Westsail 42 Exhaust System

OMG

This was a moment of sincere luck. I knew the designed setup wasn't the best. I didn't know how bad.

We'd already cruised over a 1,000 nm miles and done several hundred offshore. Had this fist fitting come free we would have had a 7 cm hole at the waterline in the boat.

Without knowing how serious it was I knew I didn't want the galvanized fitting there. In Annapolis, Md I purchased bronze replacements. In Galesville when we hauled we would change it out. When hauled the fitting wouldn't turn free so the yard ground off the flange of the through hull. When we removed the fitting and I saw the hose connection, I thought how lucky were were. Lucky we were out of the water and lucky we're doing this now.

With this fitting replaced I breathed a sigh of relief. We sailed off shore to the VI's. We worked down the Windwards and Leewards, and crossed over to Panama. From there we headed across the Pacific.

Launching in Panama we had smoke and water fill the engine room as we motored from the slipway. Oh shite ! While enacting that repair a friend on another WS 42 had pointed me to fittings he used while upgrading his exhaust system. He replaced all the Iron fittings with fiberglass fittings.

I copied his idea and purchased the fittings and clamps to replace the galvanized ones. While in Penhryn in the Pacific we had some time to replace those fittings. I am glad we did. The images show another place where we could have had another issue. Of course this time it would have only been when running the engine. But; having the engine pump hot exhaust water and fumes into the boat: No; that would not have been desirable.

Waterline Elbow

Close Up Galvanized Elbow

Galvanized Elbow

GRP Elbows

Threads...Hmmm..

Waterline -OMG

GRP Elbows

Elbows Removed

Lucky when this happened