Stanchion question and shower

[Anonymous]

My 424 was originally built with a plastic two-valve mixer and plastic shower wand with an on/off valve on the back. This kind of thing is very common in RVs. I like the on/off valve on the shower head because it preserves water, but the plastic fittings were junk. Like most owners, I replaced the valve with a single lever mixer from a home improvement store. Gaining access to the back of the faucet for installation was important. I too have a door in the shower wall. Plumbing the back of the faucet was surprisingly difficult. There’s all kinds of pipes back there to route the water to the shower head. It kind of looks like some kind of musical wind instrument.

I just read something about freezing water in the stanchion bases being a problem. I think it was in BoatUs magazine, but it might have bee Sail. I store in New Hampshire during the winter so ice is a concern. I’ve never had a problem with the stanchion bases however. You could drop almost anything into the base to prevent the ice from cracking the base. The easiest might be a piece of plastic tubing. This would give the ice a place to expand. I’ve never bothered with this however and have had no problems with the bases. I’ve had problems with ice buildup elsewhere however. The most annoying problem is the vent tube from the bottom of the propane locker. Water freezes down there and cracks the copper tubing. This lets water get into the bilge and if not repaired allows the locker to vent into the bilge. On starboard tack, it can let seawater flow into the bilge too. Water in the bilge is a real issue. Even thought I drain the bilge in the fall to the best of my ability, a bit of water still collects down there. I never figured out from where. A bit can find its way down the bow dorade vent and some will find its way in from the lazarette covers. If the deck hoses are all in good condition, little water should find its way down there. If something goes wrong however you can get a lot of water down there. It can crack the keel. I dump some potable antifreeze down there, not enough to stop the bilge from freezing, but enough to make any ice that forms soft. I usually dump a couple of gallons down there.

Even though I cover the boat, I have also had problems with the deck and cockpit drains getting clogged with ice. The cover doesn’t fit tight and allows some water to get onto the deck. Over time, it drips into the drains and freezes, eventually clogging the drains. This has on a couple of occasions cracked the hoses and let water into the bilge. Inspecting the hoses each spring is a must. If the hoses get clogged, water can then pool in the cockpit and on the deck where it will freeze. Every once in a while, I put a little road salt around the drains.

Those of you who live in warmer climates might wonder why anyone would ever want to live in the northeast. Cruising during the summer season is really nice here with lots of places to go and relatively calm waters to sail in. There is no water shortage, the ground doesn’t shake, the hills don’t catch on fire, mud doesn’t slide down the side of our hills, and lava doesn’t run down the street. You just have to learn to live with winter and make it work for you. The older I get though, the harder it is to make winter work.

Rich

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[Anonymous]

Re: Stanchion question and shower

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Hi Rich,

Since the boat is in FL for now and will only see the NE in summer, freezing in the stanchion bases is not a problem.  

I do confess I wonder about those that spend winters in such inhospitable locations as the NE US.   Generally attribute it to the whims of circumstance rather than a lack of good sense. 

All kidding aside, I can’t wait to get back in the water and spend a little more time crusing LI Sound and New England but will make sure I’m headed back south before the serious cold sets in.

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