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Sound off: Who has kept their original "to-hulls"

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cmckitrick
Navigator

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USA
117 Posts

Response Posted - 02/05/2005 : 09:40:49

I still do not get to hull vs. thru hull. Don said to hulls do not go all the way through the hull but from what people are saying, it sounds like they do. They just do not have like a mushroom fitting or something? I wish I could see a cut away diagram.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 02/05/2005 : 10:52:51

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by cmckitrick
 I still do not get to hull vs. thru hull. Don said to hulls do not go all the way through the hull but from what people are saying, it sounds like they do. They just do not have like a mushroom fitting or something? I wish I could see a cut away diagram.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Charlie,

The "to-hulls" are simply straight pieces of pipe glassed into the hull from the inside with no mechanical fasteners like bolts or nuts securing it to the hull.

An actual thru-hull is mechanically fastened to the hull by sandwhiching the hull between the thru-hull flange and a nut.

(Photos courtesy of Douglas)

The first set of pictures shows an original "to-hull" pipe before and after removal. Notice that it is simply a short length of pipe with no flange.

A thru-hull has a flange on the outside and a nut on the inside.

The biggest difference between the two is that if you were to yank on a "to hull", the worst that could happen is it could come out in your hand leaving a hole in your boat (not good when on the water) whereas you can yank on a flanged "thru hull" all day long and the worst that could happen is that you'll have wasted the day.

Edited by - dlucier on 02/05/2005 11:08:00

cmckitrick
Navigator

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USA
117 Posts

Response Posted - 02/05/2005 : 12:37:12

I think I get it now, Don. The part that was confusing me was that I thought you said to hulls did not go all the way through. I appreciate your detailed explaination. Thanks. Now do you want to come over and help me switch to through hulls?

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Midpoint
Deckhand

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USA
14 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2005 : 11:48:27

Where would one find wooden plugs fo such emergencies for the to hulls? thanks

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cmckitrick
Navigator

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USA
117 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2005 : 12:05:07

West Marine sells teak plugs in a variety pack of different sizes. When I looked last year though my store was out of them.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2005 : 12:06:48

They are called bung plugs because of their wine cask heritage. They are available pretty much everywhere nautical suppiles are sold.

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Dave Laux
Captain

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318 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2005 : 12:46:38

In Don's excellent picture above, the one with the new thru-hull, the gel coat has been sanded until the skin coat mat is exposed. This is a great way to start bilistering if it is not already going. If you do this you should epoxy the surface and the inside of the hole before installing the fitting. Also I would use Forespars plastic thru hulls rather than bronze on most boats. Last if you check your to-hulls while the boat is in the water, or recently out, they may be locked in by the corrosion and you may find that they will be quite loose after drying. My dentist says that thats why fillings stay in (the amalgum ones)corrosion locks them into your tooth. Dave

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jwilliams
Captain

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USA
357 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2005 : 13:23:25

When I did the bottom of Hey Jude in Oct. I replaced the to-hull. It was a lot of work grinding the volcano-shaped fiberglass hill down to a flat surface that would accept a new bronze thru-hull.

Removing the original pipe required a channel-lock and a pipe vice-grip. It was in that solid.

Would it have held up for more years? Who can say.

The new bronze fitting was relatively cheap as was the new marelon valve.

All the time I was grinding and fitting I kept saying to myself, "just in case, just in case."

BTW, have your vacuum cleaner going with the nozzle under the place you are grinding. Otherwise, the itchy fiberglass will torment you forever. I wish that Butler, et. al. had vacuumed everything between the liner and the hull when they were making our babies. I am still running into places with fiberglass dust residue after twenty years!

Jim Williams
Hey Jude C25fk 2958
SF Bay

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oldsalt
Admiral

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USA
578 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2005 : 17:16:03

Dave, as usual, makes a very good point. Marelon through hulls are a better choice for most applications since they won't rot away over time being subject to either electrolytic or galvanic corrosion, or both. Bronze isn't forever and I'll bet there are a lot of vessels out there sailing with corroded, brittle bronze through hulls that can fail without warning.

If your bronze through hulls have taken on a pink cast, they're on their way out.

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Dave Laux
Captain

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318 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2005 : 19:27:31

1. If its going to be plastic lets make it all plastic. 2. Better than a thru hull and a valve is a real seavalve that has a flange for thru bolts and an internal thread for the thru hull. The real sea valve also has a drain plug to allow the water in the valve to be released to prevent a burst valve from freezing. Thats the way I do them. Dave

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Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 02/10/2005 : 01:42:27

Oh yea sure they look good but would you feel good if you knew what I knew. Would you sleep well with your family onboard.

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Todd Frye
Navigator

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USA
222 Posts

Response Posted - 02/10/2005 : 15:10:14

My C-25 SK/SR had some worrisome hairline cracks which radiated out from the original “to hulls”, found after haul out and bottom inspection at seasons end. My concern was water intrusion into the hull material around the “to hull” opening through these small gel coat cracks. After filling and drilling new holes for my new bronze thru hull fittings, I made sure the new hole sides were coated with epoxy to create a water barrier. Made a backing plate out of 3/4” HDPE and sealed things up with 5200. Peace of mind is a wonderful thing. Todd Frye

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John Bixby
Navigator

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118 Posts

Response Posted - 02/16/2005 : 23:45:25

MS ACHSA IS A 77 FK/SR AND AFTER READING ALL THE INPUT A FEW YEARS AGO
REGARDING THIS SUBJECT I CHANGED MINE OUT JUST TO FEEL BETTER ABOUT
THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM. HAD ONLY ONE IN THE GALLEY.
JOHN

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