe, I actually waited too long with a boat that's spent only 5 years in the water... 6 years out.

[Stu Jackson]

Sometimes it's not when they're hard it's when they go soft.

I just replaced all our plumbing FW hoses, 26 years old. Engine and related hoses got changed between 12 years and now, on a recurring basis. Don't forget the hoses that dive down, disappear and come up somewhere else - what you can't see CAN get you! My heating hoses from the engine to the hot water heater dive under the galley sole - they'd simply disintegrated underneath. Lost cooling water, caught engine overheat before it became a problem, replaced the hose. Another reason that the anitfreeze got changed.

[poiu]

These are good tips. Thanks for the ideas.

[zeehag]

soft and swollen=replace. preferably before fail mode

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by zeehag

soft and swollen=replace. preferably before fail mode

Or if hardened in the vicinity of the hose clamps...

I think the former is a 'rubber ' hose issue while the latter is a 'plastic' hose issue.

[Boatguy30]

On a boat like that, you surely have insurance and regular surveys. I would ask the surveyor to have a close look at the hose and specifically note his finding. No reason a quality hose won't go 20 years or so but it seems other oyster owners are telling you perhaps they are not quality hoses.

[Hudson Force]

I follow, most closely, the plan of El Pinquino. My boat is forty-one years old and there's a chance than some hoses are original, though I've only been the owner for twenty-nine years. Temperature, contents, pressure,, material, age and vulnerability all are factors. The fresh water hose between my galley hand pump and my ten gallon auxilliary tank,- I never examine this and I will not unless a problem develops. Engine hoses,.... sanitary hoses, .... bilge pump hoses,.... I look at these and I know their age and condition.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

The right time... 1-2 years ago. I'll be replacing all hoses, connectors and through hull fittings prior to putting the boat back in the H20 this Spring. I believe, I actually waited too long with a boat that's spent only 5 years in the water... 6 years out.

What sort of gear does Oyster use that need changing out entirely at 12 years?

I have Blake seacocks... all original except the discharge on the main head.... changed it 4 years ago.... too many vindaloos had taken their toll.

[zeehag]

rubber softens just like your lower radiator hose when you were out in the boonies..remember...lol same thing, only diesel. not plastic.
one only gets regular surveys when one does not have a clue as to what to look fro as regards declining condition of possessions. or has a lot of money. prolly also has a full time paid captain, as well.
most folks i know of who live on board full time an cruise full time do their own maintenance and inspections.
i know i do.

[Stu Jackson]

If the hose is painted the same color as the engine, it's time to replace the hoses.