No endorsements here, just stuff that works and information that helps.
(If you come across a great product or good general information, send me an email)

HOSES

(article from © JM Publishing, http://www.diy-boat.com/)
 

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HOSE

Hoses are essential to keeping your boat afloat and operative but many boats are equipped with inferior, non-marine-rated hoses. Here’s how to survey and upgrade your boat to comply with today’s performance and safety standards.

Story and photos by Jan Mundy

Many boats built before 1990 and some after, were assembled from readily available materials, such as highly corrosive automotive wiring, inexpensive heater and fuel line hoses and household plumbing fittings, with little concern for boatbuilding standards, either mandatory or voluntary.

Nowadays, the installation of most boat systems are regulated by the Coast Guard, American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC), National Marine Manufacturer’s Association (NMMA), Lloyd’s and others. Though some standards are voluntary and not always adopted by boatbuilders, you should adapt these when replacing or upgrading components. This ensures your boat will, at the very least, pass a survey or insurance claim if the surveyor or adjuster is standards-literate, and you can avoid failures by inferior products.

Attending a seminar presented by Bill Shields of Trident Marine at IBEX ‘99 (a trade show for boatbuilders), prompted me to inspect the hoses on my own early-‘80s-built boat. What I found wasn’t pretty and unsafe, especially engine hoses. If you haven’t upgraded hoses on your boat lately, read on.

Hose approved for marine use should be Coast Guard certified, as required for gasoline-carrying lines, or constructed to meet minimum performance and quality standards. Though generally more expensive than non-marine-rated hose, using such products insures greater service life and safety. Consider these examples. When a raw-water-cooled engine develops a blockage and the engine overheats, an automotive heater hose would likely burst. Spill solvent on a cheap PVC hose and it quickly dissolves. A

ruptured non-marine hose on an engine or gen-set raw-water connection, air conditioning, bilge pump, head and livewell intakes or any hose connected to a below-waterline thru-hull can sink your boat. Likewise for a leaking cockpit drain hose — should it rain and the bilge pump can’t keep up with the water flow, the boat will surely sink. Non-standard engine exhaust hose with pinhole leaks can result in deadly carbon monoxide poisoning and possible flooding. Breach an unrated diesel fuel line or holding tank hose and you’re guaranteed to have the contents dumped into the bilge, creating a very dangerous, or noxious, situation. Blow a non-certified gasoline line and the boat becomes an explosive shell.

Hoses for marine use are often labeled with the standards classification, either SAE, Coast Guard, NMMA, ISO, UL or Lloyd’s; the manufacturer’s identification number, usage, the year manufactured plus other classifications as specified for each particular application. When purchasing approved hose, also examine the construction: check that the hose ends have the same inside diameter; examine the wall thickness as thin-walled hose easily kinks and has poor abrasion resistance; and check that it’s reinforced with wire or synthetic yarn (usually polyester).

Now that marine-rated brand-name hoses are readily available, it makes good sense to purchase the best you can afford and of the proper material and strength rating. Since doing the research for this article, I’ve replaced all the automotive engine hoses on my boat and now have premium quality, smell-free head hoses. Next time you’re onboard your boat, I suggest you inspect all the hoses and upgrade, based on the following specs, as needed.

Fuel Hose

Gasoline-carrying hoses on inboard and stern drive boats are the only ones that must by law meet Coast Guard standards. Look for hoses labeled “SAE J1527,” or less common, “UL-1114.” Labeling on fuel hoses also includes:

classification of resistance to fire, either “A” for fire resistant, “B” for not fire tested (for outboard use only); and fuel permeation, either “1”which is the highest permeation requirements for gasoline distribution and return lines, or “2,” a less-stringent requirement commonly used for gasoline fuel fill and vent hoses, and all diesel hoses. There are currently no mandatory standards for diesel or outboard engine applications.

Exhaust Hose
 

Since 1999, flexible rubber hose, bellows and elbows used in wet exhaust systems must comply with SAE J2006 standards and be so labeled. This means that the hose is temperature-rated at 593°C (1,100°F) for two minutes, the equivalent of running the engine at full power for two minutes.Wet exhaust hose should also be flexible, thick walled, and

resistant to cold, heat, abrasion, antifreeze and oil. Various compounds are offered depending on application and your budget. The less expensive high-temp black 100% EPDM rubber withstands 121°C (250°F) maximum continuous. More expensive is 100% silicone hose with polyester reinforcement and molded silicone-EPDM blend withstands 176.6°C (350°F) maximum continuous. For extreme high-heat applications, premium-priced Nomex-molded or -reinforced 100% silicone rated for 260°C (500°F) maximum continuous lasts up to six times longer than economical black EPDM rubber hose. Additional labeling on some brands rates the product’s flexibility: “R” for soft-wall, “R2” for hard-wall, and “R3” for exhaust connectors. Soft-wall hose, commonly used for straight connections, is reinforced with multiple yarn plies. Hard-wall hose is wire- and yarn-reinforced, preferably wire sandwiched between two plies. Flexible elbows and hose bellows with an “R3” rating easily mold into the tightest bends to compensate for engine movement, vibration, noise and misalignment, and reduce engine back pressure.

Engine Coolant Hose
 

Hoses that circulate engine coolant water must resist kinking, heat, antifreeze and oil. A heavy-wall, two-ply rubber hose, with or without wire reinforcing, is recommended, or substitute premium automotive black heater hose or blue silicone hose, both rated to meet SAE J20 standards. Some coolant hoses are also reinforced with synthetic yarn. For high-temp applications, Trident’s Premium Blue Silicone hose has a maximum continuous rating of 287°C (550°F).

