I have the solution to the water leakin' woes!

J

JamesTXSD

Active member
It's beautifully simple... don't know why I didn't think of this before. We simply need to keep the water we don't want in the boat OUT, and the water we do want in the boat contained where it's supposed to be. :idea

Like many 25 and TC owners, we've had annoying water leaks on our boat. The latest was a failed fitting on the hot water connection leading to the shower (and on the water heater itself). Now, I understand we haul these boats around, vibration, yadda, yadda, yadda. RVs get hauled around and they seem to be able to keep their water in the waterlines. We did not have the gooey white stuff (technical term) that many have had... we had plumber's tape put on the threads above the connection. :crook Fittings not even hand tight. I thought we had everything water tight until our last outing a few days ago, when the fitting that connects the hot waterline to the shower connection let loose. We do not keep the water pump on, so it was only the water in the line itself that found its way to the floor. Still, enough to have the Blonde order me to do something about it.

I am an old sailor (OK, I'm not that old)... one keeps a wooden plug near the through hulls below the water line to hammer into place to save the boat, if necessary. We have NO openings below the waterline. :thup However, when the waterline fitting decided to let the water be on the outside of that line, I had nothing to plug it. For you wine drinkers here, you probably have one of these onboard...

Plumb2E.jpg

I only drink the hard stuff (Diet Dr. Pepper), but Joan enjoys a glass of wine in the evening. These stoppers fit in the waterlines, and then expand to close 'em off! :D Of course, we have no hot water to the shower in the meantime, but we also have no leak. The blue line shows the stopper in place in the line, the black line points to the type of fitting that gave out.

Plumb1E.jpg

Today was an absolutely GORGEOUS day here in the Tropical Tip - got up to 77º, clear blue skies, a nice sea breeze. I spent 4 hours trying to find some of these stupid plastic fittings! :x No joy. I finally gave up and called C-Dory to see if they could help. On a Friday afternoon. Right before the boat show. I was transferred to Dave who promised to get me some of these as soon as possible.

Plumb3E.jpg

I really don't like to have to call C-Dory for something small like this. But, I exhausted every hardware, boat, and RV supply place in the area.

Last year at this time, we were heading to Seattle to buy this boat. This year, we are enjoying the fruits of that trip - Wild Blue is a champ. And now that I have this whole water theory thing down, it'll be even easier. Have a great time at the SBS those of you who are going... we'd love to see you, but someone has to stay on their boat and keep the water where it belongs.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
James,

A catalog that use for all sorts of odd parts, screws, fittings etc. is McMaster Carr. They claim to have 435,000 parts and ship 95% from stock. I didn't look through their online catalog for a part like the one that went out on you but it's my "go to" catalog for stuff like that. It's also great for stainless fitttings at a small fraction of what the marine stores sell parts for.[/url]
 
Jim,
I assume that the hose barb broke on your part - otherwise I don't see what could have failed?

Do you look for a brass hose barb that you could mate to the faucet? I think I would want to replace it with brass since the plastic one failed.

Good bit of creativity using the bottle stopper to fix the leak, but then you have to finish the bottle! :crook

Steve
 
Hi Steve,

The barb was fine, it's the female threads in the other end. It appears that it was pushed on as much as screwed on. It leaked out of that end of the connection. When I took it all apart, the plastic just rotated on the metal threads of the shower connection. If I could find the same part in brass, I'd be delighted to replace it with that. Next time I go to Brownsville (our closest big city), I'll look around there.

We've had some water in that area in the past, and 99% went away when we resealed the rub rail. My guess is this has been seeping all along, as well. Since we don't keep the water pressure on other than when we use it, it hasn't been under pressure that much.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
JamesTXSD":39434fpg said:
The barb was fine, it's the female threads in the other end. It appears that it was pushed on as much as screwed on. It leaked out of that end of the connection. When I took it all apart, the plastic just rotated on the metal threads of the shower connection. If I could find the same part in brass, I'd be delighted to replace it with that.
Jim B.
Click to expand...
Poor practice to mate plastic to metal in a plumbing installation -- different rates of expansion set up a situation that is ripe for failure or a leak.

What is the internal diameter of the brass male connector? Should be a pipe thread. Just get a short brass female-female straight shot, and then a "king nipple" or similar in brass with the same pipe thread. A good marine store should have those, as should a decent plumbing store.
 
Jim – I believe Dave is talking about something like this
5346kc1s.gif
and you should be able to get one at most hardware stores. The ID would be the pipe nipple diameter sticking down from the shower cut out.
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Dave dlt.gif
 
oldgrowth":2fv4oi9a said:
Jim – I believe Dave is talking about something like this
5346kc1s.gif
and you should be able to get one at most hardware stores. The ID would be the pipe nipple diameter sticking down from the shower cut out.
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Dave dlt.gif
Click to expand...
Yeah. That is a single fitting that will do the job. I had in mind two pieces, but Oldgrowth's hose barb/female pipe thread fitting is better. It is what should have been on there in the first place. Probably a good idea to get two and replace the other plastic equivalent, also.
 
Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I exhausted all the plumbing and hardware places in our area... now, keep in mind we are at the very end of the middle US... end of the road kinda place (part of what we love). I asked about a one piece equivalent at the ACE Hardware on South Padre Island, and came up empty-handed... the first time I have skunked them. Something in brass would have been my preference. They had larger and smaller ID, and smaller hose barb. I truly didn't think this would be that much of a challenge.

Armed with your suggestions, I'll try again next time we get to "the big city." Thanks again!

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Jim, Glad to see you are enjoying the boat and the weather is working out for you too. Checking on my friend Bill and his brother...they have been a bit wet. Not sure, but I think C-Dory might also have some fittings to FIX the brass/plastic set up.. or... it may have been Bob on Thataway that found some better fittings.... and posted this on some other links?? Might want to scan shower on the site...or just contact Bob.

