Garboard Drain

[sluggoe]

it is the simple things that often go awry:

tried to put in the garboard drain on my 2002 282 sailfish but it only goes in (by hand) half way then gets extremely tough and won't turn even with a wrench;

trying to remember if this is normal (for the plug to stay in half-way -- my guess is that it is not) and i do not want to strip the threads;

seems the threads on the plug are ok and as far as i can see the threads on the inside are ok so what gives?....possibly bottom paint on the drain threads?

anybody have a suggestion?

 

[georgemjr]

They are pipethread, so by design it should get tighter as it is screwed in farther. The plug is tapered, meaning it gets wider. Put some teflon tape on it, which acts as a lubricant to add in the installation. When it gets too tough to turn, stop. It should be in far enough to create a seal...

 

[sluggoe]

thx georgemjr! -- this makes sense;

spoke to grady customer service and they said it is normal to have the plug stick out 1/2 way or 1/3 out....since, as you said, it creates a seal once tight.

-slugg.

 

[Curmudgeon]

Make sure the threads are clean (male and female). Doesn't take much to impede pipe threads ... :wink:

 

[Strikezone]

Make sure the threads are clean (male and female). Doesn't take much to impede pipe threads ... :wink:

Curmudgeon is correct. Just last week one of my friends noticed his bilge pump running about every 5 minutes and discovered that a nut had fallend into the bilge and worked its way into the threads for his plug. The plug wouldn't go in far enough to create a seal and was letting tons of water in the bilge.

Just for the record it wasn't a Grady White boat but could have been disastrous.

 

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

In my opinion it doesn't sound too good. Check the threads on both ends. That nut should in by hand and then tight with a wrench maybe another half a turn, but not with sudden stop. You might have part of the female thread split and crossed with the rest of the threads.

 

[sluggoe]

it goes in by hand to about half way....i thought that from what i heard from GW customer service this seems ok particularly given the first reponse about the plug being tapered;

i looked and i did not see any crossed threads anywhere or any obstruction....

about how far does your garboard plug go in....1/2, 2/3?

 

[gwwannabe]

I have an '89 Overnighter and the plug behaves similar to yours. Goes in easily then tightens quickly. Doesn't sound like a problem to me.

Gary 89 Overnighter