Raw-Water Pick-up Hose
Any hose connected to a thru-hull located below the waterline that delivers raw water to an engine, head, air conditioning and livewell should be the best hose purchasable. Don’t rely on corrugated hose — a rupture could sink your boat. There are no standards for this hose, though it’s recommended to use two- ply, wire-reinforced, heavy-wall rubber hose, the type used for engine exhaust (SAE J2006 R2 or equivalent). Such hose won’t kink nor collapse under suction if the raw-water screen becomes clogged.

 Potable Water Hose
 

According to ABYC and NMMA standards, water hoses must be food-grade or FDA-approved, usually PVC (polyvinyl chloride), preferably smooth-walled and opaque rather than clear as light encourages algae growth. Never use rubber hose as it imparts a foul smell in the water. Pressurized cold-water systems require reinforced hose for water distribution, typically a clear or white hose with red, blue and/or white polyester yarn tracers. Both pressurized and non-pressurized hot-water systems, where lines carry 60°C (140°F) water or higher, require reinforced rubber hose. Water tank fill and vent hoses commonly use smooth-walled rigid hose. Alternatives to hose for all applications are rigid household-type water pipe (different types for carrying cold and hot water) and piping systems offered by Whale and Flair-It. (For detailed information on installing and troubleshooting freshwater systems, refer to DIY 1997-#1 issue.)

Bilge Hose
 

Cheap multi-flex corrugated hose, the stuff with the equally spaced molded cuffs, is the worst option for bilge pump intakes or for connecting pumps to thru-hulls. Sure it’s resistant to oil, water, easily bends around tight corners and lasts a long time. But kink it and the hose cracks. Chafe it and it punctures. And the corrugations and cuffs reduce water flow by 30% and higher. (For more information on bilge hose and water volume, refer to DIY 2000#1 issue.) Most quality boatbuilders have replaced corrugated hose with a more durable nearly-as-flexible smooth version.

Drains
Flexible, heavy-walled rubber water intake hose that doesn’t kink or abrade is recommended for cockpit, sink and shower drains. Alternatively, you can use smooth vinyl or PVC tubing, depending on the installation.

 Sanitation Hose
 

Sanitation hose on boats must contain sewage that is about 30 times more concentrated, especially vacuum-type toilets that have very low water content, than residential sewage. This is not an easy task. Such hose must be flexible, kink-resistant and more importantly, odor-resistant. Often the only type offered in marine stores, and commonly installed on boats, is food-grade, smooth-walled white PVC. Not the best selection as odor permeation is commonplace –- before upgrading, I replaced cheap head hoses every season as part of my spring commissioning chores.Stink-resistant alternatives, but not readily available, are gray anti-bacterial hose and the smooth, heavy-walled, premium-grade, less odorous, black rubber hose. Either is a better choice than conventional PVC hose, but about twice the cost, however, they won’t need replacing as often. Some boat owners have had good success with Schedule 40 or Schedule 80 pipe, supported every 1.8m (6'). Installing short hoses, minimizing connections and limiting use of Y-valves that can trap sewage also helps to reduce odor-causing problems. (For step-by-step head and holding tank installations and trouble-shooting, refer to DIY 1997-#2.) Although there are no recommended standards for sanitation hose, it’s often labeled with the type and manufacturer. Knowing this information helps to identify your replacement options.

Ducting
Factory-supplied flexible vinyl ducting used for heat and air conditioning systems punctures easily. Better to replace it with more durable, heavier- walled ducting.

Propane
Hoses used onboard for propane appliances must comply with UL 21 and must be assembled with swaged end fittings. All installations must comply with ABYC A1.

The Nicopress

A metal clamp that compresses aluminum or copper sleeves to create loops in Aircraft cable.  The Nicopress clamp is a permanent method of connecting the cable, in order to remove it, it must be cut free.  The major benefit to this method is the speed, and the fact that it is very strong: a Nicopress sleeve, when applied correctly, maintain 100% of the strength of cable. The first crimp needs to be on the furthest edge of the Nicopress away from the loop.   The second crimp is closest to the loop.   The third crimp is in the center of the sleeve. The thimble helps to keep the wire from being pinched, it should be snugly fitted against the Nicopress sleeve.

Nicopress Tool

Cable Clamp/ Crosby™

The most commonly used type of cable clamp is the Crosby™. This is a brand name, but has become synonymous with this type of clamp (you can recognize a true Crosby™ by its red and blue coloring). Crosbys have a U-shaped bolt with a yoke designed to clamp wire rope or cable together.  You need to be careful to apply Crosbys correctly: "Never saddle a dead horse" is a catch phrase to help you remember which way to install Crosbys-- The dead end of the cable is the end not supporting any weight, the saddle should always be towards the live end.   Crosbys will reduce the working strength of the cable by 20%. These are always applied in pairs (or sometimes three clamps).   The nuts need to be carefully tightened to make sure that they are evenly tightened.

 

THE SEA WATER OIL COOLER

Pearson 35 Mainsail

Dimensions – Luff: 35.6’  Leech: 38.2’  Foot: 14.9’

Details – Built in 2003; 7.5 oz NorDac Premium; 1 Reef; 1 Full Batten w/ 3 Leech Battens; P 35 Logo, 3 Draft Stripes, & Sail Number 471 All in Blue; 3/4” Internal Nylon Luff Slides; 5/8” Internal Nylon Foot Slides

Information originally submitted by Steve and I don't

think he has it anymore.  Listed here just for reference.

I've got a new, never-used mainsail for a Pearson 35 for sale. It is a
late-2003 North 8.4-oz sail with battens and two reefs. This is a $2000
sail, but I'm asking $1100 plus shipping. I'm going to be turning it over
very soon to a sail dealer for sale on consignment where the asking price
will be much more. Act quickly if you're interested. Please contact me
directly off-list. Thanks.
Cheers,
Steve