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Outstanding fill cap design - but where?

3K views 18 replies 7 participants last post by  SailNet Archive 
#1 ·
Does anyone know where I might find these fill caps(picture)? Preferably in
stainless however plated is ok too.

What an outstanding design. Covers the ugly fill top and opens with the winch
handle for real opening power and reliability.

I have found plastic caps on Catalina Direct, but they want $18 each plus shipping, for plastic.

The ones I have on now are those plastic ones and they're toast.

If anyone knows who\where I might find fill caps like this, please let me know.
 

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#2 ·
Vetus makes them. You'd need to contact them to find a distributor.
 
#5 ·
I prefer keyless deckfill caps, like this one:

 
#6 · (Edited)
If you have the fill cap in a corner of the cockpit floor or similar than the winch handle version will not be great...but if it is up on the moulded combing like mine, it could be perfect...providing some guest does not think it is something they need to "adjust" while they already have the winch handle in their hand and as we are sailing along. "I sheeted in the headsail, and I tightened up that other thing a couple of turns as well" "Other thing???"

:)

Sasha
 
#7 ·
Sasha-

LOL... I can see that happening... that could be bad... especially, if the crew is larger and stronger than you and decides to tighten it up just a bit. With a 10" winch handle, you could probably screw things up pretty badly.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Umm.. they have them in stainless on page 96 or so.

Correction: Page 91 mentions them in SS.
 
#11 ·
Glad to help... the plastic caps are pretty worthless IMHO, since they discolor and get brittle. :)
 
#12 ·
I am with Saildog, I installed the keyless variety...I prefer not carring a winch handle up the gunwale to offer up to the goddess of the sea...kerplunk. I have lost a few "deck keys" this way.

Dave
 
#13 ·
The other advantage of the keyless kind is they're really hard to over-tighten. A bored deck monkey, without much common sense, might be able to make it almost impossible to open a deck fill, given a 10" winch handle to turn the cap with. :)
 
#14 ·
Application

I only open the fills at the dock. Very low danger of an overboard discharge of the winch handle on my boat, if not close to impossible.

It is considersably more likely to loose the handle when running the jib winches.

I am the only one who tightens them, therefore I know how tight they will be.

Even if they are overtightened or stuck for a variety of other reasons, I will absolutely be able to get them unstuck with a winch handle, whereas a key may be useless and painfull.
 
#16 ·
Very true, especially the last part... :) But my parents raised me to be an agreeable person. ;)
 
#18 ·
Just curious... why do you hate them so much, and are the keyless ones, like the one below better?

 
#19 ·
Perspective

He hates them because he doesn't have a winch handle handy.

I do not open fills for a living, I open fills to fill the water or pump the head. IE: about once every 2 months for water and almost never for the head (macerator + 3 miles offshore).

In these applications I want a reliable opening tool that I will always handy and won't ding my knuckles make me cuss with effort.
 
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