What would you do with this thru hull?

[capecodda]

I'd be a bit more forgiving about a plastic thru hull above the water line without a shutoff if your not headed offshore. Looks like maybe it was connected to a bilge pump? Lots of other advice this site on hooking up bilge pump with a high loop of hose above your fitting...maybe I'd do that rather than haul. Otherwise I think you can wait till you have more reasons to haul (which you will, we all do). Good luck with the boat

[HPLou]

It's above the water line but I would replace it with a bronz seacock and cap. Could be used in the future, possibly for a propane storage locker drain or a cockpit ice chest.

[NewportNewbie]

It's behind the engine and I already have a second bilge pump in the engine bay. The ice chest thing sounds like maybe the most logical thing so far as to what was there.

[fryewe]

Folks argue the pros and cons of Marelon vs. bronze all over the world, day and night. They both have advantages in support of their use, and disadvantages that come with their use. I have used both, and will use both in the future, depending on a variety of factors.

If you want to plug this hull hole, you can do it for less than 25 additional dollars and your own skills and sweat if you already have the materials and tools other than the colorant for your gel coat. You can match the color by making test batches and letting them cure and comparing results with your boat's gel coat. If you have to buy the tools and materials..glass mat, epoxy, filler, gel coat, Dremel or other tools...or have to hire somebody to do it, it'll likely cost you several hundred dollars.

On the other hand, you can leave the penetration, anticipating its use in the future as you have discussed above. If you keep it, I recommend you consider pulling the existing plastic/nylon/Marelon barbed thru hull fitting, cleaning up the hole and installing a new Marelon threaded thru hull fitting with a teak or fiberglass backing plate, well bedded in dolfinite. Then install a Marelon sea **** on the threaded fitting, a nipple in the inboard end of the sea ****, and a cap on the nipple with a tell tale hole drilled in the cap to prevent freezing damage and indicate if the valve is leaking by its seat. Leave the valve shut and lube it yearly. If, as it appears, this thru hull is a three quarter inch or one inch penetration, this entire installation would likely cost less than 35 bucks. Marelon mushroom thru hulls in these sizes are inexpensive, as are the sea cocks, and the nipple and cap will only be a buck or two. When you are done, it will look good, will be safe and seaworthy, and you can pull the cap and nipple and replace the nipple with a hose barb and hook up a hose when you need to use it. If you think there is any likelihood you will want a thru hull in this location in the future, this would prevent having to redrill the hull at some expense later on.