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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Two years ago, I took mine apart and it was a
"normal" set up using only one piece of hose. I've only owned the boat for six
years so I don't know if someone had done this before. I find it hard to believe
that Whitby would have set up the connection as you describe. On the other hand,
I do know a brain dead person that did something similar to fit two mismatched
hose barb fittings. I also can see the point to trying to move the packing nuts
up toward the engine, although I believe the shortest hose is the best
hose.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Regards,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Brian Free
Spirit #497</FONT></DIV>
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style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=ralley@chesapeake.net href="mailto:ralley@chesapeake.net">R.C.
Alley</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=public-list@alberg30.org
href="mailto:public-list@alberg30.org">public-list@alberg30.org</A> ; <A
title=member-list@alberg30.org
href="mailto:member-list@alberg30.org">member-list@alberg30.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, May 19, 2001 1:35
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Alberg30] A4, stern tubes</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>1. Alva Windham, now commodore of the
Solomon Island YC, inquired of me today if I knew if anyone had an Atomic 4
they wanted to sell--he's looking for one to rebuild. He tells me that
he once had an A30, named Dolphin. He left the Assn. in the late 1980's.
If you have an A4 for sale, or know where there is one in rebuildable
condition, please contact him directly at <A
href="mailto:windham@chesapeake.net">windham@chesapeake.net</A> or send the
information to me.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>2. I removed the stern tube, stuffing box, hose,
and clamps from Nevermore today; the engine is out and I am taking advantage
of the opportunity to replace, rebuild, and repaint without the joy of lying
on my belly in the cockpit and working beyond fingertip reach (in the
rain). What I found was troubling if not positively dangerous. The stern
tube is about 1/8th inch OD larger than the stuffing box hose flange OD. For
some reason, a previous owner had used standard exhaust hose (two
pieces, one over the other) on the tube which flares down to one piece (only)
on the stuffing box, all about 10 inches long. Its been in the boat at
least since I bought it in 1991, and is quite ready for replacement.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The standard way to do this is to purchase a
thick wall hose which is sold particularly for this purpose, in lengths of
about 4 inches. If used, this would have put the stuffing box back closer to
the deadwood by about 3 inches, and may have been beyond the reach necessary
to tighten the gland nut when necessary. The problem,(as I see
it) is that exhaust hose is not the proper material to use, and using two
thicknesses of exhaust hose means that the clamps never actually bear on the
inner hose, and, as the outer hose gets old and stiff, it may leak and
fail--and you can't fix it without pulling the boat.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Any comments from y'all? I'd like to know
if this is the normal way Whitby did this, or was this the braincramp of a
lesser genius?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>RA</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>