Suggestions for labeling fittings?

I'm a former sailboat guy and just bought a Mainship Pilot 34. Needless to say, there are many more thru-hull fittings and moving parts than my previous boat. I'd like to go through it and put some sort of labels or tags on everything. I'm thinking like a piece of vinyl with a sharpie and a wire tie? Any suggestions?

If you do most of your own mx work yourself, you will soon know where everything is and what everything does. With that said, buy a bag of tags, the ones with a string attached that can be temporarily tied to whatever you need. I use these tags to remind myself of engine work that needs to be done before the next start. Tied to the ignition key with a reminder like "after cooler removed for cleaning".

Something else that may be helpful. Diagram your electrical system which shows how your batteries are connected and how your battery charger and alternator(s) are plumbed into it. Also a diagram of the sewer system and electronics.


I've referred to these diagrams many times over the years and have saved a bunch of time by doing this.

JackD said:

I'm a former sailboat guy and just bought a Mainship Pilot 34. Needless to say, there are many more thru-hull fittings and moving parts than my previous boat. I'd like to go through it and put some sort of labels or tags on everything. I'm thinking like a piece of vinyl with a sharpie and a wire tie? Any suggestions?

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Hello JackD.

Aboard Seaweed I label everything with whatever is at hand. Usually I tie (small pieces of twine) the tag to whatever is close by.

The Ship's log also has notes on what's what:
Color of wiring (standard, but written nonetheless) for engine gauges
AC and DC panel fuse sizes (and what's what) from top to bottom

Permanent marker works well on scraps of fiberglass; the vinyl labels fell off the bulkhead (found in bilge after purchase)
Those snazzy plastic ones did too. (Dampness didn't help the situation)

You can not have too many labels.

On long runs of wire I tag things where visible. It's not necessary but if someone sees some #4 I want them to know it's for my windlass. Especially when wires reappear.

The duplex, I just write on the white cover. It's not fancy, but it works.

Recently I was aboard a Thompson44 (lovely engine room) and was quite impressed. The owner "knows his stuff" and has it labeled too. No one could mistake anything down there and in a panic situation... well, I was impressed.

The article on Lily Maria is here:
Janice142 article Life onboard Lily Maria (Thompson44 M/V)

Good luck. And even if YOU know what it is, label anyway. Some day a worker will be aboard your boat and you don't want him doing something stupid. What was easy and so simple in five years might not be so. Labels are your friend.

In my opinion.

Mainship did a fairly good job of labeling most mechanical items on their boats... also a decent job of layout diagrams in their manuals. If you don't have one let me know and I can point you to a site w/ many of the Mainship manuals online.
Good Luck w/ the "new" boat.

manuals, etc.

Bacchus said:

Mainship did a fairly good job of labeling most mechanical items on their boats... also a decent job of layout diagrams in their manuals. If you don't have one let me know and I can point you to a site w/ many of the Mainship manuals online.
Good Luck w/ the "new" boat.

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Thanks Don. Yes, the manuals are pretty thorough. As Janice142 says, in a panic, I want to know exactly what I am looking at. Even on my much simpler sailboat, every now and then I would see a thru-hull in some awkward location and have to rack my brain to remember what it was for. I want to label things, which will also be a great exercise for me to learn everything about her!

The Coot's builder installed nice labels for the thruhulls except for the engine raw-water intake which is rather obvious regardless.

On our MS 34 HT TRawler they epoxied an engraved label next to each of the thru hulls, seacocks and pumps. Surprised they weren't consistent w/ the Pilots.
I can't say the same for electrical stuff - I'm in the process of labeling major electrical and doing some modification to things I've found & don't like the way they did it.
I have made up some card stock tags - covered w/ clear shipping tape and punched a hole in each w/ a string as reminders - "Winterized" "Closed" etc... similar for breakers e.g water heater for when they've been drained to avoid burning out elements.
Again - Good Luck & Welcome

pvc?

Bacchus said:

On our MS 34 HT TRawler they epoxied an engraved label next to each of the thru hulls, seacocks and pumps. Surprised they weren't consistent w/ the Pilots.
I can't say the same for electrical stuff - I'm in the process of labeling major electrical and doing some modification to things I've found & don't like the way they did it.
I have made up some card stock tags - covered w/ clear shipping tape and punched a hole in each w/ a string as reminders - "Winterized" "Closed" etc... similar for breakers e.g water heater for when they've been drained to avoid burning out elements.
Again - Good Luck & Welcome

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I seem to recall getting my sails repaired at a sail loft and the bag came back with a tag with my name on it that lasted forever. It was like a piece of pvc or nylon with permanent marker on it. Thinking of contacting my local dinghy repair shop to see if I can cut up an old one and make tags. Crazy?

markpierce said:

The Coot's builder installed nice labels for the thruhulls except for the engine raw-water intake which is rather obvious regardless.

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I have a serious case of Coot bilge envy.
Sigh.

It's beautiful.

janice142 said:

I have a serious case of Coot bilge envy.
Sigh.

It's beautiful.

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Me too

Jack D-all our major through-hulls are labeled as Mark's are. The others I have tagged with a plastic tag using a permanent marker and a wire tie. I also have the appropriate sized plug tied to each through-hull along with a box of nerf balls handy in the engine room. I have a diagram (pretty simple hull outline), with the location, description and size of each through-hull at the helm. Fortunately, haven't had to use any of all that stuff yet, but it is there just in case!

This:

Dymo. Done!

DYMO 4200 for $56 at Amazon. Love it! Thank you.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005MR516Y/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

markpierce said:

The Coot's builder installed nice labels for the thruhulls except for the engine raw-water intake which is rather obvious regardless.

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Are there proper sized thru hull backing plates under them thar seacocks? Can't tell with all that white stuff in the way.

Or, seriously, are backing plates not required with a steel hull?

Steel boat ....most are just welded pipe with ball valves.....but reinforcing is never a bad idea....

But seeing the nut close to the bottom plate...who knows what this builder did.....Mark???

psneeld said:

Steel boat ....most are just welded pipe with ball valves.....but reinforcing is never a bad idea....

But seeing the nut close to the bottom plate...who knows what this builder did.....Mark???

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Dunno. Those curious can email the builder. I'm not concerned.

Tractor Supply Co. - Enjoy browsing:ID Ear Tags

Blank livestock ear tags come in a variety of colors and are easily attached with zip ties. Mark them any way you wish and are more durable than paper tags.

I use a laundry marking pen because I can clearly write information as seen in the one photo which tells me the rudder post "O" ring size or other information as where the emergency tiller is stowed, fuel tank readings, etc.