Tips on tightening this bilge drain hole

Posted by Infinite_Spinach_880@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 27 comments

Well, I'm dropping tomorrow and I'm not confident that I've got this bilge drain hole at the bottom of my keel fully tightened.

Worried the tools on using are damaging it and I'll be left with a serious leak or worse.

It needs a thick headed flathead through the entire length and can't get anything to catch it without slipping.

Halberg rassy 352

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PckMan@reddit

Teflon tape and the biggest flat screwdriver you have. Doesn't need to be too tight. Err on the side of more tape if you feel it's not good enough rather than tightening it more.

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Financial_Hearing_81@reddit

Looks like a number 3 Philips. Righty tighty unless it’s a French vessel or you’re in the southern hemisphere.

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pixelpuffin@reddit

Pour water in your bilge. If nothing comes out, nothing will come in.

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n0exit@reddit

It is probably too late, but always scrape out the slot first.

Despite all the advice to switch to a different head type, don't. The problem with all the other suggestions is that once you've filled it in with bottom paint, it is much harder to clean out. That is the reason that shipwrights predominantly use slotted screws. Also, for a big plug like that, you're unlikely to find a plug with a different head type.

Get a BIG straight driver that fits the cleaned out slot tightly. Usually they have a square shank which you can use a wrench on. The trick is to get as much pressure as you can pushing the driver into the head, and a decent amount of torque screwing it in. A lot of shipwrights still use braces because it is really easy to get the pressure and control the torque.

And then u/Neoshade's comment.

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archlich@reddit

Buy an appropriately sized screwdriver, use Teflon tape to seal the threads.

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Infinite_Spinach_880@reddit (OP)

Thanks didn't know the name!

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archlich@reddit

I was just thinking if you’re having issues getting it, buy a pack of wire brushes while getting the screw driver and use the brass one (softer than bronze) to clean out the threads on both sides. It should not be difficult to sit fully flush unless they installed it incorrectly.

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Hot_Impact_3855@reddit

I would put anti-seize on it myself after cleaning, and using the right screwdriver

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daysailor70@reddit

I would find out the dimensions of the screw and get either a square or allen drive screw. Then use a marine grease like 2-4-C to grease the threads.

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Infinite_Spinach_880@reddit (OP)

Yes marina grease is what I used, got it sorted by using rubber bands across the threads which slowed my tool to grip better!

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Plastic_Table_8232@reddit

It sounds like the threads are deformed? If that’s the case you may be better served by waxing the screw, cleaning the female threads in the hole and trying to give them some mechanical tooth with some sand paper, fill the female side with gflex and gently thread the screw back in. Allow to sit to cure, remove screw, apply a thread sealer / marine sealant, reinstall.

Toilet bowl wax ring can also be used on the screw. Coat it with the wax and install after prep / flex female side.

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Significant_Tie_3994@reddit

if tightening isn't working, bulk up the threads with teflon or butyl tape...

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jh937hfiu3hrhv9@reddit

That thing is kinda chewed up. You should replace it before splashing if you can get one. It won't be easier to remove the next time.

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_Neoshade_@reddit

For future reference, here are 4 ways that fittings are sealed:

O-ring Like MC4 fittings on a solar panel, one round part slides inside another with an o-ring occupying the gap between them at some point along the shaft. Very reliable with the long fudge-factor for making a seal but low pressures only.

Rubber Washer Like a garden hose. The threaded section is straight and the seal is made by tightening against a rubber washer or gasket in the female end. Never put thread tape on these as it will prevent the male from screwing all the way in to seal against the washer.

Tapered Threads Like a showerhead, steel pipe, and PVC fittings. The male threaded section is slightly tapered such that the threads will bind against each other as it’s tightened. Since the threads themselves are making the seal, this is the one case where you need to add the sealant yourself in the form of Teflon tape or a paste (thread sealing compound).

Gasket A rubber or other high-tech material is sandwiched between two mating surfaces around the passage. Commonly used on bulkhead fittings and heavy duty connections between machined metal surfaces like a gearbox or drive shaft. You’ll run into these on a bilge outlet or electrical port.

• Know the fitting type and what are the mating surfaces to properly inspect, clean and maintain fittings.

• Some people like to use both tape and paste as the tape provides an even coating on along the whole surface and the paste fills in any inconsistencies and lubricates things, allowing you to get a tighter seal for a given torque.

• O-ring grease is a wonderful tool for lubricating and improving the seal and the longevity of washers and o-rings - BUT you have to use the correct type! Common “faucet grease” from the plumbing aisle at the hardware store is petroleum-based and will cause every type of rubber (except Nitrile/Buna-N) to swell or degrade. Synthetic grease with silicone oils is great except for silicone o-rings, which will soak it up and swell terribly. Luckily there is grease that is rated for all types of rubber fittings, including silicone. That is Monokote Dow111 Also recommended are Super Lube Silicone Grease with PTFE (contains no silicone oil), Cristo-Lube MCG 111, and Novaguard G661.

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JettaGLi16v@reddit

You’re doing gods work. Please continue to spread the gospel! I did 28 years in the pool industry, and people really don’t take the time to learn this stuff, and tend to default to putting (Teflon tape / RTV silicone / o-ring lube / Vaseline) on every threaded fitting. Even flexible conduit!!

Thank you for your service. Keep the pasta handy!

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curious-chineur@reddit

Well, that is gasket science here and I learnt stuff.

I think that 2 or 3 ply of duct tape ( the good one) might save you for a day ..... in this vase I am pretty sure it was already tight.
Also I would have use a big coin, cut in 2 with a strong pair of plyers to adress the bar print. This stuff shouldn't be forced too much.

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wkavinsky@reddit

Copper coin.

Weaker than the thread, but strong enough to turn it without shearing. Just file the side flat.

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