80mm Roof Vent replacement - Recommendations please

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I've just had a lovely day in Woodbridge trying to shorten the "to do" list on my boat. A hopeless endeavor I know but a man needs a hobby.

Just forward of the front hatch of my Seal 22 Sinbad, between the hatch and the anchor, is what looks like the lower part of an 80mm diameter roof vent. That'll be an 80mm hole covered with gaffer tape then. Inside the boat I found a new vent but of a larger diameter. The previous owner must have either ordered the wrong size or decided 80mm wasn't coping with his f*rts.

However, I think 80mm is plenty for my f*rts and besides, I'm not looking for work. Can anyone recommend a roof vent which may be a straight replacement? I see that caravan/motorhome versions seem to be cheaper - is that "boat tax" or is there something I'm not seeing?

The new vent I found has a threaded bar up the middle for opening and closing the vent and I wondered if this is essential or desirable?
 
There are many different types of vent. The type you describe is called a mushroom vent and is widely available in plastic (cheap) or metal, more expensive. Can't find one offhand with an 80mm cutout - most are larger, but there could have been something different fitted previously. Trawl through the on line catalogues of the big chandlers will find you a range of different types to consider.
 
I've just had a lovely day in Woodbridge trying to shorten the "to do" list on my boat. A hopeless endeavor I know but a man needs a hobby.

Just forward of the front hatch of my Seal 22 Sinbad, between the hatch and the anchor, is what looks like the lower part of an 80mm diameter roof vent. That'll be an 80mm hole covered with gaffer tape then. Inside the boat I found a new vent but of a larger diameter. The previous owner must have either ordered the wrong size or decided 80mm wasn't coping with his f*rts.

However, I think 80mm is plenty for my f*rts and besides, I'm not looking for work. Can anyone recommend a roof vent which may be a straight replacement? I see that caravan/motorhome versions seem to be cheaper - is that "boat tax" or is there something I'm not seeing?

The new vent I found has a threaded bar up the middle for opening and closing the vent and I wondered if this is essential or desirable?

What are you talking about ? Mushroom ventilators? They open by screwing the cover up on a stud through a bar across the centre

80 mm is pretty small

I bought two new ones a couple of years ago. A bit larger though ... pisspoor quality so I refurbshed the old ones.

Buy a stainless steel if you can rather than plastic.
 
What are you talking about ? Mushroom ventilators? They open by screwing the cover up on a stud through a bar across the centre

80 mm is pretty small

The smallest Vetus SS one, "Portos" uses an 85mm cutout. I fitted an Athos to an existing hole on my boat, which needed opened out by about 5mm. An abrasive flap wheel in an electric drill did it very nicely and quickly, albeit with a certain amount of dust.

http://www.vetus-shop.com/vetus-portos-stainless-mushroom-ventilator-p-1307.html
 
Thank you guys; most helpfull.

What am I talking about? I haven't a chuffing clue which is why I feel at home on this forum. :confused:
I guess it must have been a mushroom jobby. There are the remains of the bar through which there must have been the threaded closer; a jagged bit one side and a lump of araldite the other. Plastic in an exposed place like that is going to get brittle very quickly anyway and positioned on a nice flat piece of deck just right for kicking, it had no chance.

I like the Vetus one and I appreciate the common sense of providing a drawing of the fitting. Dust won't be any more of a problem than the flaking interior paint which I'll do at the same time.

Thanks again both. :)
 
I like the Vetus one and I appreciate the common sense of providing a drawing of the fitting. Dust won't be any more of a problem than the flaking interior paint which I'll do at the same time.

The Vetus ones are beautifully made and they have been around for ever, which means that it's a reasonable bet you'll be able to replace in the future if you need to. The one I fitted was new but twenty five years old.
 
Just a note for anyone finding this in an archive search.

I bought the Vetus Portos on Ebay but the bag had been opened depspite the description, "New, unused and unopened" etc. There are no instruction supplied which surprised me for a quality product; warranties usually depend on correct fitting but with no instructions I could tap it gently into place with a sledge hammer and expect it to work.:rolleyes: Fitting is no problem but I would have expected instructions. I contacted the seller, a chandler, who told me that is normal.
The knob for opening/closing the vent has to be screwed onto the threaded bar but it is cross threaded. Not a problem as I'll run a tap down it to save the hassle of returning it.

Ditto s/s screws. To finish it off nicely some shiny dome headed machine screws would be nice.
 
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