The Sea Cock Debacle

Not much will sink a boat faster then a 1 1/2" hole opening up below the waterline where a shut-off valve used to be!

Vita came with gate valves. In 1983 when she was built, it wasn't just the standard of the time, but it was pretty much the only thing available. Not a good idea, but hind sight being what it is. I have been debating whether or not to replace these for a long time. I know the experts say that there is no place on a boat for a gate valve, and I find it hard to believe that they are all wrong. However, they have been on the boat for 30 years, they still work just as good as the day they were installed, and they look pretty heavy duty. Plus, replacements will work out to be an additional $700 clams, and this refit is already pushing the pocket book.

So today after I put the first coat of epoxy on the old boat stripe, I took a good look at the seacocks. Again, they seem solid, they all work, what am I not understanding. So I went to the books, Dan Spurr, Nigel Calder, and Don Casey. If ever there was a more knowledgeable group. They all said the same thing, get rid of them before you regret it. Ughhh... No support from the experts.

So at it I went. The first 1 1/2" seacock for the galley sink drain. When it turned, the thru hull turned, and turned easier than I was comfortable with. I tried everything, and there was no way that gate valve was coming off the thru hull. Sawzall to the rescue. So either the gate valve has corroded and fused together with the thru hull, or they used bedding compound to seal the two together. Neither is a good thing. 

 You can see by the picture that I cut the thru hull. That means I had access to it, and that is a problem. It causes a week point between the hull and the valve. Proper seacocks are attached to the hull, no weak spot.

 Not much support here, just a plywood washer.

 This is what it looked like before I ripped it out. This is the one in the head, as the before picture only turns out if I take it. What is up with the remembering to take the picture thingy.... Must be a missing gene.

 Below is the intake for the head. This one always made me a bit nervous, because it just didn't seem very strong. The last owner had replaced the broken gate valve with this ball valve. When I removed it I found that there was a 3/4" piece of thru hull being supported by bedding compound wrapped around it. This could have snapped at anytime. A little too much pressure on the handle, and in would come the water. Luckily its only a 1/2" hole. This one I am glad is removed.

 And here is the support for the engine cooling water intake. A round piece of rotted plywood with a thru hull nut working its way through it. Another bad one. And to top it off, the elbow and tube attached to the top were copper. How long in salt water before that would have broken down.

 All I can say is that I am glad that we changing them all. I will sleep better off watch in the middle of the ocean knowing that my valves are not going to explode.

And of course, the purpose of the trip to the boat today, two coats of Interlux 2000. Two more to go, and then bottom paint.

Replace the seacocks.

Two coats of bottom paint over the whole bottom.

Then I can paint the boot stripe back on.

Nothing happens fast on a boat.