I Cant Take The Strain

[J's Dream]

I am replacing my seacocks, nipples, etc next week. Mine are all 3" fittings, and no where at all is there a BRONZE 3" nipple that I have found. Hatteras used brass, Lewis Marine only sells brass, and thats what I'll have to put in there again. I can't see it being a problem, as long as it's properly bonded.

Jason

[yachtsmanbill]

I'm disgusted and need more feedback...
After spending the better part of today driving around to various hose suppliers, I find that the 3-1/2" ID stuffing box hose is a bastard size. 3 or 4 inch only except for one and thats hydraulic hose with wire and will not compress.
I called SAMS and the parts guy in FtL has it in the blue silicone at
$30.60 / ft. Thats fine as it will do both sides. This is 200psi hose and 5 ply. Is this what I need? Buck Algonquin site is down "under construction" so now I am in the dark, again! SEND HELP ! Also, any good places for the T bolts clamps, once I figure out the CORRECT hose O.D.? ws

[Boatsb]

Amazon hose in Orlando. They are a wholesaler. if they will not sell to you I can go and get it on my business account.

Toll-free: 800-340-0229

http://www.amazonhose.com/default.asp

[yachtsmanbill]

Thanks Scott! I went through their entire list and only found 3-1/2 exhaust hose which I am affraid will be too stiff to clamp down to the 3-3/8 I need.
I would bite the bullet on the blue stuff if the guys here say its servicible for the stern tube. Yikes! Is it EVER easy??? ws

[drburke]

I think you have a solution, but for the record, there are many places to get the silicone hose, which is actually pretty pliable. See turbohose dot com, siliconehoses dot com, sporthoses dot com, or even ebay. They orient toward the racers and Mil spec market, and often have all stainless T-clamps (unsure of marine rating, though). Typically hose is 3 or 4 ply and good up to 10 bar. I also see at least one place selling 3.380".

Mostly I post the above so you know you are not out of options, and also to point out that since you have a problem with blue, that other colors are available: black, red, green, purple, yellow, orange. That should help with your interior decorating scheme issues. :-)

DAN

[Boatsb]

Bill call and see if they have the right size just not in the catalog. Always worth a try.

[yachtsmanbill]

I had to throw out the binders! SCREEEEECH! I'm gonna hold off until someone TELLS me what they've used and works. I have nothing at all against pi$$ing away money, its generally fun, but I DO NOT want to have to pull that coupling off again! At least not in this life, especially for a dry stuffing box that leaks at the hose connection. What a bummer. I'd be back on the gas pipe with closed windows!
To re-iterate my quandry, the tube is actually 3-3/8" and the gland is
3.840" ( 3-27/32' or just over 3-13/16").
I need to find a happy medium that will squeeze down and if I actually got
3-3/8 it might (probably) not stretch up.
I'm almost ready to make a bushing for the pipe and glue it on. There is enough meat on the gland to turn it down also. I am not trying to be anal about it, but I'd really hate to see a leaker. I dont think the blue hose kid knew what I was talking about, but it would compliment the nice clean bilge... teal maybe?
This is probably a result of too many years doing this stuff at the power plant! ARRGGHHHHH. ws

[yachtsmanbill]

NOW the plot thickens... too damn much brain fartin' going on! Those measurements were 3-3/8 X 3.480 not 840 ! Thats only .020 under a half which is ok, but that skinny end bugs me.
I did a search on ebay and found a plethora of 4 ply silicone hose at 3-1/2 but so far its all 3" long and of course I need 6 or 7". I need a nitro tab! ws

[ThirdHatt]

BE CAREFUL ordering "blue hose" over the internet! I have an account with Byfield (Lewis Marine) and ordered some 5" for my 31' CC. It showed up and believe it or not, my T-bolt hose clamps would not clamp down on it! It turns out that all blue hose is NOT created equal! Apparently, most "other" brands of blue hose are indeed silicone and surely of good quality, but NOT as good, thick or tough as the Trident brand hose. Trident has more plys (6 ply vs. 4 for lesser hose) , is thicker and is simply the better hose. If you're going to pay all the money for blue hose, why not get the BEST hose?

It is still flexible enough to go in places the black stuff will not. I replaced several feet of 8" exhaust hose with Trident blue silicone on Sweet Melissa while she was out of the water and although not an easy job, I would not even consider trying to wrestle the black stuff back on those fiberglass exhaust tubes.

GOOD LUCK!!!

[SKYCHENEY]

Bill,
I think you are on to something here. Why not put a couple of wraps of fiberglass cloth around the tube to bring it up to 3.480 just like the gland? Then that 3 1/2" hose would be perfect on both ends. Am I missing something here? Pull out the cans of West and get busy!