Uggggg :shock: I was checking the side through the hull drains for the fish boxes on port and starboard side and I don't feel comfortable with what I see. Chalky possibly cracking just inside :roll: So the problem is I do not see any easy or hard way to get to them for replacement. Any thaughts,comments,suggestions greatly appreciated.
86 overnighter through the hulls
- Thread starter BUZZCUDA
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This has been on my mind for some time for my 85. I do not see how access to these thru existing ports will get you in range, unless your just recently walking upright and your knuckles drag the ground. For now since they are above the waterline, I have more important things to worry about, as I would think you have too!
It's been a while but I don't remember them being such a big chore. Remove the access covers and the thru hull fitting should be starting at you. You have to work on the drain blind but it’s not an overwhelming chore.
BUZZCUDA said:
If they're chalky, then they're dried out and brittle. You would be amazed at how fragile they become. It's not worth the risk... change them asap.
If you look inside the outer flange, (or run your finger in it) you may notice a step, (ring) forming. That's a sure sign it's getting ready to go.
I had one split while the boat was sittting in it's slip. Didn't notice till I was 5 miles out. Had to stuff a rag in it and head in. :shock:
Once you remove the hose clamp and back the nut off, grab the outside fitting with pliers and give it a squeeze. They will break into pieces with very little effort.
Ok I put a request into grady see if they can help in all of thier infinate wisdom since they put the damn things there! :? Looks like I may be kind of skrude, and have to get out the sawzall and chewing gum. 
I will keep you posted.
I will keep you posted.I paid to have the ones changed on mine during a bottom job. It wasn't that expensive and they did not have to drill any new holes in the boat. But I couldn't tell you how they did it.
There is a deckplate on the starboard side that I think they used. On the port side I thing they removed the drawers from the seat base and reached thenm from there.
There is a deckplate on the starboard side that I think they used. On the port side I thing they removed the drawers from the seat base and reached thenm from there.
Hey Bob, thanks for the reply. I did know that hatch would have something to do with the starboard fitting. I have been doing a little to the boat each year since I got it three years ago and one of the things was to pull that drawer box out as they are all broke. I will look further behind that it is the only point that I see possible and makes sense. Warm weather is needed for that project. PS. still waiting for Grady to contact me. I do relize the possibility of shortend staff/days or closings so I won't be mad at them for not so quick response.
PS. still waiting for Grady to contact me. I do relize the possibility of shortend staff/days or closings so I won't be mad at them for not so quick response.Bob is right on.
I changed these that exact way.
Removed drawers under seats and was able to access area. Deckplate on other side.
I changed these that exact way.
Removed drawers under seats and was able to access area. Deckplate on other side.
Catch22 is 100% on target, if you change his signature to mine - same story.
The plastic ones were never intended to last forever, and I think it's sunlight doing the damage since the erosion I've noticed has been on the lower half of the inner diameters.
The ones of primary concern are on the sides around the waterline. If needbe, the ones much higher up can wait.
The ones much higher up on my boat I intend to stay with plastic replacements, partly because I see no benefit up there and I find the hull looks better w/o the metal color contrasting disorganized placed bullet holes all over.
At least with the white plastic, they blend and I don't have to be reminded of them.
The plastic ones were never intended to last forever, and I think it's sunlight doing the damage since the erosion I've noticed has been on the lower half of the inner diameters.
The ones of primary concern are on the sides around the waterline. If needbe, the ones much higher up can wait.
The ones much higher up on my boat I intend to stay with plastic replacements, partly because I see no benefit up there and I find the hull looks better w/o the metal color contrasting disorganized placed bullet holes all over.
At least with the white plastic, they blend and I don't have to be reminded of them.
A local dealer recommended to coat the whole exterior of the thru hull with a 3M sealant, not sure which, it was more like an epoxy, or to coat them with a thin coat of 5200 to give yourself an extra season and to be safe, but honestly I would not recommend this at all nor feel comfortable with that. I'm not sure how this dealer thinks that would solve a problem if the deterioration is the whole way through the nylon plastic thru hull, it will not fix it. There is NO shortcut or home remedy for this fix. This is something that owner's of older boats need to accept and attend to, at some point they will need replacement and the only way to fix it is the right way.
