[Public-List] Water intakes (was: Cockpit and scupper drains)

[George Dinwiddie via Public-List]

Jonathan,

On 9/21/15 5:12 PM, Jonathan Bresler via Public-List wrote:
> Stephen,
>
> As you mentioned, the 1/2" thru-hulls are quite a piece of work.
>
> "Whitby did a lot of things over the years to keep the cost of the Alberg
> 30 affordable. Perhaps the *worst thing was to make their own half-inch
> through-hulls*. They took half of a pipe nipple and peened it over a fender
> washer. While this seems like a mechanically sound construction at first, a
> little corrosion can make this fall apart into the two pieces. Fortunately
> my boat was on land when it did so. I put a wrench on the engine intake
> valve and the pipe nipple pulled through the hull with no apparent effort.
> I had been *that close* to sinking all season."
>
> Was looking at #262 recently, thinking about thru-hulls, and noticing the
> 1/2" fresh water line that runs from the tank under the v-berth to the head
> and the sink, and got to wondering.  Why do we have have three 1/2"
> thru-hulls?   We have one for the engine and not two feet away, one for the
> galley, and another that is closer to the engine raw water thru-hull than
> the fresh water tank is to the galley.
>
> Seems that we could eliminate two...in particular the one in the galley and
> the head by extending a line from the engine raw water thru-hull to the
> galley and the head.  That line could be flexible fiber/cord reinforced
> plastic.  The long run of hose would be from the engine thru-hull to the
> head.  That run could be inside a piece of schedule 40 PVC to protect the
> hose from whatever might be under the port settee.

I would not want to tee into the engine intake. It's too likely that the 
engine would start drawing air from one of the other hoses instead of 
pulling in seawater.

>
> To date, since May 17th this year ;), I have closed all thru-hulls every
> time I leave the boat.  I open each as needed.  When not needed all
> thru-hulls are closed.  Would have to open the single thru-hull at the
> engine anytime I wanted to use the head or the sea water galley pump.
> Perhaps that is not too high a price to pay for eliminating two holes in
> the boat.

Perhaps I'm lazier than you, but I would not want to pull up the 
floorboard over the batteries and bend way down there every time I 
wanted to pump the head. Then again, I wouldn't want to open the engine 
intake as part of every time I start the engine when I'm cruising.

I do leave the cockpit/scupper throughhulls open all the time. I've had 
enough problems with rainwater when these clog with leaves. I wouldn't 
want them to be generally closed.

  - George

>
> Considering this as one of this winter's projects.
>
> Thoughts ?
>
> Jonathan.....owner newbie!
>

-- 
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   When I remember bygone days                         George Dinwiddie
   I think how evening follows morn;            gdinwiddie at alberg30.org
   So many I loved were not yet dead,           http://www.Alberg30.org
   So many I love were not yet born.                          also see:
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