CHECK YOUR THRU-HULL FITTINGS!!!!!!

[miky2884]

I had the boat out on Saturday in a local shallow water spot. I figured id take advantage and jump out and scrub the water line. When I got to the starboard side I found a problem. I noticed the thru-hull fitting that connects to the forward bilge was cracked. Fortunately the fitting is about 4 inches above the water line so I didn't panic. I went and opened up the hatch in the V berth and found that I had about 8 inches of water in the compartment. I knew I didnt need to rush in but that I needed to take care of it ASAP. Sunday I went down to start the project, I cut the hose to the bilge off the fitting and as soon as I went to turn the nut the fitting crumbled in my hand. the threaded park broke off the outside of the fitting with little to no pressure. I cleaned up the area and went and bought a stainless fitting, sealed with 4200 and put it all back together. I let it set up for the night and i will go back tonight to snug it up and re attach the hose for the bilge.

Lesson learned check these fittings!!! I got very lucky that this fitting was above the water line. I don't know why Parker chooses to use plastic for these fittings. Next spring I will be changing all the thru-hull fittings to stainless. The only other one I am really concerned about is the drain for the in deck hatch, that drain is right below the water line, great way to sink a boat.

Few pics below of the old fitting

 

[Phil]

Yikes, that is not good. That area takes a lot of pounding which maybe the reason for the crack. What did the crack looked like when you first noticed it?

I replaced all thru-hulls to SS about 10 years ago except for the one for the lip drain. You would need to cut an inspection port to have decent access to the thru-hull. You might be able to reach it from inside the cabin via the access panel but it would be very difficult to do any work with one hand. I ended plugging the thru-hull with a cork and disconnected the hose to the lip drain and secured it as high as I can (what little water simply drains into the bilge.) I'm going to get a tapered plug and secure it under the gunnel near the thru hull. I don't feel like cutting an inspection port to replace what is essentially a useless thru-hull. That whole shallow locker/lip drain/thru-hull is one dumb-ass design....

 

[Brent]

Which companies make high quality SS fittings?

 

[grouperjim]

I changed mine out from the Marlon to SS soon after getting the boat in 2006. I used the $13 specials from a discount marine joint. They still look good 6 years later.

FWIW in 2007 Parker switched to SS thru hulls.

 

[DaleH]

Just everyone be aware that those plastic ones that failed were PLASTIC and not MARLON. Marlon is a super graphite impregnated high tech COMPOSITE material and should NOT be confused or compared to simple cheap 'plastic'.

In some marine applications Marlon is superior to stainless steels and gives a service life up to or exceeding marine-naval bronze.

That said, no SS thru-hull or fitting should be used at or below the waterline, as bronze is the superior choice. I got my SS thru-hulls from www.surplusunlimited.com and www.gemlux.com, or try search for 'marine parts depot'.

 

[warthog5]

Which companies make high quality SS fittings?

Bousum Supply has REALLY nice 316 stainless units.

https://www.bosunsupplies.com/products2 ... duct=S3815

 

[Brent]

thanks for the links!

 

[Marty D]

Good catch!!! I check mine every time i go swimming or clamming. Did you hit something ? The dock ? Keep tampons on the boat, i do. They work good -if needed.

 

[Megabyte]

Changed all of mine out to chrome-over-bronze back in 2004 or 2005 when I upgraded my bilge pumps.

 

[miky2884]

Good catch!!! I check mine every time i go swimming or clamming. Did you hit something ? The dock ? Keep tampons on the boat, i do. They work good -if needed.

No I didn't hit anything , the fitting is actually on the starboard side and I dock on the port side, Like I said in my first post the fitting was shot as soon as I went to back the nut off the fitting it crumbled in my hand and actually broke apart. My boat sat on a rack outside in Virgina prior to me buying it and the position it sat in the starboard side must have been in the direct sun 85% of the day because the stickers on the starboard side of the motor are faded and the hull had bad oxidation on that side (previous owner didn't believe in wax). Which leads me to believe these plastic fittings also deteriorated from being in the sun all day. This spring I will change all the rest to stainless.