The only safe way is to replace them. Once they get chaulky looking and cracks appear, your pushing your luck. 4 Season's ago 5 boats in my marina became submerged after a storm, 3 were pre 1990 Grady's with plastic thru hulls. They did not sink, but were sitting super low, the marina caught it and hauled each boat before they could sink...the beauty of having someone always at the marina and personnel living nearby and the marina having a set of keys for each boat. Replace them with Brass over bronze or SS thru hulls. They might be hard to get to, especially on some of the smaller models. Some might need access hatches cut into the boat to access them, cut them to an actual hatch size, there are some 9" and smaller circular ones that work well. I know it is inconvinient, but the only way to be safe and to insure your safety on the water as well as your investment into your boat. Unless you have lots of experience with fiberglass, leave this job to a yard of fiberglass shop with experience, they will access it much easier and save you your knuckles. It will cost more, but be done correctly and quicker without stressing you out too much...except for that missing money in your pocket. Do it the right way, not really worth cutting corners.
The only safe way is to replace them. Once they get chaulky looking and cracks appear, your pushing your luck. 4 Season's ago 5 boats in my marina became submerged after a storm, 3 were pre 1990 Grady's with plastic thru hulls. They did not sink, but were sitting super low, the marina caught it and hauled each boat before they could sink...the beauty of having someone always at the marina and personnel living nearby and the marina having a set of keys for each boat. Replace them with Brass over bronze or SS thru hulls. They might be hard to get to, especially on some of the smaller models. Some might need access hatches cut into the boat to access them, cut them to an actual hatch size, there are some 9" and smaller circular ones that work well. I know it is inconvinient, but the only way to be safe and to insure your safety on the water as well as your investment into your boat. Unless you have lots of experience with fiberglass, leave this job to a yard of fiberglass shop with experience, they will access it much easier and save you your knuckles. It will cost more, but be done correctly and quicker without stressing you out too much...except for that missing money in your pocket. Do it the right way, not really worth cutting corners.
To be perfectly honest I did notice them not looking so good last season. I did a little poking and proding with a screwdriver and decided to roll the dice. I felt the odds were on my side due to location. I gave it one more season. But after the economy failing and bunch of other crap going on this year so far it just seems my luck has run out. So I have to go for the sure bet. Replacement it will be. Metal or Maerlon :? That is the question. I figure I most likely won't have the boat in ten years and if the construction integrity is 1/2 as good as the originals I have 12 years on em at least if I go plastic.
I replaced all of mine with PERKO Chrome over bronze fittings. I had noticed some were chalkey looking and it made me feel unsafe . There were nine in all . It was quite an undertaking....... I even called Grady to make sure this was doable without disassembling the boat. they assured me that every thru hull was put in at the factory after the liner was put in the hull and there was enough room to change them out if the need arose.
I used up more skint knuckles on that job than I care to remember , but each one is now bedded in 3M 5200 , the nut was snugged up and left to set for seven days , then the nut was tightened up, the hose put back on the new thru hull and the new, ALL STAINLESS STEEL clamps applied.
If the "RAINMAKER" has a water problem .... It will not be because of thru hull fittings.
I used up more skint knuckles on that job than I care to remember , but each one is now bedded in 3M 5200 , the nut was snugged up and left to set for seven days , then the nut was tightened up, the hose put back on the new thru hull and the new, ALL STAINLESS STEEL clamps applied.
If the "RAINMAKER" has a water problem .... It will not be because of thru hull fittings.
Always use to clamps on thru hulls near or below the water, 1 is not enough, if one had pressure and slips you sink. Be safe and put 2, this is the sure way to be safe and do the job right. The extra cost of a few clamps are minimal and if your doing the work now, might as well do it to last until you sell, you don't want to have more work down the road.
BUZZCUDA said:
3M 5200 takes 7 days to fully cure. I had them snugged up pretty good . By letting them set until the 5200 cured, then putting the final 1/4 turn or so on them the 5200 is in a compressive and adhesive state acting as a gasket and seal. Hope this made sense.
I used to get a quart or so of water in the bilge on a long day trip . Now when I pull the plug at the end of the day almost nothing.
Also the chrome over bronze looks pretty sharp too. :lol:
I would only wait about a day or so, 5200 does take 7 days to fuly cure that is 100% correct, but after 2 days it is about 50% or more cured, then it cures a lot slowly from there, waiting 12-24 hours is not a bad idea allowing it to get to a thicker consistence to form a better seal, but anything after that will be worse actually, allowing too much 5200 and either resulting in a sloppy end product or a weak seal. Too much 5200 allows for error and void's as well so I would not wait too long, but letting it sit a little wouldn;t hurt, will it really benefit you, not sure honestly since it was originally designed to be applied in it's original stage. I've used it at work a lot and within the first 2 hours it cures a lot from its original stage, makes me wonder just how workable it would be after 2 days.
