Proper procedure for installing an above water throughhull?

rogerbum

New member
All,

While I am sure this has been answered elsewhere, I did some searching around and am still not 100% sure to install a new through hull fitting. This is part of the long continuing saga of adding another bilge pump to the SeaDNA.

In brief, I have a through-hull fitting (plastic from Rule) that I plan to install on the port side aft. The current plan is to put it about 10-12" above the water line with the center lined up with a similar through hull that was installed on that side to drain the port lazarette (which I use as a live-well or fishbox). The fitting is designed to allow the attachment of 1-1/8" bilge hose from a RuleMate 1100.

Since it is well above the water line, my first thought was to cut a hole of the appropriate size (just big enough to get the fitting through) and to smear a lot of 5200 in the hole and around the fitting and tighten it in. However, various threads here and elsewhere suggest that I should cut the hole a bit larger (or at least dig the core out to a larger diameter) and back fill with expoy prior to installing the through hull. What would you do? It is well above water. Do I really need to gouge out some core and fill with epoxy? If so, how do I fill the top area of the gouged out region without tipping the boat upside down?

Also, how far away from the other hole should this hole be? I'm a bit concerned about weakening the general area of the hull by putting two 1 1/4" holes too close to each other.

Finally, I also considered just putting in a tee at the current through hull. Two things discouraged this idea
1) When I use the port lazarette as a fish box or live well, it can get quite messy (especially when I bleed the fish in there). Hence I was concerned that draining the fish box would put bits 'o fish in the line to the bilge pump that would impair it's operation, smell bad etc. I thought this could possibly be avoided by bending the drain line to make a trap, but then the trap would smell.
2) I couldn't for the life of me find a 1 1/8" tee - 1" yes, 1 1/4" yes, but no 1 1/8".

Roger on the SeaDNA
 
step 1 consume adult beverage
step 2 drill hole just big enough for the fitting, I installed a bonus bilge in the back a bit back and if I recall there was no coring, just glass in that area about 1/4" thick
 
B~C":hp4azjwj said:
step 1 consume adult beverage
step 2 drill hole just big enough for the fitting, I installed a bonus bilge in the back a bit back and if I recall there was no coring, just glass in that area about 1/4" thick

I thought the rule was - "If you drink, don't drill" :beer :lol:...
 
Roger,

Drill it the correct size. If there is core material, hog it out a very small amount and fill with epoxy thickened with EZFair or fine sawdust until the consistency is like peanut butter. Coat the inside of the hole and let dry. Then install the fitting with 5200. If it were me I would probably replace the plastic fitting with the appropriate Stainless Steel replacement. The plastic ones tend to fracture over time where you don't see the cracks :(
 
Back
Top