Hi Colin:

Good to hear your boat is on land. With the through hulls, as you said,
on the bottom I can see why the insurance folks want a valve there.
Lets face it, with that set up a leaky hose will sink your boat.

Here is the problem my Ranger friend had. He leaves his boat in the
water al year. It freezes long and hard where he keeps the boat. So
here is the question: So he closes the two 1 1/2" through hull valves
for the the winter. But wait............ those are the cockpit drains.
What happens if the through hull valves freeze, crack and let the water
in? So close them and drain them or put antifreeze in the hose and
valve so they wont freeze... But wait where will the cockpit water
drain?? He does not want the cockpit to fill with water and spill into
the cabin so he leaves the valves open and risks having them freeze,
bust, and flood the boat?!?!?!?

Do you live in FL? No....? if it freezes haul your boat for the
wihter.

Sounds as though you need some basic through hull information. Try
this website. there are lots of other places with good How-To info too.


http://www.yachtsurvey.com/

Or go to your local Big book store and start reading."Boat Maint."
books.
Bob