Conference unifix::sailing

    I can't make any specific comments on plumbing components, but for
    smaller pieces of hardware, like stainless steel screws and stuff like
    that, there certainly appears to be a "boater's markup" when comparing
    identical pieces between marine and ordinary hardware dealers.
    

    As long as they are bronze, I would think you are OK.
    

    One thing to watch on "land based" fittings is their being made of
    brass instead of bronze.
    
    You DO NOT want brass fittings on any thru hulls, (zinc eventually goes
    away and you have a honney comb of copper !)
    
    Look at the specs on the marine stuff (bronze, stainless, etc) and then
    check the other stuff for the same.
    
    A point on ball type seacocks/shutoffs being used on the thru hull
    fittings when they don't have a base flange.     The T.H. fitting gets
    forces on it that can cause real problems when you use the seacock.
    Be sure the forces from the handle of the valve are transmitted to the
    hull via a backing block/flange.
    
    I have found stuff of the land variety that is ok and reasonable in 
    price.     (on stainless stuff try "All Stainless" in Hingham Ma)
    
    Frank

Check valves in bilge pump lines are frowned upon -- they significantly 
reduce water flow, which is NOT what you want when the boat is merrily 
flooding. This was discussed in a note on bilge pumps (see note 3.n).

    RE .0 Just remember to destroy the green and white Spag's sales reciept
    before any of the "blazer and ascot" gang see it . Heven's forbid
    Muffy, they buy at.., at.., at Discount !!!  ;>)
    
    I went to both Spags and E&B Marine (i.e. Bliss) after work Fri.  Danforth 
    anchors were 30% cheaper in Spags. Gold Braid dock line (3/8 x 50 feet) 
    was selling at 26.88 at spags with thimbles already attached. The same line 
    (company, quality, etc) was ONLY 48.99 at E&B. 
    
    For an extra 3 bucks, I can buy the entire trailer lighting system 
    (directionals, side lights, harness) than to buy just a single
    directional from the same company. At this price, I just rewire the 
    trailer each year. It is easier than trying to debug an open circuit
    or play games scraping corrosion out of the lamp contacts.
    
    It just too bad Spags doesn't carry more natical gear.
    
    john

    I didn't know they carried any!?  Where was it (locating merchandise in
    Spag's is no mean feat)?    What kinds of things did they have?
    
    (Also note that name-brand marine gear sometimes shows up at places
    like K-Mart, Caldor, etc - the prices are always better than the
    so-called marine discount places).
    

    I added the keyword SUPPLIERS to this note also.  
    
    The valves we bought are a bronze according to the person that arranged
    delivery and should be fine for a marine envirnment.  The check valve
    we bought was from a plumbing supply house and was specifically
    requested as bronze.  I will continue with the discussion on the meirts
    of this type of device back in 28x.nn (thanks for the pointer Alan!)  We 
    ended up buying many of the pipe to hose fittings at Jamestown Dist. 
    which were virtually the same price as the other places.  I also have a 
    somewhat higher degree of confidence buying from there since they are in 
    the marine supply business.  I cannot vouch for the nipples we used for 
    the various connections as I did not buy them.  My partner's confidence 
    here is higher than mine.  
    
    Spag's has Paint (Gloucester, Interlux and Petit) for a variety
    of applications across from the hand tools in the main building.  I
    vaguely remember seeing West epoxy but I could be hallucinating in past
    tense.  I did not see the other gear specifically but I believe it is 
    back near the lawn and garden section (next to the clairol hair 
    conditioner and left hand threaded coconut husk peelers :-) ).  The 
    plumbing supplies are near the golf clubs, fireplace implements, and 
    Pepperidge Farms cookies.
    
    At any rate I am glad we undertook this task though working in the
    engine room has been a real pain.  One of the pipe fittings on the 
    intake side of the pump snapped off clean with very little effort.  It
    was as if someone had scored it with a pipe cutter.  I also found a
    badly chafed discharge hose (casing worn through, dacron fibers poking 
    out) which  snaked under the engine which fortunately could stand to be 
    shortened, alot.  I also rerouted this out of harms way.  
    
    Brian     

    Be careful about relying on the terms "bronze" and "brass". These
    terms are old and are now meaningless.
    
    Bronzes, brasses, and all the dozens of variations that are blurred
    in between are all copper alloys. To be sure you've got the right 
    material, check the alloy content.
    
    Paul 

Re: < Note 1492.5 by AKOV11::KALINOWSKI >
               -< high quality doesn't have to mean high costs >-

>    anchors were 30% cheaper in Spags. Gold Braid dock line (3/8 x 50 feet) 
>    was selling at 26.88 at spags with thimbles already attached. The same line 
>    (company, quality, etc) was ONLY 48.99 at E&B. 

    
    Looking in last years (which I have at my desk) Boat US Catalog 3/8" x
    50' Braid-on-braid nylon rode in gold/white color with pre-spliced
    galvanized shackle is listed as $22.50. 
    
    Last year's Defender catalog lists Samson Gold-n-braid anchor rode with
    captive thimble for 3/8" x 75' for $30.50 (they don't list anything as
    small as 50' - which is hardly useful for anchoring) which when
    normalized to 50' would be in the range of $20.17.
    
    Comparing against E&B is rather bogus since they really aren't much
    of a 'discount' store.
    
    /jim