Closing seacocks

Hermit Scott · Sep 13, 2009

They need to be worked any way to keep them from seizing up. I would get used to doing it. You don't want to leave those open if you are not there. If you want to convince yourself, take a hose off of your smallest seacock and open the valve.

mac1840 · Sep 13, 2009

Xavier, although I share the concern about closing all the seacocks, the raw water intake and seal water are real pains to get to as you noted. I worked them every few months but left them open. It was just too much work to tear apart the aft berth every weekend. Just keep a good check on the hose and clamps which is what I did.

DannyS · Sep 14, 2009

I started closing mine this season every time I leave the boat. Now, if I forget to close them, I get paranoid about the boat sinking in the slip. I always leave myself a note on the nav table to remind me that the seacocks are closed and need to be re-opened. We only have two seacocks and they're fairly easy to access.

Rick D · Sep 14, 2009

I have eight and five are relatively easy to get to and three are a pain. I leave them open.

Bob Kay · Sep 14, 2009

I have a 43' Endeavour Ketch, with a lot of seacocks everywhere. I never close them when at dock and leaving the boat for any period of time. I have too many other duties and things to do before departing the docks and leaving R'Time on her own. I do regularly every season, before launching after the winter layup I do disassemble, clean and re-lubricate every thru hull and exercise the fixed valve thru hulls.

BobM · Sep 14, 2009

I close all mine. If you go the "leave them open" route be sure that you change your clamps and hoses religiously.

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · Sep 14, 2009

xavierlh1 said:
... the engine raw-water intake and the dripless shaft seal seacock are located under the aft berth. Why Beneteau didn't locate them next to the starting battery under the companionway steps, I'll never understand.

There's no law that says you can't move 'em. 'Twould make a good winter project.

tommays · Sep 14, 2009

I sail on a 1970 C&C 35 and your NOT closiing them ALL becasue they thought it was a good idea to do things like run the cockpit drains through seacocks

And some of the seacocks require crawing really deep inside the boat

So they get good care and each one has a wood plug on a string should there be and issue while you underway

timvg · Sep 14, 2009

We close them all when not on the boat. My raw water intake is under the aft birth and I also always leave it closed when at the dock. To make sure I don't accidently start the engine with a closed seacock, I hang the key around the the seacock handle when it's closed.

Since we leave our beagle on board when we are not there, closing the seacocks is a no-brainer. We know of a boat in our yacht club that sunk in the slip from a hose problem.

Ron McCoy · Sep 14, 2009

If you think it's a hassle closing all the seacocks before leaving your boat unattended, think about the hassle you'll have when you return and find it full of water and lying on the bottom with only its mast to tell you if it's really yours. A boat is only has good has its ability to float - save yourself the headaches ( and the costs for a replacement boat) because a sunken boat is worthless.

MrBee · Sep 14, 2009

I "exercise" Mine regularly but don't close them every time. 2 are easy to get to and I do try to remember to close them, but one is a pain and I'm not removing everything in the V-birth to get under there to close it. I exercise ALL of them several times a season. I have insurance and while I don't want it to use it, I'm not going to panic over an open valve. Make sure your hoses and clamps are in good shape.

Brian

BarryL · Sep 15, 2009

Open Vs Close

Hi Danny,

I also have an O'day 35, but I have lot more seacocks than you do. I close the galley sink each time I leave the boat. I only open (and then close) the macerator and anchor washdown seacocks when I need them. I have never used the head direct discharge, so that one stays closed all the time.

The engine raw water intake I just leave open. It's at the bottom the port lazarratte and just too hard to reach to close / open all the time. I used to worry about it, but now I don't.

I do excersize all the seacocks when the boat gets hauled and before it gets launched. I keep a close eye on the raw water intake. Other than that I try to not worry.

Barry

DannyS said:
I started closing mine this season every time I leave the boat. Now, if I forget to close them, I get paranoid about the boat sinking in the slip. I always leave myself a note on the nav table to remind me that the seacocks are closed and need to be re-opened. We only have two seacocks and they're fairly easy to access.

Dan Johnson · Sep 15, 2009

I'm in the camp that closes all but the engine seacock every time I leave the boat. I have only three besides the one for the engine to worry about.

I leave the engine one open in case the boat needs to be moved in an emergency, and not necessarily by me. That would not be the best time to fry an impeller.

Regular observation and frequent lever movement are the insurance steps I take to avert a serious issue. A dab of waterproof grease up through the thru-hull when put on the hard each fall keeps things working.

nick8489 · Sep 15, 2009

The H33 has been truely well thought out in this area as all the seacocks are located together under a single hatch at the foot of the companionway. I always turn them all off but have a label near the ignition switch marked "Open seacock"
Peggy has the right idea, move it!

Maine Sail · Sep 16, 2009

BarryL 1986 Oday 35 said:
The engine raw water intake I just leave open. It's at the bottom the port lazarratte and just too hard to reach to close / open all the time. I used to worry about it, but now I don't.

Barry,

Of all the seacocks to leave open the engine intake is the least safe of them all.

The engine has sooo many points to leak compared to say a sink drain. The engine also has massive vibrations that can cause nearly invisible hose chafe, that may go unnoticed unless you're a contortionist, galvanic issues, end cap gaskets on the HX, strainers that can fail, water pump gaskets and numerous hoses where two hose clamps can't fit because the engine manufacturer did not leave enough barb room etc. on and on.

Add to this the failure of your siphon break, due to salt clogging or an errant piece of weed that suck through the system, and you could potentially come back to find a hydro-locked engine...

The engine intake would be my absolute last choice of a seacock to leave open. Just some food for thought.. A custom made stick, and a loop of like through the seacock handle, can be used in the locker for opening and closing & may work well in your situation. I have used this method before.

We need to keep in mind that lack of maintenance, which could be a hose chafing through, galvanic issues, hose clamp failure etc. is not one your insurance company is going to likely cover..

BobM · Sep 16, 2009

An option to moving it may be to make a handle extension. I don't know how it is set up, but if you could extend the handle somehow it may make the task less of a problem.

Dan Johnson · Sep 16, 2009

Maine Sail...

all valid points! This knowledge forces me to pay meticulous attention to all issues pointed out. Doing so has headed off pending problems before they became major disasters.

I can't speak for the dilligence of others, but for me a review of the water feed system is a frequent must-do, especially before I fire up the Yannie to take the boat anywhere.

Chris Burti · Sep 16, 2009

Added Advice

Keep the engine seacock closed as advised...and leave the ignition key on it when you leave the boat...no problem frying the impeller then.

Warren Milberg · Sep 16, 2009

Not many years ago, I saw a Pearson Triton that had sunk in its slip. After the boat was pumped out and refloated (interesting to watch when it isn't your boat....), I spoke to the surveyor about the cause of the sinking. He believed that the hose clamp on the raw water intake hose had been working its way loose when the engine had been running. He thought the clamp and the hose it held to the seacock then came off when waves jostled the boat in the slip. The raw water intake seacock had been left open. Seems to me that closing seacocks is always going to far easier, no matter how hard that may be, than dealing with your boat after it has sunk....

Closing seacocks

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