Byrdman
 
JamesTXSD":1d0bgswt said:
Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I exhausted all the plumbing and hardware places in our area... now, keep in mind we are at the very end of the middle US... end of the road kinda place (part of what we love). I asked about a one piece equivalent at the ACE Hardware on South Padre Island, and came up empty-handed... the first time I have skunked them. Something in brass would have been my preference. They had larger and smaller ID, and smaller hose barb. I truly didn't think this would be that much of a challenge.

Armed with your suggestions, I'll try again next time we get to "the big city." Thanks again!

Best wishes,
Jim B.
Click to expand...

Jim,

Did you look at the McMaster Carr catalog (link I provided above)? You can order online and have it shipped to you (even at the end of the world). Probably cheaper than the RT gas to the "big city"...
 
Hi Roger,

Yes, I did check that link. Seems that they carry everything a guy with a leaking plumbing situation could ever want! If I can't find what I'm looking for on my next outing, that will be the next step.

I appreciate everyones' suggestions. I printed off a copy of the fitting posted above and will take that with me, too.

Thanks!
Jim B.
 
C-Dory sent out replacement fittings right away. I appreciate that. They lasted almost 2 hours before it leaked again. Replaced again. Still leaking. Replaced again. Still leaking. Drove 40 miles to a plumbing supply place to buy brass fittings, and we still have the leak... and it gets worse each time.

We're planning to head out for a few months with the boat next week. I have a cranky admiral, and am looking for any suggestion.* I called the factory, they transferred me to Dave in purchasing, and I got his voice mail. I'm pretty sure throwing more of the same parts at this isn't going to make this problem go away.

This shouldn't be that difficult. Deciding which boat to buy - that's tough. Trying to stay out of the way of a cranky Blonde - that's tough. Getting this thing to stop leaking just shouldn't be this frustrating.

Any ideas?

Thanks for your patience... I'm all outta mine.

Jim B.




* The solution of "the escape clause" mentioned on Tom's "married" thread crossed my mind. :wink:
 
I had posted about this fitting when I had a failure. It turns out that the fitting on the shower is "British Pipe Standard"--which is slightly different than our US tapered pipe thread or straight pipe thread. In my case the nylon had been cross threaded initially and the threads failed. I suspect that most of us should carry an extra fitting in case these fail.

We carry various lengths of dowling rod, and happen to have one which we use to support the "endless breeze" fan over the foreward hatch, which also is the same diameter as the shower hose--so that is another source of plugs. The wine bottle stopper is a great idea.
 
thataway":3vzdifqs said:
I had posted about this fitting when I had a failure. It turns out that the fitting on the shower is "British Pipe Standard"--which is slightly different than our US tapered pipe thread or straight pipe thread. In my case the nylon had been cross threaded initially and the threads failed. I suspect that most of us should carry an extra fitting in case these fail.

We carry various lengths of dowling rod, and happen to have one which we use to support the "endless breeze" fan over the foreward hatch, which also is the same diameter as the shower hose--so that is another source of plugs. The wine bottle stopper is a great idea.
Click to expand...

British Pipe Standard??? I served my time with an English sports car and a Triumph motorcycle back in the 60s! Everything they make leaked back then! So, any idea where I find a British Pipe Standard connection? AND, is it not 3/8s, but rather some metric or wentworth (or whatever) measurement????

Do you think the people selling these shower faucets are sitting around laughing... "Let's sell people stuff that they can't buy fittings for - that'll be funny!!!" Other shower guy: "No wait! Even better! We'll sell 'em the shower faucets AND the wrong fittings!" Room fills with sick, twisted laughter.

I took the plastic fittings from C-Dory to match. Do I have to take the shower faucets out to get something to match???

I recall that thread and something about this BPS. Keep in mind where I live... we have the Mexican Pipe Standard - keep twisting it 'till it fits! (Yes, that's a joke. I love the Hispanic culture or I wouldn't be living in Mexico-Lite!)

As a side note, we did find a fitting that works great on the water heater - it is a half inch ID with a swivel hose barb... no more having the weight of the water in the lines twisting those fittings!!!! :thup Yeah, I know: one in a row.

Thanks, Dr. Bob... I'll see what I can find.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Jim – looking at your photo, it looks like you may be able to put the hose directly on the threaded nipple from the shower. If it wont fit but is close, try heating it a little, then see if you can force it on.
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Dave dlt.gif
 
oldgrowth":131f591v said:
Jim – looking at your photo, it looks like you may be able to put the hose directly on the threaded nipple from the shower. If it wont fit but is close, try heating it a little, then see if you can force it on.
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Dave dlt.gif
Click to expand...

Duh! That's a great thought, Dave. (We need a slapping the forehead smiley) The hose is a bit short, though. If I put an extention in the line would there be a problem with the water leaking at the threads? Joan is the plumber in our family... she got the fitting to not leak this afternoon. No telling how long that will last. I'm guessing it won't make it past the next shower. Frustrating that such a simple thing should waste so many manhours. :x
 
Jim – there are three things you can do.

1. replace the hose if both nipples are the same size

2. splice the hose with a fitting like this
91355kp1s.gif


3, if the nipples at each end are different sizes, do #2 above, except get a splice connection (image 2 above) with different size hose fittings at each end.

With the low water pressure you have on the boat, you should be able to make a repair as long as the fittings are close. Any slack can be taken up with a clamp. As far as the threaded fitting at the shower, a clamp should make a connection tight enough to keep it from leaking. One other thing to look at is, see if you can reroute the existing hose so it will connect to the threaded nipple on the shower.

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Dave dlt.gif
 
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