Nothing ever goes as planned...

My wife is attending a wedding shower today. So figured it would be a good opportunity to do a project or two on the boat.

My boat, like many, has a holding tank vent that is the same as is used on the fuel and water tanks. It is a 5/8” covered vent. When I pump out my tank I like to back flush my vent line. This type of vent makes that next to impossible. My plan was to simply replace the vent thru hull with a simple vent with no baffle or screen.

The vent thru hull is accessed by opening a locker in the forward cabin, and removing a panel in the back of it. Not being as petite as the Chinese guys that built the boat, I can get one arm into that space, by sticking my head and shoulders sideways into the locker and then sticking my head and one arm into the space through the removed panel. I can only do this if I use my other arm to reach back and desperately clutch the top/outside of the locker to support myself.

I first had to remove a heater hose that was blocking the through hull, then I was able to reach in and loosen the two SS clamps that secured the hose to the barbed fitting of the thru hull. Not being content with two clamps for this above the water line air vent, the builder had also used a sealant on the hose barb. I simply couldn’t pull that hose off. Eventually, I used a hacksaw to cut the hose off the bard (hard to cut hose with a saw when you can’t hold it). After that, using a knife to slice down the hose barb and then lots of contortions with water pump pliers was able to finally bread the sealant and get the bit of hose off. Of course as soon as I did this, the outside piece fell into the water and disappeared. This meant I had to finish the job instead of simply investigate the job.

I am fortunate to have a small West Marine in my homeport. Normally, it is a 5 minute drive. Unfortunately, Gig Harbor has a festival today and the only road connecting me from WM is closed. The detour is about 20 minutes. WM had 1 Marelon 5/8” thru hull in stock. Just what I needed. I grabbed it and headed back to the boat. When I got there I took a look at the hole in the hull and found that it was 1.25” in diameter. I guess the builders only had one size hole saw. The 5/8’ Maralon mushroom fitting was only 1.5” in diameter. This wasn’t going to work.

Back to WM. This time I bought their one 3/4” Marelon mushroom head thru-hull as well their one and only 3/4” to 5/8” barbed adaptor. I also picked up a couple SS clamps. They cut me a 5” piece of 3/4” hose and just gave it to me. Back through festival traffic to the boat.

Now it was a simple matter of assembling the thru hull, attaching the 3/4” hose and clamp, then the adaptor and clamp to the 3/4” hose and finally attaching the 5/8” vent hose to the adaptor. BTW, did I mention this was all one handed while holding myself up with the other hand?

I used butyl tape (I bought a lifetime supply from CMS a while back) to seal the thru hull and certainly did’t use any hose sealant on the connections.

As usual, what should have been a 30 minute job took all afternoon and two trips to West Marine. BTW, I spent a lot more than I would have online for those Marlon fittings and the adaptor. OTOH, I was able to return the one I didn’t use and they had what I needed WHEN I needed it. Otherwise I would have had a holding tank venting into the bilge until I could get the right parts and time off work to do the work.

That’s about the way most boat projects go...

Greetings,
Mr. dh. I think there are rules about marine job estimation.



For time estimation one thinks 5 minutes when in fact you should actually jump to the next time period: meaning, 5minutes=5hours. 5 hours=5 days. 5 days=5 weeks etc. You actually came out ahead of the game where your 30 minutes did NOT take 30 hours but a mere 5 hours. Well done!


Cost estimation is another one. Usually doubling cost estimates is a pretty good rule BUT, factor in the enhanced TIME estimates and costs can easily go up 3X to 5X.



It's ALL good.

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. dh. I think there are rules about marine job estimation.



For time estimation one thinks 5 minutes when in fact you should actually jump to the next time period: meaning, 5minutes=5hours. 5 hours=5 days. 5 days=5 weeks etc. You actually came out ahead of the game where your 30 minutes did NOT take 30 hours but a mere 5 hours. Well done!


Cost estimation is another one. Usually doubling cost estimates is a pretty good rule BUT, factor in the enhanced TIME estimates and costs can easily go up 3X to 5X.



It's ALL good.

Click to expand...

I hear you my friend, oh yeah I hear you

L

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. dh. I think there are rules about marine job estimation.



For time estimation one thinks 5 minutes when in fact you should actually jump to the next time period: meaning, 5minutes=5hours. 5 hours=5 days. 5 days=5 weeks etc. You actually came out ahead of the game where your 30 minutes did NOT take 30 hours but a mere 5 hours. Well done!


Cost estimation is another one. Usually doubling cost estimates is a pretty good rule BUT, factor in the enhanced TIME estimates and costs can easily go up 3X to 5X.



It's ALL good.

Click to expand...

I gave up long ago estimating costs. Now I don’t even add it up, just buy what I need. I really don’t want to know what it costs.

Oh gosh typical so typical I sure feel your pain

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

I feel your pain. I'm currently trying to find a way to mate modern plumbing to 40 year old stuff. Sure is a pain.

Dave, WM does do price matching now....
So what was the good deed that you are getting punished for?

As I've aged, I've increased reliance on paying professionals to do the work. I once painted the house, changed the car's oil, designed and installed the yard's irrigation system, and so on. But no longer except if the task is straight-forward and fun. Many past tasks were frustrating and time-consuming.

mramoo said:

Dave, WM does do price matching now....
So what was the good deed that you are getting punished for?

Click to expand...

Lol, I wish I knew what good dead I’m being punished for.

I knew I would price match, but I didn’t want to bother. They had what I needed, when and where I needed it. If I price matched on those Marelon mushroom thru-hulls, I likely would have gotten it for less than it costs WM to have them in stock to sell to me. I didn’t mind paying their relatively high price since I needed it right then.

If a boat project goes smoothly without incident I spend days wondering what I did wrong.

Rubber hoses get stuck even with no sealant. I have found using teflon Rectorseal T plus 2 to be real good for hoses onto hose barbs. They slip on easier, and they will come off after you remove the clamp. I use it on the coolant engine hoses and it works great, no leaks, the hose will not come off if clamped. I have also used it on wet exhaust hoses.

I also think there is an extra benefit, corrosion protection of the hose fitting, keeps water fluids away from the metal, from getting under the rubber.