advise on removing hoses with wire

[Doodie99]

So I need to replace all my cockpit drain hoses and it seems like the only part of these drain tubes that are not rusty crusty are where the clamps were so it's pretty difficult to remove them. I figured i would get advise on the best way to cut the wires?

 

[HopCar]

I’ve used a Dremmel tool with a cut off wheel to split the hose and cut the wire.

 

[Comodave]

I have used a multi tool with a carbide blade with good success.

 

[C lectric]

I've used H.D. wire end nippers , a 32T hacksaw blade or similar.

 

[Doodie99]

All sound like good advise. Before crawling under there a wanted everything needed to complete the job so I can get all hoses off. Some of the fittings have good access but others will be tough.

 

[diver dave]

I’ve used a Dremmel tool with a cut off wheel to split the hose and cut the wire.

A tremendously useful tool aboard. Doesn't need "swing room" like a hacksaw.
Great too for cutting too long bolts, already installed.

 

[rslifkin]

I just had to fight some old, wire reinforced fuel fill hoses off my tanks yesterday. I ended up using a knife and flatblade to butcher the end of the hose to gain access to the wire. Then grabbed it with vice grips and worked around the hose in circles, peeling the wire out to about an inch past the end of the fitting. Doing that de-laminated the outer layer of the hose and removed the wire, which left the hose flexible enough to cut through the inner layers partly and wiggle / twist it free of the fitting so I could pull it off.

 

[Porgy]

Before crawling under there a wanted everything needed to complete the job

Had to laugh. How many times have I said that to myself. Oh yeah, every single project. Even with a printed list I’m still crawling back out a dozen times to get something.

 

[LenBuchanan]

When bringing my boat from New Jersey to Michigan, I had to cut off all of the head overboard discharge hoses so there is no possible way to discharge black waste overboard. I used a tool similar to the Dremel with a carbide cut-off blade. Works sweet.

 

[mike66]

Had to laugh. How many times have I said that to myself. Oh yeah, every single project. Even with a printed list I’m still crawling back out a dozen times to get something.

The tighter the spot, the more times I have to crawl in and out of it. Isn't that called boat yoga?

 

[Bmarler]

When bringing my boat from New Jersey to Michigan, I had to cut off all of the head overboard discharge hoses so there is no possible way to discharge black waste overboard. I used a tool similar to the Dremel with a carbide cut-off blade. Works sweet.

do you get checked for that? around here just using some kind of lock on the through hull fitting will suffice. i wouldn't want to actually cut them off and have now way to discharge in an emergency or while not traveling in a no discharge zone.

 

[rslifkin]

do you get checked for that? around here just using some kind of lock on the through hull fitting will suffice. i wouldn't want to actually cut them off and have now way to discharge in an emergency or while not traveling in a no discharge zone.

Physically removing the hoses isn't required anywhere on a navigable waterway in the US. I've never been checked, but on Lake Ontario, I keep the macerator breaker off and a bright orange ziptie holding the seacock closed. So it would take 3 distinct actions (all in separate physical locations) to discharge (turn on breaker, open seacock, hit dump switch). That's good enough to satisfy the regulations.

 

[Porgy]

Lake Champlain: “Any holding
tank designed so as to provide for an optional means of discharge to the
waters on which the craft is operating shall have the discharge openings
sealed shut and any discharge lines, pipes or hoses shall be removed or
disconnected and stored while operating on the waters of said lake, its
tributaries or outlets.“

 

[Doodie99]

Had to laugh. How many times have I said that to myself. Oh yeah, every single project. Even with a printed list I’m still crawling back out a dozen times to get something.

Well hopefully i can keep my visits below a dozen... LOL

 

[contingensea]

Dremel Saws All!

I’ve used a Dremmel tool with a cut off wheel to split the hose and cut the wire.

What Hopcar said…

I recently replace all the raw water hoses and the Dremel with appropriate metal cutting blade made short work of the task. If the hose material is of the black rubber type be prepared for lots of smoke, I thought it was going to catch fire at one point but it never did. Proceed with caution!

 

[EngNate]

I use a 25mm utility knife, a screwdriver and a good sharp diagonal cutters - Klein. Cut the rubber, raise the wire and clip it. Two or 3 clips and it comes off.

 

[Doodie99]

So I got all the hoses replaced!
I would have taken pictures but it's so tight in there I didn't think it would work well. I used 148 hose and a heat gun. It made it more pliable. I don't forsee these replaced again. Thanks for all the tips... many helped.

 

[ksanders]

I used a vibration saw. Worked perfectly!

