# Replacing loo - Stuart Mountford

(from old members' assocation magazine)

Members may remember that since I wanted to replace the loo in our boat, some time back I was asking for information about gaining access to the nuts of the four bolts securing the TMC heads to the raised step on which it was mounted. The step as you will know being part of the internal moulding of the boat.

I didn't think I would be able to reach the nuts from a hole cut in the foreword bulkhead inside the foreword dinette locker. Bulkheads, compression posts, different levels and so on made it very difficult to measure accurately the distance foreword to the bolts, or the length of my arm for that matter!! I was considering cutting an arm size hole midway between the two sets of bolts in the upstand of the step the loo is mounted on. I felt I could reach the nuts that way but was worried about reducing the structural strength of the step.

Closer inspection on the foreword bulkhead with a torch revealed the outline on a glassed over hole about 8" by 8" which may well have been the original access for the nuts when the boat was built.

I cut around the outlined hole leaving a 1" lip on both the bottom and the inboard upright side so that I had something to secure a closing patch to later. The top I cut flush to the underside of the step because I still didn't think I would reach the nuts and felt that to do so I would need every inch of access. There is plenty of material on the outboard side for securing a patch to. I drilled a couple of starter holes and found the best tool for cutting the opening to be a pad saw fitted with a hacksaw blade. This cut through the fibreglass easily and neatly.

Once I had padded the edges of the dinette locker, the heads outlet seacock, sink outlet seacock, log paddlewheel assembly and other pointy bits with sacks, I went left arm first into the locker with my feet perched on a box on the starboard settee berth.

I could just reach the nuts. Slimmer folk or those with longer arms would have less difficulty and could probably also leave a lip on the top edge of the hole. Sue unbolted the heads while I used a ring spanner to hold the nuts. If I had had a second socket set then that would have retained the nuts and saved grovelling in the bilge blind for the nuts as they came free. Sue used a socket set with extension for the bolts under the pump and an open ended spanner for those under the pan.

To simplify the operation I had ordered the same model heads as a replacement so all connections and fastenings and so os were identical. Most unusually when making a decision on convenience (pardon the pun) grounds, it was also the cheapest. I ran the bolts up and down with an ordinary nut to make sure they ran easily, but used nylock nuts on final assembly. Bit of a fiddle holding the penny, load spreading washers on the bolts with one finger while using thumb and another finger to position nut so that Sue could wind the bolt into it. All done by feel of course. After a few tries and dropped bolts and washers, three were done. The fourth and outboard one under the pump (needless to say farthest away) was close to the heads water inlet hoze and I just could not get a finger around the washer to hold it in place while securing the nut. Almost decided to dispense with the washer but in the end took nut and washer home and Araldited the two together. This makes fixing really easy and had I thought of it would have Araldited all the washers to the nuts before starting reassemble. Make sure however that there is no Araldite in the threads of the nuts.

All that was then left to do was to connect the hoses and fit a teak-oiled plywood patch bedded in silicone over the hole. I screwed self tappers through the patch into the lip I had left around the hole. Even without a fastening on the top edge it is a secure and neat job and easily removable should access ever be needed in the future.

I hope this is of some use to anyone planning this or a similar job.