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12-01-2025, 09:15
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#16
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Writing Full-Time Since 2014
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Deale, MD
Boat: PDQ Altair, 32/34
Posts: 10,279
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Re: Thru hulls impossible to reach
Quote:
Originally Posted by CrispyCringle
I have a difficult to reach through hull. The PO added a short pipe over the valve handle for better leverage. I think its just PVC, but its fits tightly over the handle. I then use a dock pole to move the valve. Its really annoying when builders do stuff like this and dont think anything of it.
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Yes, but ...
I assume the valve does need to be in that basic location (bottom aft). Also, the locker lid cannot easily be made larger. Without disparaging the OP, and I understand about disabilities, the handle is accessible by a person of common dimensions and physical abilities. Just inconvient. Boats are built to a price point, and this looks OK to me.
In refineries this happens all the time (valve impossible to reach from catwalk or ground). Common solutions are:
- Electrical actuators.
- Reposition the valve with a 90 and attach a remote handle that either rotates the stem dirrectly (below) or a rod that pulls on the handle.
- For gate valves (not seacocks) chain wheel actuators are common for overhead valves.
There are as many options as there are situations.
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12-01-2025, 09:19
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#17
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Bay of Fundy,Grand Manan,N.B.,Canada N44.40 W66.50
Boat: Mascot 28 pilothouse motorsailer 28ft
Posts: 3,652
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Re: Thru hulls impossible to reach
Look up Thru Hulls at this site.
https://marinehowto.com/
__________________
 My personal experience & humble opinions-feel free to ignore both
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12-01-2025, 09:47
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#18
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Vancouver B.C.Canada
Boat: Century Raven 17'
Posts: 452
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Re: Thru hulls impossible to reach
Looks like that bottom one is attached to a small panel that was then epoxied in, probably for the same reason you are having.
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12-01-2025, 10:28
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#19
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2021
Posts: 30
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Re: Thru hulls impossible to reach
Quote:
Originally Posted by capt jgw
The was a YouTube series a few years back about a guy rebuilding a big catamaran. His wife was about 4'11" and maybe 90 pounds. Their 10 or 12 yo daughter was even smaller. Real handy people to have around, there were lots of shots with one of them deep into some space holding a nut or routing wires.
Just a heads up, AYBC now recommends all through hulls in sailboats below the sheerline to have seacocks. It's a voluntary standard but a good idea. That upper through hull is white plastic and has been degrading in the sun for how long? I wouldn't trust it. I just replaced all of those in my trawler, one whack with a hammer and chisel on the outside and they shattered into a thousand pieces.
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Yup...the white one just came off when I touched, literally touched from the outside. The lower one has a seacock that operates smoothly.
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12-01-2025, 12:01
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#20
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: between the devil and the deep blue sea
Boat: a sailing boat
Posts: 21,188
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Re: Thru hulls impossible to reach
The space looks perfectly workable. But perhaps this is just the perspective.
You can build tool extensions out of ss tubes and wood.
I do not like how the plastic one goes - are you sure this is always above the waterline ?
b.
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12-01-2025, 12:30
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#21
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: SF Bay Area
Boat: Other people's boats
Posts: 1,181
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Re: Thru hulls impossible to reach
Looks like a normal head-first dive-in approach from here; my main concern would be getting back out. Make sure you can do a push-up, and maybe have blocks of stuff you can use as a "ladder" as you push yourself back out. Getting wedged in could be Very Bad.
Beyond that, life happens and sometimes you need to adapt things to make them more accessible (or hire someone to assist).
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12-01-2025, 14:17
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#22
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Chesapeake Bay - Galesville, MD
Boat: Hinckley, Bermuda 40 Mk III, 40'
Posts: 319
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Re: Thru hulls impossible to reach
Quote:
Originally Posted by capt jgw
. . .
Just a heads up, AYBC now recommends all through hulls in sailboats below the sheerline to have seacocks. It's a voluntary standard but a good idea. That upper through hull is white plastic and has been degrading in the sun for how long? . . .
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I can see putting seacocks on all through-hulls below the water line. But - putting seacocks on through-hulls between the water line and the sheer line seems to me to be AYBC overreach! Those should have the same treatment as through-hulls above the sheer line (in my opinion).
Also - don't sail around with your lazarette hatch open. That will cut down on the exposure of the plastic through-hulls to sunlight UV.
For a while now, my biggest fear is getting into one of those tight spaces and not being able to get back out. I've told my marina neighbors that if they haven't seen me in a while - to come by my boat and listen for tapping noises against the inside of the hull.
__________________
When I die, I want to go quietly, in my sleep; like my grandfather. Not screaming in terror like his passengers.
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12-01-2025, 15:28
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#23
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Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Channel Islands, CA
Boat: 1962 Columbia 29 MK 1 #37
Posts: 15,322
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Re: Thru hulls impossible to reach
Still my concern there is that, in the unlikely event something goes wrong with the thru-hull, it is pretty important to be able to get at it pretty quick. In the case I am thinking of, many years ago, folks were sailing a Cal 24 on a rough day and something heavy fell against a thru-hull, breaking it. The took on a lot of water before they realized what had happened since they were out in the cockpit. The boat sank and tragically they didn't survive. A fishing boat's net snagged on the boat months later and they were able to retrieve it. That tends to color how I see thru-hulls now.
__________________
DL
Pythagoras
1962 Columbia 29 MKI #37
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12-01-2025, 15:43
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#24
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Senior Cruiser

Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: puget sound washington
Boat: 1968 Islander bahama 24 hull 182, 1963 columbia 29 defender. hull # 60
Posts: 13,100
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Re: Thru hulls impossible to reach
Quote:
Originally Posted by JPonHudson
Any suggestions or specialized tools I can get to work on these impossible to reach thru hulls. The lazarette opening is too small to get in there. My arms are too short to reach. I suspect that S2 company hired kids to install these fittings. I am concerned that if I need to get to them in emergency I cannot reach them.
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Any reason that you can't relocate the lower one above the waterline ?
__________________
Non illigitamus carborundum
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12-01-2025, 15:44
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#25
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Senior Cruiser

Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: puget sound washington
Boat: 1968 Islander bahama 24 hull 182, 1963 columbia 29 defender. hull # 60
Posts: 13,100
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Re: Thru hulls impossible to reach
Quote:
Originally Posted by Don C L
Still my concern there is that, in the unlikely event something goes wrong with the thru-hull, it is pretty important to be able to get at it pretty quick. In the case I am thinking of, many years ago, folks were sailing a Cal 24 on a rough day and something heavy fell against a thru-hull, breaking it. The took on a lot of water before they realized what had happened since they were out in the cockpit. The boat sank and tragically they didn't survive. A fishing boat's net snagged on the boat months later and they were able to retrieve it. That tends to color how I see thru-hulls now.
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Part of the advantage of going to a composting head eliminates 2 thru hulls ( 2 holes in the boat below the waterline
__________________
Non illigitamus carborundum
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12-01-2025, 16:04
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#26
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 83
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Re: Thru hulls impossible to reach
Quote:
Originally Posted by Don C L
This is not going to be much help, but I'd be thinking about moving them. A thru-hull I can't get to would be one of a few things that would bother me. I knew of a boat many years ago that sank because of a broken thru-hull.
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AMEN! A through-hull you can't reach in a hurry—especially if it has no shut-off valve—is a potential disaster.
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12-01-2025, 16:04
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#27
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Arctic Ocean
Boat: Under construction 35' ketch (and +3 smaller)
Posts: 3,004
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Re: Thru hulls impossible to reach
Quote:
Originally Posted by newhaul
Part of the advantage of going to a composting head eliminates 2 thru hulls ( 2 holes in the boat below the waterline
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I went further. What's left is rudder post, stern tube, stand pipe for grey water discharge (sinks) and keel cooler.
Another boat I've sailed a lot I counted 18 thru hulls but didn't find all of them, all good bronze from the -70's thou..
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12-01-2025, 16:08
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#28
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Senior Cruiser

Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: puget sound washington
Boat: 1968 Islander bahama 24 hull 182, 1963 columbia 29 defender. hull # 60
Posts: 13,100
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Re: Thru hulls impossible to reach
Quote:
Originally Posted by TeddyDiver
I went further. What's left is rudder post, stern tube, stand pipe for grey water discharge (sinks) and keel cooler.
Another boat I've sailed a lot I counted 18 thru hulls but didn't find all of them, all good bronze from the -70's thou..
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My only below the waterline now is seawater intake for the engine and watermaker and sink drain in the galley . Both are easily accessible also the 2 cockpit drains also in the engine space easily accessed
__________________
Non illigitamus carborundum
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12-01-2025, 16:29
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#29
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Jan 2019
Boat: Beneteau 432, C&C Landfall 42, Roberts Offshore 38
Posts: 7,162
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Re: Thru hulls impossible to reach
Y'all are going about this the wrong way.
Grab a brick in each hand and sit on a chair with arms by the side.
Hold this pose for 8 hours a day.
Repeat for 30 days.
Arms should grow by 6".
If not, repeat for anuddah 30 days.
Sheesh, do I gotta tell y'all everything
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12-01-2025, 16:37
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#30
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2007
Boat: Seawind 1000xl
Posts: 7,461
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Re: Thru hulls impossible to reach
Quote:
Originally Posted by newhaul
My only below the waterline now is seawater intake for the engine and watermaker and sink drain in the galley . Both are easily accessible also the 2 cockpit drains also in the engine space easily accessed
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All we have is the depth sounder. Next haul out I think we will decore and install a shoot through hull depth sounder.
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