Generator Skin fittings

[Firefly47]

Hi All

Just looked at cutting a hole for my new skin fittings under my engine -
There is already a skin fitting for the main engine on the port side and I will be cutting a new hole on the starboard side -
I am confused as there appears to be a double skin to cut through - the first skin is very thin and then the hull to cut through - why do manufacturers have this and is it a case of just exposing the the main hull and then cutting through -
Thanks

 

[SHUG]

What is the make of your boat?
It is possible that the hull is balsa sandwich in which case you should take professsional advice.
Usually the underwater hull is solid GRP

 

[Firefly47]

It is a Beneteau 47.7 so not foam sandwich
just a hull with a liner I think glued to the hull
Thanks

 

[ghostlymoron]

I would try and find a location that is only single skinned because otherwise you will get water trapped between the hull and the inner skin which you won't be able to get out. Also you need to have good access to the skin fitting/seacock so that, in an emergency, you can close the seacock.
If you can't find a suitable single skinned location, I would recommend that you build up the area with marine filler and put a second sealing nut on the inner side. This will unfortunately make it very difficult if you ever have to remove the fitting.

 

[prv]

If its just a liner and not bonded to the hull at that point, I would cut a large hole in the liner and then fit the seacock to the hull as normal within that cut out area. That's more or less how some of my seacocks are fitted. This assumes it is only a liner and not some kind of double skin, in particular any water that goes in behind it ought to be able to drain.

Pete

 

[Firefly47]

Thanks Pete
I will take a look tomorrow - I think the skin is purely cosmetic as the exisiting sking fitting is fitted as you have described
Thanks
Nick