Thread: Thru- Hulls
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Old 05-16-2010, 06:05 PM   #6
Datenight
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City: Groton, CT
Vessel Name: Datenight
Vessel Model: North Pacific 45
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,106
RE: Thru- Hulls

Steve,
I only added about 250# of concrete or less and don't notice a difference but it must help a little. After several test holes, I fired up the sawzall and went at it. I was on the hard at the time but did not cut out anything important. Was suprised at how easy it was to guide the saw. I did use a long blade which helped. I would like to post some pictures but they seem to be too big and my wife (help desk!) is on travel.

The section from the stuffing box aft had foam all around the shaft tube which I scraped away with all manner of impliments. I did not fill that area with concrete (thank God) because of a tiny leak we have been hunting for years. In April I dropped the rudder, pulled the shaft and pluged the hole in the keel with a plumbing test plug. Then modified a pressure test fitting (2"pvc vent) I made for plumbing when we built our house.This was attached to the stuffing box with a rubber coupler. The plan was to put 4# of air in it. A soon as the air went in we could hear it leaking. Soap bubbles foung the leak all the way aft on the bottom of the tube. No definite way to be assured I could clean it enough to reglass and that the repair would hold so I cut it out. My boat was built in Korea. I am sure it was built under a tree in some guys back yard. It always surveys well but there is a lot of weird stuff. The shaft tube looks like it was made by waxing then glassing a pipe. I guess it held up for 30 years so it can not be that bad. Anyway, I bought a new tube and the yard is glassing it in now. The measurements are more than I wanted to do. I will fill the "V" with something because I need to glass over the cavity so I can put the generator back in. No rush to do that as we have cruised the last three seasons without it and I want to be sure the leak is solved. Any suggestions as to what to use for filler? I suppose concrete would be fine as this tube is much better and should be good for at least 30 years,but......

Rob
37' Sedan
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