Thru Hull Hose Replacement

[Sdfish]

I'm not familiar with the 226, but can you access under the pedalstal seats, where the tackle locker is?

 

[SirGrady226]

I'm not familiar with the 226, but can you access under the pedalstal seats, where the tackle locker is?

No tackle locker on the 87 226, only fish box and insulated cooler / live well. There are small screw in access openings above the locations for visual inspection, but not enough room through them to actually remove the hose clamps, hoses, and fittings. My forearm doesn't even fit through the hole, a boat mechanic looked at it yesterday and said I have to cut a new 5" hole through the inside of the boxes then install covers over the holes afterwards. The forward floor drains will require the small access panels to be removed and the holes cut bigger, then 5" access covers installed. I love the boat for how it's built and all it can do with great versatility, but these very important drains should of been designed so to have adequate access for replacement since failures of these fitting could be enough to sink the boat. I'm sure I will forget about this experience once it's done and I can enjoy the boat again, but right now I'm really aggravated having to cut four new 5" holes in the ole girl. It's still up in the air if these holes will allow me to adequately reach the hose connection underneath at the deck drains. It will allow access to the through hull part, but it will be seen if I'm able to manipulate at all the underneath connections. I'm hoping I will be able to get a small 5/16" socket on the hose clamps to remove them, then use a razor knife to slice the hose allowing it to slide off. The hoses are so dried up that they will not slide off the nipple, and the deck/ fish box fittings will just snap off trying to do so. Doing all the replacement by feel with having only one arm in the access hole is certainly a challenge, and I will need to have a string attached to any tool so that it can be retrieved if dropped. I'm going to spend a few days thinking everything out before attempting this, just worried about butchering anything up trying it. One problem is the very cramped area at the helm floor drain, it will limit my body position while having my arm in the access hole. One thing is for sure, if I can pull this this off, it will be a huge accomplishment and worth a big beer chug.

 

[glacierbaze]

Question for those of you who have replaced fuel tanks. After removing the tanks, how much of the underside of the deck were you able to observe, and were any of these complicated drains and hoses visible, or accessible from underneath?

 

[Ky Grady]

On my '04 after removing tanks, you have no access to the sides.

 

[Sdfish]

No tackle locker on the 87 226, only fish box and insulated cooler / live well. There are small screw in access openings above the locations for visual inspection, but not enough room through them to actually remove the hose clamps, hoses, and fittings. My forearm doesn't even fit through the hole, a boat mechanic looked at it yesterday and said I have to cut a new 5" hole through the inside of the boxes then install covers over the holes afterwards. The forward floor drains will require the small access panels to be removed and the holes cut bigger, then 5" access covers installed. I love the boat for how it's built and all it can do with great versatility, but these very important drains should of been designed so to have adequate access for replacement since failures of these fitting could be enough to sink the boat. I'm sure I will forget about this experience once it's done and I can enjoy the boat again, but right now I'm really aggravated having to cut four new 5" holes in the ole girl. It's still up in the air if these holes will allow me to adequately reach the hose connection underneath at the deck drains. It will allow access to the through hull part, but it will be seen if I'm able to manipulate at all the underneath connections. I'm hoping I will be able to get a small 5/16" socket on the hose clamps to remove them, then use a razor knife to slice the hose allowing it to slide off. The hoses are so dried up that they will not slide off the nipple, and the deck/ fish box fittings will just snap off trying to do so. Doing all the replacement by feel with having only one arm in the access hole is certainly a challenge, and I will need to have a string attached to any tool so that it can be retrieved if dropped. I'm going to spend a few days thinking everything out before attempting this, just worried about butchering anything up trying it. One problem is the very cramped area at the helm floor drain, it will limit my body position while having my arm in the access hole. One thing is for sure, if I can pull this this off, it will be a huge accomplishment and worth a big beer chug.

I will definitely share a beer with you on accomplishing this! Good luck, I plan this later in December and will let you know how it goes.

 

[UCPA111]

On my '04 after removing tanks, you have no access to the sides.
View attachment 9703View attachment 9704

Yeah...I had to make some access holes and then close them back in when I was done. I tried to do it without cutting but....wasn't happening.

 

[glacierbaze]

Here is one idea to consider. The hose barb on a thru hull is smaller diameter than the threaded part. If the TH is located where you have a hard time reaching, forcing that hose on will be difficult. But, if the hose will fit thru the opening in the hull, put it on the TH first, and feed the whole thing thru from the out side. A quality, thinner walled hose may be available some where like Ag Supply. Then you only have to deal with the nut, and the clamp, on the inside. Some hose barbs are significantly smaller than the threads, so if this is not a life-or-death drain, like a livewell, using a smaller hose may be a solution to one or more TH's.
Tighten the TH nut from the outside, if necessary, before attaching the other end of the hose.(I posted the socket tool I made for this earlier in the thread. I have discovered that there is a tool for this, called a step wrench. )
https://www.deepblueyachtsupply.com/3bthw50150-thru-hull-step-wrenches

Start with the most difficult connection on either end of each hose.

