Greetings all. I just finalized buying a 1984 Nonsuch 22 hull #12. When I get it in the water in the next month it will be my one bedroom apartment during weekdays when I’m three hours from the family and I’m go home on weekends. A little cramped but it will be an interesting experiment.
Overall, the boat is in good shape, but I definitely need to replace hoses, and some thru hull fittings. I’ve already ripped out the old head and black water tank in favor of a composting toilet to buy more space. Need to install shore power too.
While snooping around, I found the attached picture of the engine water intake valve and the backing looks pretty shot. Can someone please tell me what is the best replacement? backing material for the old plywood?
G10 is the best choice but any marine plywood is plenty good. That clamp was past its best before date quite some time ago. Also, the grey fitting just past the Marelon shut off should be replaced with bronze. Ahhh, boat project creep, gotta love it!
I did the same Liveaboard during the week thing many years ago. Ended up making the trip home mid week after a while due to pure boredom.
Next question, I am installing an automatic bilge pump. The propane system was removed years ago but the thru hull remains. If I route the hose from the pump to the propane thru hull with a loop going up to the deck to prevent water coming in, would that be enough to keep water flowing in while sailing or should I just put a valve on it for when sailing? The automatic bilge pump is generally just to deal with minor water at the marina.
I’d be hesitant to use the drain in your propane locker because the locker is isolated from the boat. The drain in your propane locker many be still providing a way for water to drain from the locker even though you don’t have propane.
Another consideration is using failsafe designs for important stuff like bilge pumps. The outlet for the bilge pump is supposed to be above waterline. A valve on the outlet would lead to failure if accidentally left closed.
Enjoy the 2026 sailing season. And good luck with your experiment.
Rob…
You can buy marine-specific synthetic board like G10, but I’ve just used PVC trim board (like Azek or a generic brand). The key is to have something that is rot-proof and that will compress slightly. Also, while you can’t go wrong with bronze, you can get Marelon hose fittings. Regardless of what you choose, when you dry-fit, make sure that your not bottoming out the fitting. When I resealed one of my original thru-hull and hose fittings, I found that the original was bottoming out in the thru-hull and not making a secure seal. It didn’t leak, but it certainly could have. I just trimmed a few millimeters off the hose fitting.
Dan W.
The saga continues. All the thru hulls have been replaced and I am fiberglassing over two thru hull areas.
Can anyone confirm if this pump is a Whale Gusher Mk2? Since it is a 1984 boat and the inlet & outlet are on opposite sides I don’t think it is a Mk3. I want to make sure before I order a rebuild kit. The head sink works fine, the galley does not.
