Saturn bottom bolt

[mad millie]

Sorry si
Misread the post and got carried away that I wasn't going to be bolt less anymore
Great if they could supply a couple but if not then I will pop down to mine with your measurements and see if stainless is available!
Jon.

[Sicobra]

I will try and pop in there tomorrow and get them, it is SOOOOOO easy to get you excited you sad man!!!!!!!!!

[Havana]

Hi Guys, I picked up a what I believe to be a Broom Saturn yesterday. I have that infamous bottom bolt which the previous owner tells me that it leaks. Since I intent to keep it on a pontoon berth, being watertight is a priority. Do you think it is feasible to glass over the bottom bolt and make a small hole in the deck near the upper drain hole so that I drain the lower buoyancy compartment with a manual or electric pump? Appreciate your advice on this.
David

[mad millie]

Oh....mine will be sitting on a pontoon for the summer as well!,so there must be a way of sealing that bolt may be copper washers and thread grease! May be.......
But on another note water can ingress down into that buoyancy chamber of which the only drain is that bolt! So glassing it in may not be an option.
Kind regards
Jon.....

[Havana]

Cheers Jon,
Food for thought. My local marine engineer is looking at it tomorrow and I am expecting a quote is in international telephone numbers which is not an option!
If I can access the buoyancy chamber (which I would make before any glassing over) I cant see why I cant get a pump down there such as a brass sump pump that I use to suck out old engine oil on my sailing boat inboard.
David

[BroomBroom]

Hi David,

I only found out recently that the bottom drain was standard equipment - we live and learn...
Mine had the floor hacked out at the rear and an electric bilge pump installed - I think more water got in that way than the pump was ever going to get out! Mine was also missing the 'bottom bolt' - it had just been replaced with a standard drain plug - they do the job for a few quid and will be fine if you are not picky about 100% originality.

Cheers,

Robin

[Alacrity]

Mine was also missing the 'bottom bolt' - it had just been replaced with a standard drain plug - they do the job for a few quid and will be fine if you are not picky about 100% originality.

I had wondered why no one had suggested this before, imagined there must be some reason why a standard bung couldn't be used but it appears they can. Be careful though - there are cheap white Plastimo plastic ones on the market - don't be tempted. They leak. Get yourself a decent metal one, there are stainless or chromed ones about, Davey & Co sell gunmetal ones, see bottom of Page 17 here.

[Havana]

Thanks both,
I am still to make a decision, should get an estimate tomorrow and I can add 50% to that if the engineers are true to form.
David

[Havana]

Update on the bottom bolt. Thanks for everyones advice, I replaced both nasty plastic fittings (which both leaked and cost me an extra crane fee as the boat started to take on water!) with brass units. The boat has been in the water for two weeks and all is okay. I have fitted an automatic bilge pump to keep her nice and dry and this is working a treat and needs to here in sunny Wales.
David

[Robal51]

Sorry, I may be too late with this post, but have a look at this site for whitworth thread, brass setscrews and all fixings.
He buys surplus stocks of fixings and keeps a stock of all sorts of odd fixings in different metals. Look on his "Everything Else" page, there is a good selection of oddments on there, including a selection aluminium rivets with all kinds of heads.

Bob.