Through Hulls

[Cdkoon76]

Do I need to take my through hulls out and reseal them? My boat is out of the water for a bottom job right now and I just bought it. They seem to be fine. They are tight and look ok. My boat is a 75' Columbia T26. I don't want to open up any unnecessary work that isn't needed right now if I don't have to so I can get out there and start sailing. So any thoughts or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Cdkoon76

Do I need to take my through hulls out and reseal them? My boat is out of the water for a bottom job right now and I just bought it. They seem to be fine. They are tight and look ok. My boat is a 75' Columbia T26. I don't want to open up any unnecessary work that isn't needed right now if I don't have to so I can get out there and start sailing. So any thoughts or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

You should worry about the seacocks, not the thruhulls. Take a file to the metal and check the color of bare metal to make sure it isn’t the pinkish tint telltale of galvanic corrosion

If you ever take one off, replace the thruhull fitting with a new one.

[Hesti]

There is more than one aspect. Galvanic corrosion as mentioned, than the watertight seal of the through hull in the hull, than the movability of the seacock and the question if the seacock still seals are not or if it is even leaking into the boat. Some designs with conic valve areas may require regrinding every few years. Many designs are happy about a bit of grease every year. Some designs are not frost proof or may need to be drained in winter through opening a drain screw.

The easiest way forward would be to ask someone who deals with this stuff every day to have a look at your through hulls and seacocks and voice an oppinion.

They are important things, statistically after fire the second highest risk factor for loosing a boat.

[rbk]

Post a picture of a few. They may be original, maybe not. Maybe properly installed maybe not.

[Cdkoon76]

The seacocks are the old gate valve type. I am going to try and change those out for some newer ball valve style. Then from there I will evaluate the through hulls.

[rbk]

Originally Posted by Cdkoon76

The seacocks are the old gate valve type. I am going to try and change those out for some newer ball valve style. Then from there I will evaluate the through hulls.

If they are in fact gate valves, question the entire setup and go over them all closely.

[s/v Jedi]

Okay, time to rip them out and install the flanged adapters with quality valves. Check out the Groco and MarineHowto websites... I guess Inlinked them above.