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I hate the water/fuel/waste deck plate caps

Mikebat

Member III
I absolutely deplore the caps on my deck plates. Instead of being keyed for the usual deck plate tool, some idiot decided that it'd be a great idea to key them for a standard winch socket, so you use winch handles to open and close them. One sunk winch handle later, which I dropped as I was fumbling to try and get a water deck plate cap open, I decided this is a bone-headed idea. Deck plate keys are cheap, winch handles are not. Not only that, but there isn't enough room for a winch handle to turn the waste tank cap. It's a real chore to get that open with a winch handle.

So I have tried to replace them with standard caps, and also the caps with the pop-up thumb grip. But it seems that not only are the keyways non-standard, so are the threads! Nothing I have bought from West Marine has fit the threads. Anybody know a source for caps with standard keys and whatever oddball threads Ericson used on these caps? I'd really rather not replace the deck plates, just to get reasonable caps.
 

u079721

Contributing Partner
I went through the same frustration

I went through the same frustration - and hate - with those caps. You used to be able to find inexpensive non-locking winch handles for about $10, and I would cut them down to 6 to 8" to do the job. But I lost both of the cheap ones I had, and I can't find inexpensive ones anymore, so I ended up the last season using my expensive winch handles to do the job, which as you found out, can be a mistake.

I never did find replacement caps anywhere. In particular the wast pump out fitting was a pain, because we couldn't use the standard pump out adaptors at our club. I took one of the caps to a machinist friend, who measured the non-standard threads and made me a nylon holding tank adaptor. But aft while the threads swelled or something, and it got a bit tight. So at least for the holding tank pump out fitting I gave up and installed a new standard deck fitting from West Marine. The other deck fills were on my list to replace, but never got to the top of the to do list. Next up would have been the fuel deck fill.
 

ted_reshetiloff

Contributing Partner
The forward water tank one is a PITA too. The clearance issue definately sucks. These caps were on my list but now hearing that the threads are not standard I think I will go the modified winch handle route.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Same fuel and holding tank cap deck plates on our '88. Both the lock-in Lewmar handles had damaged lock-in turn plates. I rebuilt both handles with Lewmar kits. I bought a cheap floating square-stud 8" winch handle (not a lock-in) which stays in the "refueling stuff" locker with the diesel-bug-killer bottle and the rattle-siphon hose. No more problems since...
Loren
:D
 
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clayton

Member III
Deck plate caps

I've got a small (approx. 3" long) plastic tool that fits the socket in the caps. It's still too long for the cap near the toerail, but alot easier to move than a winch handle. The insert part is getting a little worn so I'll be looking for a new one. Yeah, I know, good luck...Anyway, I'll be back down to the mistress in a couple of days and I'll check to see if this mysterious gem (something good from the P.O.!) has any kind of markings or name, and I'll report back.

Clayton
 

Jeff Asbury

Principal Partner
floating winch handle

On another note regarding your sunk winch handle. I replaced both my heavy metal handles with the floating kind from WM. Thirty five bucks a couple years ago. Haven't dropped one in the drink yet, but it's a comfort to know they float. Nice and strong as well. :egrin:
 

Mikebat

Member III
Yeah, I got one of those too, to replace the one on the bottom of Santa Barbara harbor. The nice one, with the big T-handle grip. It still is a pain to open the deck plates with, however. :egrin:
 

clayton

Member III
Hate deck plate caps

I couldn't find any markings of any kind on the little plastic star tool. Sorry. I saw in the BoatUS catalog on pg. 343, a replacement cap with a built-in pop-up knob...Only $30 apiece. :devil:
Clayton
 

Mikebat

Member III
clayton said:
I couldn't find any markings of any kind on the little plastic star tool. Sorry. I saw in the BoatUS catalog on pg. 343, a replacement cap with a built-in pop-up knob...Only $30 apiece. :devil:
Clayton

I tried one of those, from West Marine, and it didn't fit. It wasn't $30 though, it was more like $5. I got a couple of the Davis Universal Deck Plate key Tom Metzger suggested, and it even has a bottle opener. I like it.
:egrin:
 
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