Be Grady-Wise! Inspect your through-hull fittings regularly.

As part of routine maintenance, inspect your Grady-White's through-hull fittings at least yearly and replace as necessary. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN BOATS BUILT PRIOR TO 1997 because at that time metal fittings now in use were not generally available and Grady-White used polypropylene. Over time, polypropylene is subject to degradation (as are many plastics) primarily due to UV exposure. A broken fitting is a hole that can cause a boat to take on water and can damage systems. Despite the fact every Grady-White is unsinkable thanks to sprayed-in foam flotation, you can swamp the boat and encounter an uncomfortable situation.

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When you inspect metal through-hull fittings, check to ensure there is no corrosion. Make sure there is no blockage and that the fitting is tight. Look closely at bronze and chrome-over-bronze fittings used in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

If you have polypropylene through-hull fittings, make sure they have a smooth and resilient finish and that each and every fitting shows no evidence of crazing, cracking or brittleness.

What do you do if there is any sign of a problem during a routine inspection of your Grady's fittings? Some through-hull fittings are accessible only through inspection plates, so contact your Grady-White dealer if you have any questions or see any sign of problems.