 

[Nick F]

I hate to use my side cutters on this wire (inside the hose). The wire is high tensile steel and damages the cutting edge of most cutters.

Dremel is great. For sanitation hose I have used the heat gun.

Nick

 

[Gdavid]

So I got all the hoses replaced!
I would have taken pictures but it's so tight in there I didn't think it would work well. I used 148 hose and a heat gun. It made it more pliable. I don't forsee these replaced again. Thanks for all the tips... many helped.

I just replaced the two scupper 1 1/2" thru hull fittings in my old mainship and feel your pain, it is surprisingly shallow back near the transom and miserable to get in and out. I still have remaining work in re-bedding all of the swim platform brackets and the exhaust outlet, all look suspect.

 

[AlanT]

I hate to use my side cutters on this wire (inside the hose). The wire is high tensile steel and damages the cutting edge of most cutters.

Dremel is great. For sanitation hose I have used the heat gun.

Nick

I have replaced the heads myself on 4 boats over the years (a total of
5 heads) including all the sanitation hose. It is my least favorite job on a boat.

I am currently replacing all the flexible sanitation hose on three heads on my current boat, along with servicing the valves and replacing the bellows. I use the term "I am" loosely.

I took one look at the location of the Vacuum tanks and pumps and decided for the first time ever to hire it out. I was quoted $1,500 labor for all three and frankly it will be the best $1,500 I've spent in a long while!

Extreme kudos to those who battle that job themselves.

~A

 

[Mischief Managed]

I have replaced the heads myself on 4 boats over the years (a total of
5 heads) including all the sanitation hose. It is my least favorite job on a boat.

I am currently replacing all the flexible sanitation hose on three heads on my current boat, along with servicing the valves and replacing the bellows. I use the term "I am" loosely.

I took one look at the location of the Vacuum tanks and pumps and decided for the first time ever to hire it out. I was quoted $1,500 labor for all three and frankly it will be the best $1,500 I've spent in a long while!

Extreme kudos to those who battle that job themselves.

~A

I replaced all my waste hoses last year. There were some spots that I, being not short and not skinny, simply could not fit. I hired a couple of local young, diminutive, and lean lobster fisherman to do the work in the areas I could not access. They were not professional marine mechanics by any means and I had to provide all the tools, explain everything I wanted done in detail, and carefully supervise them to make sure they did everything right. I paid them each $50 an hour in cash and they were thrilled to get paid that much during the slow season for lobsters. Money well-spent. I hope the Raritan Saniflex hose lasts long enough that I never have to do that work again. It was awful.


I found that radiator hose removal tools with 90 degree and 180 degree tips are incredibly handy for this kind of work, but the Dremel multitool came in handy as well.

 

[Comodave]

I find that as I get older, and fatter, that I too don’t fit in as many tight spots as I used to. And if I can fit and get in there sometimes I don’t have the strength to do the work. Oh well, it is better than the alternative.

 

[Bmarler]

I find that as I get older, and fatter, that I too don’t fit in as many tight spots as I used to. And if I can fit and get in there sometimes I don’t have the strength to do the work. Oh well, it is better than the alternative.

man, i get that. i've also noticed my productivity declining. i still think i can get as much done as my 30 year old self could, but in reality my 60 year old body gets about half. (if that)

 

[AlanT]

I find that as I get older, and fatter, that I too don’t fit in as many tight spots as I used to. And if I can fit and get in there sometimes I don’t have the strength to do the work. Oh well, it is better than the alternative.

After deciding to hire out that toilet job, I thought it would be a good idea to try and improve flexibility/strength so went on a swimming binge for 3 days, 1 KM crawl each day. Ironically on day 4 I woke with rotator cuff tendinopathy (basically frozen shoulder). Took a week of ice packs to get motion back. Still better than the alternative!
~A

 

[OldDan1943]

A word of caution, do not score the hose bib. You may well end up with a leak.

 

[Comodave]

I used to be able to work 10 to 14 hours in a day on my boat. Now after 2 to 3 hours I am pretty much done in. But all this winters work is done now and we are just waiting for launching the boat.

So we are taking a vacation in Washington DC. My wife had never been on a train or to Washington so we took an overnight train to DC. It was terrible, we reserved the largest cabin they had. It made our boat look absolutely luxurious. And the beds were unsleepable. But on the good side the food was horrible. So I canceled the train trip home and we are going to fly home. Today we are exhausted but had a great day sightseeing. Saw the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Awesome. But the Declaration is almost unreadable, very faded, not like in the movies. We walked the Mall in a light rain but it was still inspiring. Saw the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Viet Nam Memorial and the White House. Overall a great day.