Installing Through-Hulls on a Steel Sailboat Restoration Project in Wrangell, Alaska.

Today’s project on Alaskan Gypsy in the shipyard is a deep dive into the practical reality of welding new through-hulls in a steel sailboat hull. Our first project is cutting out and welding in a plug plate to cleanly remove on old abandoned through hull. We then install two new through-hulls in a new section of plate we installed in an earlier episode. I prep, fit, and weld in new schedule 80, and schedule 40 standpipes — each one beveled, aligned, and burned in with 6011 roots and 7018 cover passes. This episode walks through every stage of the process: A little hole saw trick for a template jig to plug an abandoned through hull. Marking the hull, cutting the pilot holes, setting up for overhead welds, checking penetration, grinding and cleaning, and finishing the exterior for primer. Along the way, I talk about amperage choices, puddle control, heat management, and a few of the surprises that come with working under a 55-ton steel schooner. It’s not glamorous, but it’s the kind of work that keeps an old ship alive. If you’re into DIY boatbuilding, welding, or steel boat maintenance — or just enjoy watching slow, honest progress in a shipyard — you’ll feel right at home here. • Intro & project overview • Inspecting the old through-hulls • Capping off an abandoned through-hull with a circular plug • Layout and measuring new standpipe locations • Cutting and beveling the hull openings • Welding setup, safety, and materials • Root pass and tie-ins (6011) • Cover passes and overhead work (7018) • Grinding and surface prep • Leak check and inspection • Wrap-up & lessons learned #SteelSailboat #BoatRefit #ThroughHull #Welding #ShipyardLife #AlaskanGypsy #DIYBoatRepair #Boatbuilding #Liveaboard #AlaskaViking