Raw water intake woes

[David C]

The engine in my Novi-built schooner is a Westerbeke 21. The raw water intake flange is 7/8's inch (22 mm). My strainer thru-hull is 1 inch. The former owner had used a reducing coupler to get it down to 3/4 inch, then reamed out the engine end of the hose to get it to fit!!! Needless to say, this created a weak spot....

Anyway, I'm still afloat, but I have searched the internet, called the folks at Hamilton Marine (generally really helpful), but no-one has been able to suggest a way to bring down my 1 inch thru-hull to a 7/8 hose diameter short of having something custom built (Geez, I better get two...)

Somebody out there must have run into this problem before....

[Dave Davis]

There's odd size reducers here: https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/group.asp?GroupID=COOLREDUCESTRT They do have a 3/4 to 7/8 spec.

Seems you could go down to 3/4 in., use couplings on a 3/4 in. hose, and then couple up to 7/8 in. at the engine. Sloppy and hate to reduce even 7/8 down to 3/4 if it's cooling water though.

Might be best having a simple coupling made one end 1 in. the other 7/8 in.. Doesn't seem like it'd be much work on a lathe, be less fittings, and more seamanlike.

[D Happ]

If your not in a big hurry, I'll make it for you on my lathe. I'm out of town this week, but I can make it for you next weekend, 1/31/09. Send me a private email at catalina0029 at yahoo.com and tell me what you need, send a drawing or whatever you have and I'll crank out two of them for you.
I love running my lathe and making stuf for people.

[David C]

Thanks for the input! D Happ, I might take you up on your offer if my local friend-of-a-friend connection can't do it. I haven't managed to get in touch with him yet-too many things on my plate-but now that I'm less busy with work I'm getting back down to the important things in life. Namely, plumbing....

David