The reasons boats sink at the docks notwitstanding mother nature causes, is:
1. Improper design
2. Shoddy work by professional marine service mechanics, well paid alike.
3. Lack of maintenance.
or any combination there of.
Be sure your insurance is paid up if the above applies.
Notice the words "plastic" and "grady" is not mentioned.
Don't use the plastic thruhulls below or anywhere close to the water line.
Feel free to use them much higher up. People have been using stainless replacements and then havng to deal unexpectedly with rust.
Sold another bill of goods they never intented to buy ino, what a shame.
Plastic, marelon, and bronze can never rust. You won't read that in any stainless advertisement.
You can use boatlife lifeseal for the plastic ones, lifecaulk for the metal ones above or below water line, both can be used next day.
No need to overtighten or over bed the area with caulk, just snug up the big nut with a short grip while keeping the body from turning, be sure some caulk is on the threads there to keep it from loosening later. Don't retighten later since you may spin it and break the seal. Make sure all old caulk is cleared and clean contact surfaces for new caulk with denatured alcohol or acetone, the later if you want to burn out your respiratory system upon inhaling one wuff or melting the plastic ones.
If the hull sides or bottom are cored as in my model, be sure the inner core is sealed, so overtightening is even worse since it can crush the core making a distortion to allow water to seep in. An don't be cheap with caaulk, wipe off excess later.
If you are not sure about an existing plastic thru hull and have legitimate excuses to limit you doing them now, you can check the plastic ones by grabing the hose with a firm grip inside and pulling on it in all directions, go ahead pull on it, don't be shy. Did it break off?
1. Improper design
2. Shoddy work by professional marine service mechanics, well paid alike.
3. Lack of maintenance.
or any combination there of.
Be sure your insurance is paid up if the above applies.
Notice the words "plastic" and "grady" is not mentioned.
Don't use the plastic thruhulls below or anywhere close to the water line.
Feel free to use them much higher up. People have been using stainless replacements and then havng to deal unexpectedly with rust.
Sold another bill of goods they never intented to buy ino, what a shame.
Plastic, marelon, and bronze can never rust. You won't read that in any stainless advertisement.
You can use boatlife lifeseal for the plastic ones, lifecaulk for the metal ones above or below water line, both can be used next day.
No need to overtighten or over bed the area with caulk, just snug up the big nut with a short grip while keeping the body from turning, be sure some caulk is on the threads there to keep it from loosening later. Don't retighten later since you may spin it and break the seal. Make sure all old caulk is cleared and clean contact surfaces for new caulk with denatured alcohol or acetone, the later if you want to burn out your respiratory system upon inhaling one wuff or melting the plastic ones.
If the hull sides or bottom are cored as in my model, be sure the inner core is sealed, so overtightening is even worse since it can crush the core making a distortion to allow water to seep in. An don't be cheap with caaulk, wipe off excess later.
If you are not sure about an existing plastic thru hull and have legitimate excuses to limit you doing them now, you can check the plastic ones by grabing the hose with a firm grip inside and pulling on it in all directions, go ahead pull on it, don't be shy. Did it break off?
3M '5200'
They also sell (White only; AFAIK) a "Fast-Cure" that sets up in 24 hours.
If you wrap the unused portion of the cartridge in 'saran wrap' and store it in the back of the fridge, it is still usable after at least a year.
The Oil Injection Reservoir Tank on my Yami 90 seeped oil from around the fitting, if you had added more than a quart.
Yamaha Dealers only solution had been replacement of entire tank and pickup fitting with no guarantee that it would not leak.
I coated the rubber pickup and polyethylene tank with 5200 over ten years ago, holds a gallon and never leaked again.
They also sell (White only; AFAIK) a "Fast-Cure" that sets up in 24 hours.
If you wrap the unused portion of the cartridge in 'saran wrap' and store it in the back of the fridge, it is still usable after at least a year.
The Oil Injection Reservoir Tank on my Yami 90 seeped oil from around the fitting, if you had added more than a quart.
Yamaha Dealers only solution had been replacement of entire tank and pickup fitting with no guarantee that it would not leak.
I coated the rubber pickup and polyethylene tank with 5200 over ten years ago, holds a gallon and never leaked again.
BobP You bring up a good point about the plastic maerlon and bronze never rusting. I had the transome proffesionall re done and put stainless scuppers in. I noticed the rust starting and may even replace them as well even though they are not that old. Should the chrome over bronze be grounded to each other to prevent electrolosys rounding?
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