Frozen seacocks,how to cure?

Jul 13, 2010
1,097
Precision 23 Perry Hall,Baltimore County
The boat i just bought has 2 through hulls near the transom, 1 feeds a deck washdown pump, ( not working) and 1 feeds a baitwell. Tried both handles with moderate pressure, both stuck. Start spraying with PBS Blaster, or will that eat up the attached hoses?. First time dealing with through hulls.
 
Jan 4, 2006
6,444
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
Are you on the hard or ................... ?

Vales are stuck in the open or shut position ? Size of valves ? Bronze, SS, or mystery metal ?
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,992
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Dave, Only through inspection can you determine the answer.

Are you on the hard? Then you have more options. You can inspect from underneath and determine if something has clogged the valve causing the "Sticking" issue. If you are in the water, then you have fewer options. Safety says plug the thru hull from outside before using a "Lot of force" to fix the "stuck" ball valve.

My experience.
This valve worked smoothly from the time I bought the boat to the day I felt I needed to change it. No reason, just a feeling it was time to change. I had a bit of "unexplained water" in the bilge area where these valves were. Just a sponge soak up amount maybe every 45 days.
Clock - 1.jpeg
Looks aged and perhaps the handle could be changed, but the handle worked and the valve worked.

Till it didn't.
When I decided to pull the boat and replace the valve. With the boat hanging in the sling, I was inside the boat. I reached down and started to turn the valve (unscrew it from the thru hull). It broke apart into two pieces.
Clock - 2.jpeg


The pink metal tells the tail of zinc corrosion from the metal valve.
It broke into my hand, not wrench needed. I was chocked and pleased I had decided to do the replacement.

If your issue was mine, I would get the boat out of the water. Investigate the thru hulls and valves. Remove the valves from the thru hulls and either clean them up and free the working valves or replace.

If the thru hulls look pink or turn when trying to remove the valve, then remove and replace.

You have nothing to loose by making sure your thru hulls and valves are in good working order.
You have your boat to loose if they are not.
 
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Jul 13, 2010
1,097
Precision 23 Perry Hall,Baltimore County
Are you on the hard or ................... ?

Vales are stuck in the open or shut position ? Size of valves ? Bronze, SS, or mystery metal ?
On a trailer, frozen open, i suspect the ate plastic but have not yet investigated close enough to tell yet .
 
Jul 13, 2010
1,097
Precision 23 Perry Hall,Baltimore County
You really dodged a bullet John. I will investigate more closely and try to get photos.
 
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Jul 13, 2010
1,097
Precision 23 Perry Hall,Baltimore County
Update, finally cleaned off,got a better look,appear to be bronze. Got 1 working, still spraying the other one every few days. Putting both on replace list once i get a little better caught up on the long ( just bought,) list. Thanks again guys.
 
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capta

.
Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
We used muriatic acid on our stuck seacocks, leaving the bad ones over night. Simple as pie, but requires care as that acid is dangerous to use, but OK on bronze.