Ventillation Cowl at Bow

HiYa Mike,
Had same as you.
One of those vile vinyl things that loose shape and get stained and why the hell do we buy those things? Because they are soft? Cheap?

They look cheap. But they probably aren't cheap. Had TWO stored in a box waiting for me. Still in their original packaging, they had slumped, lost their shape, the white had turned to brown in places, and were speckled with mold. Tossed them, Couldn't get the cowl replacements.

Look, if I don't use this baby, I'll send it (with Craig's blessing;) ) to you Mike, OK? The reason I'm saying that is I have a bowsprit to mount there in the bow. And there's the samson post or huge cleats I want up there too. I originally was going to mount a saucer vent on the Bomar I have over the anchor locker. Mike Goodwin likes em.

And so that classie Cowl of Faith may nought have a plaith to call its own on deck. Have to do a final foredeck layout.

Well a hearty "thanks" for the offer Ebb! That'd be way cool should it turn out.

It was mentioned on the Classic Plastic forum yesterday, that Mariner's Hardware is having a close out "sale" on their bronze and brass stuff. Googling around a bit, their prices don't look like a super deal. But, one of these would look really nice up on the bow of Sea Glass!

Last night, unbeknownst to the Missus, I almost pulled the trigger. But, in a fit of common sense, I thought I should wait it out at least another season. Besides, I've still got plenty of hardware to re-install this year.

Speaking of which, my chocks and a couple of 6 inch cleats are on their way to a new deck, but I've still got a couple more pieces, including an 8 inch bow cleat. Two bow cleats could give your foredeck layout a few more options...

I still have the original cowl attached to the deck of A-24. It is turned backward like most and I have had no problems with water entering even in a brisk sail earlier this year. I also have a deck plate that seems to be made of the same material that fits in place of the cowl. I can't however seem to get the cowl to turn or remove it and I hesitate to put any real force on the thing especially since it is working so nicely to provide air and doubles as my anchor hawse. I do however need the ability to remove it. Any ideas or experiences in trying to remove it if it is stuck? Mystery Oil, PB Blaster, continuous love taps? My plan is to rebed hardware this winter and would very much like to rebed the cowl vent.

Indeed nice stuff!
M.H. is a small outfit. Been there a couple times. (Looked like there is one person in the 'warehouse' shipping and buffing stuff - and a gal in the office - the alphas seemed to be always away at boat shows) Personal service, for sure! Got some cast s.s. o-ring deck (access) plates for the v-berth water tanks. Wanted 6", but the five inch were on special. They were at the time switching over from the two hole wire/pin opening style of plate turning to the winch handle (star) style. Much to be prefered. High quality stuff.

Have to assume that going with expensive and heavy cast access plates for water tanks is better than trusting Beckman.

imco If you buy a cowl from an outfit you probably should buy the kit. Which means you get the deck collar, of course, but also a plate to close it off. Set screws, if that is what is used to hold the cowl in place, and a plate key, or the slightly bendable wire opener. One miss with this opener and you've gouged the nice shiney plate! Keys, screw in plates, O-rings are not necessaryly standard. Got replacement O-rings at the shop.

I always balked at the cast cowls. What, the unit weighs 12#? While the sheet metal cowls are 1/3 the weight.


They had a carbon fiber cowl sitting around that weighed ounces, nothing.
But at the time I don't think they had the companion parts. I'd like to see a unit made from Marelon, fiber impregnated nylon. It's nice - but a little strange - that we still see fittings that have had their day on vanished varnished yachts as desirable.

The Almag Cowl of Faith has a tough utilitarian look to it - you know, it looks like galvanize. Don't have to polish this vent! Sheet 'burns' look great and the cowl looks salty and ageless.:D

Tim,
That's interesting that your cowl won't turn.
Cowl of Faith looks like it just came off the assembly line. The threads are clean, SHARP. And it turns up or down as if oiled.

This cowl, under the mouth in a molded bump, has a pin that was frozen in the down position and a DFO took a hacksaw to the tiny tip. The collar has 16 grooves around it that this pin once could engage.

Maybe your pin is corroded same way. It does not look like the design of this pin had a spring in it. But it probably did. There's a little notch the knob of the pin could be moved up into. That knob that motivated the pin on this cowl is long gone, I bet the knob screwed into the pin and that was what kept the pin in place - and how it was installed.

Because the cowl moves up and down when moved - because of its threads - the pin would have had to compensate for the slight changes in height.
Now corroded, it may be that another metal, like a spring, is in there. You know: what kept the pin loaded in the down position.

So far, the PB Blaster substitute I'm using has not budged it.

Aluminum is sensitive to other metals, even to other aluminum alloys.
I've just read an article on why one should use s.s. pop rivets on an aluminum mast rather than aluminum.....

I tihnk you are right about the pin. I can wiggle the cowl back and forth maybe 1/16 of an inch. The pin looks corroded so maybe I'll focus my efforts on that. No hacksaw for me though!:)

I have heard, don't quote me, that white vinegar might work on aluminum corrosion. Certainly would not hurt the deck any.

With my strongest magnifier I don't see no separation in the parts. Think we got a weld.:eek:

"Mike G" would know. :D