Overboard Connections

August 2014                     Overboard Stubs removal

 

To be able to perform a good coating of the under waterline hull and the above water line hull it was decided to remove all overboard stubs.

Another reason was that I did not know nor could find out when was the last time these were removed or replaced.

This is where the challenge started not only are some of them difficult to reach but like with new over boards there were no notches on the inside of the stub, to hold them in place when one tries to loosen the nuts on the inside of the hull. 

Next picture shows a new overboard stub.

Several tries with different tools, cleaning of the thread and some heat it was still impossible to turn the nuts loose or completely off the overboard stubs.

One of the main reasons was that the overboard stubs did not have the notches in them to keep them in place from the outside. They kept turning and could not be fixed in place to loosen the nuts.

The only thing left was to cut off the flange of the overboard stubs and push the actual stub inside the boat.

As one can imagine this has to be done very carefully to prevent that too much damage is created onto the actual hull.

Pic 3

The best method I found was to cut off the flange with a Dremel tool with a cutting disc.

Started with a normal cutting disc in the largest overboard stub, toilet outlet, and when the cutting disc was smaller wear and tear, moved to a smaller diameter overboard stub.

With this method all flanges of all over boards were removed.

When the overboard stubs were removed I had the feeling that some of them have never been removed since the boat was build. The impression was due to the materials used that they have been in the hull since day one.

After the removal they were inspected and were actually still in good condition.

The holes were cleaned out and I noticed that they were not protected by paint which I will do.

New overboard stubs will be installed after the painting has been finished and since I might sail with the boat in salt water the underwater overboard stubs to be installed which are made from Bronze and the above the water line from Brass.