Westerly Regatta 330 skin fittings

[Clyde Coastin']

Hi all,

I’m looking for some advice from the YBW hivemind. I’m planning on changing some of the older seacocks / skin fitting on my 1993 regatta 330.

I got one out today that was a nightmare to remove, what I was left with on the hull is what bothering me. I can’t decide if it’s some sort of epoxy / sealant or an insert. Does any one know what Westerly of this era did when fitting these? It’s likely original.

In photo you can see the threads and also a part that is proud of the hull. This proud part fitted into the back of the fitting and there was no other signs of sealant. Whatever it is is hard but kind of brittle.

My questions are,
1. What is it?
2. I assume it’ll need removed before the new Tru Design units are installed.

Any and all thoughts appreciated

 

[PetiteFleur]

From my experience in fitting a Trudesign outlet valve to my Lavac toilet, the hole in the hull needs to be larger which in my case it already was! So easy to fit the Trudesign. See one in your local chandlery and check the dimensions. Bear in mind they are physically larger. Hope this helps.

 

[potentillaCO32]

You could cut the flange with an angle grinder in 4 places and use a screw driver to lift it up and then hammer it back jnto the boat. Any damage to the grp can easily be fixed with epoxy thickened.

Then fit new seacock

 

[Clyde Coastin']

Hi thanks for the replies. I’ve fitted tru design before, so I’m comfortable with the install.

I’m just not sure what I’m looking at in the photo. Its it some type of insert or just hard epoxy from the original bronze valve?

 

[Tranona]

Suspect that is old sealant that has just formed threads around the fitting. What is it like on the inside?

 

[Clyde Coastin']

Suspect that is old sealant that has just formed threads around the fitting. What is it like on the inside?

It’s pretty had set stuff. There was a wooden backing pad on the inside and the nut on the skin fitting was covered in a solid white substance that I had to chip off to get into and cut the nut away.

Should the proud section all be removed before fitting the new skin fitting? Or can I knock the formed threads in the hull flat with a file then use 4200/5200 to fit the new one on to the old exterior bed?

 

[RunAgroundHard]

I think it is an epoxy that was mixed very thick. When I removed the teak gunwale rail, the hull and deck joint edges were turned up to m make the gunwale and the gap between had what looked like it had been a paste applied inside the joint. It was a similar colour, to yours, an old, off white colour. My boat was built in '73 and on the plans they called it "epoxy dough" and stated an Epifanes product number. Epifanes still make an epoxy filler, but no idea if it is the same stuff as mine.

At a guess, it is an epoxy filler.