Through Hull Replacement?

[Steve Wormsbecher]

After haul-out this year I see that some of the fairing material around my (suspect original installation) through-hulls has come off.  It appears that the adhesive and old barrier coat underneath is still intact and it was faired after the barrier coat was applied. (yes the PO applied VC-17 over the other stuff, CSC is it?; I know squat about barrier coats)


Mainesail’s excellent article http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/replacing_thruhulls&page=1
 about refitting thru-hulls showed the process for the flange-type.  Mine clearly are not that type and I think Paul & Cyndi Shields reply to an earlier post http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6270.0.html
 reply #2, outlines just how to do it with the tapered thru-hulls.


So I was wondering…. Is it worth it to...
1. pull those old through-hulls out and replace them? and / or
2. replace them with flange-type thru-hulls?
Or should I just clean it up and re-fair it with something???

I’ve had no leakage, but it doesn’t seem like a tough thing to do (at least the tapered ones).

I may do the bottom in the next few years so perhaps that would be a good time to re-do them completely.

Suggestions please?

Steve

[dgill]

Hi Steve,

Bottom paint coming off of the exterior portion of the thru hull is not a big deal.

I have a 1987 C34 and several years ago, at spring re-launch, I noticed that three of the thru hulls were "leaking" at the are of the bond and hull.  I had the boat re-hauled and replaced all of the thru hulls with the exact same items, at that time.  If you regularly monitor your thru hulls you will know when you have an issue. 

DGill

[mtullier]

I'm curious....How did the thru hulls look after you pulled them (25 years of service)?  Was the plastic brittle?  Do you think they could have gone longer.  I can not find anyone to give a good time deadline on these thru-hulls, nor have I read anywhere about the life expectantly of the Marelon material.

[Rick Johnson]

I thought this was an interesting write-up on a thru-hull project.

http://www.acephalous.net/thru_hull.htm

[dgill]

Usually what fails is the bedding.  But due the Ron Hill influence, I am a believer in "belt and suspenders".  The cost of renewing the parts and the bedding out weighed the cost at some future time of hauling out and doing it again if one of the "used" parts failed.  So all were replaced and rebed and now I suspect they should last another decade or two.

[Steve Wormsbecher]

Rick, thanks a bunch for that link.  That guy has done some nifty stuff to his C-34.

I think I may just fill the small gaps around my thru-hulls with some 4200 or something? and smooth it out for now.  Perhaps next year I'll tackle the hull below the water line and replace thru-hulls.

Appreciate the input guys.

Steve