Changing out Seacocks on 28.5

[Lou Phillippi]

I am intending to replace the existing seacocks on my 28.5 to ball valves as recommended by a recent survey as soon as I have the boat hauled for the winter. Can anyone tell me what sizes they are? I can't tell from just looking, and there are no marks that I can find.Secondly, is there any important tricks to getting old seacocks off without damaging the hull, and in putting new valves on without sinking the boat?Thanks in advance.

 

[Dave McIlveen]

28.5 Seacocks

I changed mine last year and the sizes were as follows (1985 Model): Head FW supply 3/4", Head discharge 1 1/2", Galley sink 1 1/4" and engine FW 1/2". I also added a 1 1/4" to head sink. You should insure all through hulls are in good shape and that the plywood backing plates are sound. The boat should be out of the water! My old gate valves came off came off quite easily with the right tools. Hope this is of some help.Dave McIlveen28.5 "Osprey"

 

[Eric]

seacocks, a question for Dave of "Osprey"

I have a question about fastening the seacocks to the hull. Most I have seen have a tiangular base with holes for a fastener.Does anybody know if these are going into the plywood backing or thru the backing into the hull. I hesitate putting any more holes into the hull, even if they do not go all the way through.Also, onthe 28.5 are the thru hulls plastic or bronze? I do not think it is wise to mix the two.Thanks

 

[Dave McIlveen]

Seacocks - Dave's reply

Eric: All the through hulls on my boat are bronze. I replaced a white plastic one that was on the head sink (with no valve/seacock) with a bronze through hull with ss ball valve. As far as I know there are three types of so called seacocks. 1 - bronze gate valves (with many problems) that Hunter used in the mid eighties 2 - Stainless Steel Ball valves 3- true "seacocks" that actually bolt through the hull. Based on the posts I have seen on this site most people use ball valves as they are reliable and relatively easy to install.Hope this clarifys. Dave McIlveen28.5 "Osprey"

 

[Eric]

Seacocks and Dave's response

Thanks for the info. It certainly helps and using option 2 certainly saves money. Sonce I'm in fresh water it probabl;y won't make a big difference.Thanks again.

 

[Alan Claunch]

Typical boat job

I too changed my seacocks 2 years ago. What a job! The waste discharge (gate) valve was frozen and I had to hacksaw it apart, after unbolting the head to make more room to work. The waste water valve from the sink was the easiest and the valve on the Kingston cock was only 1/2 inch. I rebored the hole in the hull and went to a 3/4 inch because at the time I couldn't find any 1/2 inch seacocks at West Marine. Although the books all say seacocks should be through bolted I too did not want to make so many holes in the hull. What I did was to mount the seacocks on 3/4-1 inch plywood mounts and then glued the plywood to the hull with 3M 5200 adhesive. That, with the threaded thru-hull seems to make a tight seal. I have not had any problems since.  Good Luck Alan