Sugar scoop transom thru-hulls/skin fittings

[Noah]

I am hauling out in two weeks for my every three years bottom job and misc. maintenance/repairs. The big PIA job this year is to replace the five thru-hulls located on the transom and under the stern counter (two bilge pumps on stern and two cockpit drains and the engine exhaust under counter). They are all original nylon and I fear headed for failure. I did change the exhaust hose this year with no issues but didn't want to attempt the others hose in the water as I feared they might break. I did buy the hose for cockpit drains at the same time as exhaust hose, as it is the same size/type hose. Some years ago I replaced my nylon anchor locker drain which crumbled. It is really tight back there on the sugar scoop boats, so it won't be fun. I will have to remove water tank (again!), plus my autopilot ram, blah, blah...after locker propane shelf, (be there done that).

Has anyone with a 1990-ish sugar scoop boat changed these out? Any tips would be appreciated. I probably will remove all "obstacles" then have the boatyard climb back there to change them, while I "supervise". Then I will reassemble the boat all back to "sailable". I will probably go with nylon fittings again but might see if glass reenforced fittings are available. There are no valves involved. I will post how it goes when complete.

[glennd3]

I will be interested to see what you find . I do not have the sugar scoop but I am a few hulls after you. I am sure mine have not been replaced.

[karista]

Noah, when I replaced my cockpit drain hoses a few years ago, I also planned to replace the various thruhull fittings you pointed out. I gave up, there was noway I could ever replace them, there is simply is very limited access to get to them. My advice is to find the shortest person in your yard that can actually fit in back there to reach these fittings. So, mine are still the originals.

[Kyle Ewing]

Noah, I haven't done this but remember thinking I'm glad I wasn't trying to replace the bilge hoses when I replaced my scupper hoses.  My cockpit drains seemed in good shape, but there's a difference in Chicago and San Diego sun damage.  The cockpit drains and their through-hulls should be easy compared to the bilge through-hulls.  Keep us posted on how it goes.

I've attached a picture of the hoses under Donnybrook's (#1010) sugar scoop.

[Ron Hill]

Noah : I too replaced the anchor drain and the electric bilge pump drain.  Both of those drains were NOT nylon and yes they crumbled apart.  I checked the scupper drains and mine are nylon (good shape) - just scratch them to check.  I'm not sure about the exhaust thru hull?

A thought

[Dave Spencer]

Noah,
I replaced the through-hull and bilge pump discharge hose on my boat with a sugar scoop transom earlier this year (April 2021) before launch.  I was concerned about the integrity of the bilge pump discharge hose that is often below the waterline when motoring or sailing at speed.  You can see daylight shining through the bilge pump hose that is certainly 27 years old in one of the pictures below.
It was a miserable job; among the worst I've ever done on any boat.  Like you, I was concerned about the integrity of the through hull fitting so I replaced it with a new stainless fitting.  I used this Groco fitting:  https://ca.binnacle.com/product_info.php?products_id=9520  It looks great (I don't have a picture) but, wow, what a job to remove the old one.  And the original fitting was solid as a rock when I removed it but once I started, I had to finish.
My oversimplified process:
1.  Remove the aft water tank.  I had to lie on the edges of the water tank retaining fiddles to reach under the swim platform.  I used cushions that weren't adequate but they improved the situation slightly.  If you know anyone with mechanical skill who is about 5' 1" and weighs 106 lbs who can slither through aft starboard lazerette, hire them!   (I have a walk through transom Mk 1.5 1994 boat so the hatch configuration is likely a little different.)  I'm 6' 2" and a wee bit more than 106 lbs.
2.  I removed the through hull using an oscillating tool to cut off the outer flange.  I then used the tool to score the inside of the old through-hull and pushed it into the boat from the outside.  There's no way I could see to access the nut on the through-hull to loosen it and remove the through-hull in a conventional manner.
3.  I slobbered the inside face of the transom with below the waterline sealant (I don't recall which) and coated the flange of the new stainless fitting with the same material and had a helper push the fitting in from outside the boat while I reached to the transom from my uncomfortable perch lying on the water tank fiddles with the nut.  My helper turned the fitting from outside while I held the nut steady.  This went surprisingly well.
4.  I changed the hose to a Trident series 148 which I had lying around.  It's much heavier and suitable for use below the waterline in my view.  It doesn't bend nearly as easily as the bilge hose and it was tricky to reconnect it to the manual pump discharge.

If I had to do it again, I would change the hose but not the fitting which appeared to be as sound as the day it was installed albeit a bit weathered on the outside.  Good luck with your job.  You have more hoses to deal with than I did.  I'm glad to try to answer any questions you may have.  Despite my best efforts, the memory of this job is still seared in my brain. 

Four pictures attached:
1. Original Installation - daylight visible through the hose (yikes!)
2. Through-Hull fitting partially cut away (forgive the dirty transom - a winter's worth of dirt had accumulated)
3. Through hull fitting removed, visible beside the screwdriver
4. New installation.

[Noah]

Good news. Upon inspection on the hard, the skin fittings/thru-hull in the transom and under the stern counter were still in good shape and did not need to be replaced! The yard did change two cockpit drains hoses and one bilge pump hose. 

[waughoo]

I JUST completed the replacement of the hoses.  My set up has the manual 1-1/8 electric bilge pump sharing the 1.5" skin fitting that also services the manual pump.

All my hoses appeared to be original and were SO brittle that they cracked pretty much upon disturbing them for removal.  As others have said, that thru hull fitting at the bottom of the transom is often below the water line while underway.  I elected to use wire reinforced water/exhaust hose for the run from the transom skin fitting to the wye and then I used smooth wall bait well hose for the rest.  Getting the hose on the transom fitting was a son of a biscuit, but I am so glad I decided to do it.

If you haven't checked yours, do so!!

[Roc]

If you're looking to replace the thru hulls, stainless looks classy.
https://marinepartssource.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=stainless+thru+hull