Drilling through stringers...

I

imspacemancraig

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Joined
May 24, 2009
RO Number
31301
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So, I need to reroute the tubing from the head to the holding tank for a couple of reasons. One being that the current one is impossible to get to unless I saw through flooring and secondly that I would like to install a new head and have the tubing go somewhere that is easier to get to and fix if and when the time comes.

So, the easiest route would be to run through the wall behind the head where the current tube runs, then under the fridge and through a stringer into the holding tank which equates to a mere 3 feet. My question is, is this OK to to do? I would need to drill a 1.5 inch diameter hole for the tubing to run through.

Does this cause structural problems or are there things inside the stringers I need to be aware of and not drill through (electrical?)? This is on a '86 Mariner 3297.
 
Or, if anyone knows a good way around this based on the 3297 layout... open to other suggestions too. From what I can see, not many that I can find at this time...
 
2 things.

1. You would probably be better served posting this in the sanitation forum.

2. How are you going to get from the stringer to the top of a holding tank?
 
I would be leery of doing it. If the maker thought it was a good idea they would have done it. When time comes to sell the boat what do you think a surveyor or buyer would think??
 
The hose from the head to the holding tank is fairly large in Diameter, and I would be afraid of a hole that size weakening the stringer...
 
Anyone familiar with the layout under the flooring to know if there is a route to take the tube around instead of drilling? I can't seem to see one if there is.

rb2@gr5tpdecat:
The current tube runs towards the bow and comes through the stringer underneath the v-berth, but I have no clue how that was run except that they must have done that before the "top" half of the boat was set down on the "bottom" half. To follow that same path looks virtually impossible as I can't get under there to even see it other than where the end pops out on either side.

rb2@gr5tKiDa:
1) I don't think the sanitation forum knows much about the Carver build. That is what I need to know about so I can determine where to run this.

2) This is what I am trying to figure out. But the top of the holding tank is just below the flooring and below the top of the stringer. It would almost be a straight shot. So my original plan was from the back of the head, through the wall behind it (current path), down below the floor (which is under the fridge in this circumstance), and then through the stringer to the top of the holding tank which would literally be about 4 feet total distance if I could go through the stringer. Based on what people are saying, not a good idea, so need a new path around the stringer.

My guess why everything was run forward was due to the need for space for the Vacuflush vacuum tank and pump, which takes up a lot of space under the flooring under the v-berth. On the other side of the holding tank is the pressurized water pump, shower pump and then the 2 fresh water tanks.
 
I would have no concern running it through the stringer, just make sure that you completely seal the inside edges of the new hole, so that moisture cannot get into the stringer. I would drill the hole as close to the middle as possible.
 
rb2@gr5tHogan - That was my original plan. I was thinking that I wouldn't want to go to close to the top side of it for making it weak at the top, nor would I want to go to low in the event water is in the bilge, don't want that to get in there.

Problem is there doesn't seem to be any access points from one side of the stringer to the other side. It looks as though the boat is split into 3 areas with the stringers. One area down the center along the keel and then one on either side. In fact when I look at the engine compartment, they are right in line with where the engines are mounted on.
 
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