 

[SirGrady226]

Here is one idea to consider. The hose barb on a thru hull is smaller diameter than the threaded part. If the TH is located where you have a hard time reaching, forcing that hose on will be difficult. But, if the hose will fit thru the opening in the hull, put it on the TH first, and feed the whole thing thru from the out side. A quality, thinner walled hose may be available some where like Ag Supply. Then you only have to deal with the nut, and the clamp, on the inside. Some hose barbs are significantly smaller than the threads, so if this is not a life-or-death drain, like a livewell, using a smaller hose may be a solution to one or more TH's.
Tighten the TH nut from the outside, if necessary, before attaching the other end of the hose.(I posted the socket tool I made for this earlier in the thread. I have discovered that there is a tool for this, called a step wrench. )
https://www.deepblueyachtsupply.com/3bthw50150-thru-hull-step-wrenches

Start with the most difficult connection on either end of each hose.

My brother had the skinny arm and was able to put his whole arm through the access hole. This very difficult job is now finished. What a PITA!

 

[leeccoll]

Well I say kudos to you all that have endured!!

I used to think that Grady should have thought ahead and make all of thru hulls these accessible for replacement, and then it occured to me that they are in the business of making great boats and selling them, not in the business of making life easy for 2nd and 3rd generation owners.

They are a business that needs a certain profit margin moving forward at the end of the day.

Still it seems that everyone who has has a Grady problem has been able figure out a fix-albeit hard as nails at times....including me.

 

[Ky Grady]

The older Grady's seem to be the harder ones to change out stuff due to access. I've changed out all my thru hulls and had an inspection plate that could be used very close to each one. Seems Grady upped their game later down the road. Now fuel tank replacement is another story.

 

[SirGrady226]

The hose type that they used is very high quality and held up very well for being 32 years old, it only got a bit stiff with age and didn't show any signs of failing. The floor, live well, and fish box drains were dry and brittle, and the through hull fittings were also. Most of the through hull fittings outer flange just broke off as soon as I tried to twist or pull on them, that left only two options getting them out. One was to use a big drill bit to drill out the inside until it was paper thin, then pick out the remaining material. The other option was to use a hack saw blade to cut slices inside the fitting giving room for it to be picked out. The access holes Grady provided limited someone with thin arms to just barely get your hand on the connections. Every tool used to loosen the hose clamps or retaining nuts had to have something attached incase you dropped it. Everything had to be done by feel, since once your arm was in the hole, there was no way to see the connections you were working on. Now the boat looks great with stainless finish through hull drains, I shouldn't have to ever worry about these again. Another fact I noticed, the 32 year old 5200 was in perfect condition and doing its job, that's some amazing stuff. It took some time to remove the stuff before applying the new. I wanted to post pictures, but my computer is acting up and not allowing google chrome to operate properly. I think a Microsoft update corrupted the application. I tried sending from my phone, but it says the file needs to be resized smaller. Have not been able to resize with my phone.

 

[DennisG01]

Reading through this thread... glad you got it done, Steve. Yeah, some things around a boat can be quite challenging, to say the least. But, hey, I guess it's the nature of the beast!

But one note... Grady didn't use 5200. If they did, you would have destroyed the gelcoat/fiberglass trying to get it off. I hope you didn't use 5200 for the new ones? 5200 actually has VERY limited places where it should be used. It's essentially superglue. It should be looked at as a permanent adhesive, not a sealant.

 

[SirGrady226]

Reading through this thread... glad you got it done, Steve. Yeah, some things around a boat can be quite challenging, to say the least. But, hey, I guess it's the nature of the beast!

But one note... Grady didn't use 5200. If they did, you would have destroyed the gelcoat/fiberglass trying to get it off. I hope you didn't use 5200 for the new ones? 5200 actually has VERY limited places where it should be used. It's essentially superglue. It should be looked at as a permanent adhesive, not a sealant.

It was actually boat life caulk which I referred to as 5200, thought it was the same stuff different company. All I know is they are sealed and ready for another 30+ years.

 

[DennisG01]

That's good that you used LifeCaulk - excellent stuff. I like that stuff a lot for this type of application. LifeCaulk is not as tenacious as 5200 - it's more akin to 3M 4200.

 

[leeccoll]

It was actually boat life caulk which I referred to as 5200, thought it was the same stuff different company. All I know is they are sealed and ready for another 30+ years.[/QUO
That is a huge accomplishment, congrats!!

 

[leeccoll]

It was actually boat life caulk which I referred to as 5200, thought it was the same stuff different company. All I know is they are sealed and ready for another 30+ years.

That's a HUGH accomplishment, congrats Sir!!

 

[Fishtales]

I agree heck of a job. Glad you could change those hoses without cutting the deck. Nice job. Attach pics when you can.

 

[SirGrady226]

I agree heck of a job. Glad you could change those hoses without cutting the deck. Nice job. Attach pics when you can.

Here are some pictures, they show just how cramped and small the access holes are and how nice the new thru hull fittings turned out. I hope to never have to do that job again, proper access would of made it a very straight forward job. I guess I can't complain too much though, since some brand name boats require you to cut the floor out to service the fuel tanks.

 

[Paul_A]

Boat jewelry, looks great!

 

[Fishtales]

Thanks for the pics. On the newer ones you are basically going in thru the deck access and then need to somehow get all the way over to the starboard side (brutal). the trash can area over the batteries for port side (probably can be done easier). I like your access better.