Question Any ideas on how to remove this corroded bailer?

C

Cascadian505

Member
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This boat sat in the water in Lake Washington for 5 years. The cast bailer looks like it might break the boat if I get tough with it. Any ideas? Part of me just wants to grind it flush (in the footwell and on the underside of the hull) and go bailerless which wouldn’t be the end of the world.
 
If you have a Dremel rotary tool with a cut-off wheel, use it to cut the unit in half across the top of the screw-in cap and retaining nut, pry the pieces apart with a screw driver and then tap out the shaft. Take your time and don't let the cut-off wheel touch the fiberglass. Should be about a 15 minute job.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 
Alan S. Glos said:
If you have a Dremel rotary tool with a cut-off wheel, use it to cut the unit in half across the top of the screw-in cap and retaining nut, pry the pieces apart with a screw driver and then tap out the shaft. Take your time and don't let the cut-off wheel touch the fiberglass. Should be about a 15 minute job.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
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I will give it a whirl. Thanks Alan!
 
The dynamite tool is a Dremel on steroids. You can usually find in stock at Harbor Freight a high speed die grinder with 1/4” collet. couple this with McMaster Carr carbide burrs. This combo will quickly cut through almost anything.

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@Cascadian505 Were you successful removing the old aluminum bailer? I see this repair in my future...

@LVW It also looks like I will need to re-set my (2) deck drain plugs, any tips and tricks there? In the process of trying to left-hand drill and easy-out the male plug, I heated up the deck portion and it came out of the boat. From there it was garage and plumbers torch and easy-out and vice grips and the plugs were free. I am going to replace the holed plugs with simple 1/2-13 x 3/8" SS socket head set screws for now, smoothing out the pointy ends a bit.
 
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I removed mine. See post #7. I also used this tool set to remove a 1-1/2” Greco through-hull on our ketch. It will cut through hardened, chromed shock absorber rods. For the bailer I started with the proper socket wrench. No luck.
 
Tops said:
@Cascadian505 Were you successful removing the old aluminum bailer? I see this repair in my future...

@LVW It also looks like I will need to re-set my (2) deck drain plugs, any tips and tricks there? In the process of trying to left-hand drill and easy-out the male plug, I heated up the deck portion and it came out of the boat. From there it was garage and plumbers torch and easy-out and vice grips and the plugs were free. I am going to replace the holed plugs with simple 1/2-13 x 3/8" SS socket head set screws for now, smoothing out the pointy ends a bit.
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I have not tried to remove it yet. I’m just sailing this time of year.
 
Holly-Yes, that was me :) , getting ready to go put the reconditioned deck vents back in Ghost.
 
Thirteen responses and no mention of PB Blaster? :confused:

Although it might be too late for that particular nut. :(

As for a socket, the better (and cheaper) socket is available at hardware stores. It is used for removing heating rods in household electric water heaters. Made of heavy sheet metal, it snugs right down on that narrow nut--about $8, last time I looked.
 
Love me some PB Blaster! :) just used some the other day one the deck vents.
Here are the two I have.
-is the one without top hardware only held in by love or caulking at this point?
-on the one with a cap and nut, PB Blaster then cap comes off first then nut?
Thanks!
tops_scupper_1.jpg



tops_scupper_2.jpg
 
Time to weigh in: I salvage several waterlogged, damaged-beyond-repair Sunfish hulls per year for parts so I try to salvage these cast aluminum DePersia bailers whenever possible. To this end, I went to my friendly Harbor Freight store and bought a stout socket "breaker bar", long extension shaft and a 36 mm socket that fits the large aluminum nut on the bailer assembly, Then I soak the nut with PT Blaster penetrating oil and try the breaker bar/shaft/socket. In about 30% of the cases, the nut will turn and the bailer can be removed undamaged, cleaned up and $sold$ to a buyer who is tired of buying a new plastic bailer assembly every year. In the other 70% of the cases, I will cut out the fiberglass around the bailer (before the hull goes to the local landfill for the Long Dirt Nap). Then I will clamp the remains in my vice, apply more PT Blaster and try again with the socket wrench. Finally, if all else fails, I will use my Dremel tool with a cut-off wheel to carefully cut the shaft lenghtwise in an an attempt to salvage the screw-in cap.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 
Tops said:
Love me some PB Blaster! :) just used some the other day one the deck vents.
Here are the two I have.
-is the one without top hardware only held in by love or caulking at this point?
-on the one with a cap and nut, PB Blaster then cap comes off first then nut?
Thanks!
View attachment 57856


View attachment 57857
Click to expand...
Bluegirl’s is held on by some form of demon, to my knowledge. At this point, it was ground with an angle grinder, we tried a blow torch, and I think even a surface cut oscillating blade.

Unfortunately I’m not sure what was done with Ghost. I never tried to remove that. I suspect a cork may have been jammed in? I’d go with paint stripper on that one, and after using the socket approach, you may be able to use Blue’s cap on Ghost?
 
Tops said:
Here are the two I have.
-is the one without top hardware only held in by love or caulking at this point?
-on the one with a cap and nut, PB Blaster then cap comes off first then nut?
Thanks!
View attachment 57856


View attachment 57857
Click to expand...
The top one may hhave been broken off--then painted.

The bottom one--if you've tried removing the cap without success--needs that sheet-metal socket mentioned above.
(#15)
 
L&VW said:
The top one may hhave been broken off--then painted.

The bottom one--if you've tried removing the cap without success--needs that sheet-metal socket mentioned above.
(#15)
Click to expand...

I have a socket for the bottom one but it's already been attempted from the bottom as Mama H described above so it is not able to take a ball and seal. Top one is in the first boat getting registrations stickers, rigging, and hopefully wet tomorrrow so I may defer messing with it until the off-season unless it gushes in at rest. I don't think I have enough left to make 2 from 1 so I will be shopping for something for the first hull and eventually for the second. Does anyone know if the current Infinity bailers can be combined with the longer 12$ cockpit fitting from other vendors to work in the older (pre-72) boats?
 
I have two complete De Persia bailers, but they're not mounted--nor in front of me. :oops:

I'm now recalling that the nut won't clear the cap, so don't attempt to turn the nut without removing the cap. (Destructively or otherwise). "Soaking and tapping" are likely the best non-destructive ways to save the cap.

If ye are able* to remove the cap, clean the threads and wrap them with thin (and cheap) white Teflon plumbing tape. (*Hymn reference ;) )

Hopefully, you can find an "official" supplier of De Persia parts--as my hours of picking through hardware stores' parts to make either work has been vexing.

It may be possible to "cast" a new cap using THIXO.
 
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