Fix a Thru hull seacock in the water?

alexco38 · Jun 24, 2009

Noop. And this is dangerous. You can go to a marina and have a travel lift to sling it up for a few hours so you can replace the seacock properly.

Ron20324 · Jun 24, 2009

Tighten the hose clamps.

Richard Bryer · Jun 24, 2009

I would go with tighteningthe hose clamps- the leak must be comming out and running down- the backing disk is under the seacock- closed or open it is exposed to the water outside in the same way. In order for opening and closing to make a difference the water must be comming from "downstream " of the seacock.

sailingdog · Jun 24, 2009

Brobins—

Unfortunately, I think that hauling the boat is really the best idea for repairing this if you are right and it is not the hose clamps. You will have to remove the seacock and replace the backing plate, which should be replaced with a FIBERGLASS backing plate. This takes a bit too long and probably will require removing the through-hull, so really needs to have the boat on the hard or in slings at least.

Don S/V ILLusion · Jun 24, 2009

As with most things, try the easy/cheap solution first to see if that works. Tighten the clamps and watchful waiting will tell you if the backing plate dries out. If it does, verify it is not rotted or weakened by the constant leak. If you are lucky, you can avoid the haul fee.
If not, it's more likely the entire thruhull integrity is lost requiring replacement which should be with a proper seacock to avoid recurrance.

tsmwebb · Jun 24, 2009

Some valves have adjustable packing or O rings on the stem. Since the valve is only leaking open you might look at the stem to see if that's where the problem is. If so you may be able to tighten the packing. Of course, you're going to have to pull the whole through-hull at soon and replace the backing pad. IMO, that's an out of the water task.

--Tom.

Carlos Ross · Jun 24, 2009

check other possibilities

I had a similar situation when I bought my boat. The leak turned out to be from a plug at the base of my Raritan toilet. The water would flow out of the toilet and soak the plywood backing of the through hull.

Hermit Scott · Jun 24, 2009

I agree with Richard. The leak is most likely in the valve.
It this a through hull with a nut on it and then a ball valve screwed on? Is this one you replaced? Can you switch out the ball valve? You can buy a rubber plug to stem the water flow while you have the ball valve off.
How are things going living aboard? Are the inlaws calmed down yet?

seadaddler · Jun 24, 2009

Quick fix

First off before you start touching it make sure your marina is open and the lift is available in case you spring a real leak or some thing brakes.
Ask the marina how many $$$$ for a short haul which they lift the boat out of the water for a hour or two and if you can replace the thru hul as a option.
It might be just a hose leak or some thing minor or maybe just need the nut on the backing plate flange needs a turn or two with a wrench but check to make sure if things get worse it can be hauled and replaced with a new thru hull that you have at the time just in case and if not just return it.
Once this guy in my marina was working on his boat and things went wrong and a leak got to be too much and started taking on water and no help was available at the marina.
He was like going crazy trying to keep the boat from sinking at the dock,he had to stay on the boat all night with plugs and rags to slow down the water leaking into the boat all night,next day the boat was short hauled for repairs to replace a tru hull ,so just be careful.
Nick

Morgan30 · Jun 24, 2009

Check the hose. Could be hemoraged or cracked behind the clamp.

I also would check the stem like above recommended. Is this a ball valve or a gate valve?

Hermit Scott · Jun 24, 2009

seadaddler-Are those all the seacocks on your boat in one compartment?

Steve Kamp · Jun 24, 2009

Hermit, the thru hulls in seadaddler's photo are engine,a/c and generator intake,galley,vanity and macerator drains. Other thru hulls scattered about the boat would be shower sump,ac outlet,and bildge pump discharge. They are located in the same manner on the 38, cabin sole,centerline just forward of companionway steps.
It's real nice when preparing to leave the boat for more than a few hours.

Steve

seadaddler · Jun 24, 2009

Yes

Yes Steve is right and I love them all nice and easy to get to when entering or leaving the boat,best thing Hunter ever did.
My older boat was a real pain crawling into the rear berth lifting the mattress to get at the tru hulls.
Nick

Steve Kamp · Jun 29, 2009

Best advice: DON'T RIDE A BIKE ON A FLOATING DOCK.

sailingdog · Jun 29, 2009

brobins75 said:
it was the clamps. I dont like the condition of the backing plate though. It feels a little "fluffy", not solid. I will keep a close eye on it. all my thru-hulls are marelon except the engine & a/c pump.

When you haul out next, I would remove the wood backing plates and replace them with fiberglass ones and re-bed all the through-hulls.

I had a little scare the other day. I just got finished with a shower and was drying off in the main cabin when a huge jet of really hot water started spraying all over the place. I panicked at first, and my wife went crazy. then i realized that there was no way this would sink me anytime soon. so i calmly pushed the offending hot water line into the shower sump and went outside and turned off city water.

These darn plumbing fittings scare me. they arent clamped in any way. they are the compression fittings. on this particular fitting it seems that the little metal washer/gripper/thingy was loose around the tubing, so it didnt grab the tubing. when the pressure from the city water got to it, it finally just slipped out of the fitting. What if i hadnt been aboard? that would have sucked. I try to remember to turn off the city water and close all seacocks every time, but once i forgot to turn off city water. its a pain in the a$$ to turn all that stuff off.

Never leave the shore water connected. Fill the tanks, use them and the re-fill them when they run out. Your tanks will never flood and sink the boat, however much they leak...shore pressure water can and will.

I love living aboard though. its great. I have a beautiful view. the sunsets rock. I hund a hammock chair from my radar arch and it swings out over the water. best seat in the house. It is a little hot aboard. I have a 10k btu portable a/c unit in the aft stateroom and it barely keeps it comfortable. I have absolutely no insulation on the hull interior, and wonder if it will really make a big difference when i finish it off? I have a 12k btu cruiseair in the main salon that needs an a/c water pump. found one on craigslist for $150 and gonna buy today. maybe it will help.

Insulation will help...but shading the boat with a boom tent or awning will help more.

our marina rocks. every amenity imaginable. I just found out that i can use my membership card at the gym down the street and get in free! cable, pool/jacuzzi, wifi, free shuttle, gym membership, weekly entertainment, water taxi, etc. I cant have all those amenities at this price anywhere.

Very cool.

had a bad bike accident the other day. was riding bike down ramp to dock (floating docks) and got to the bottom and the transition plate between the ramp and dock was missing. so there was like a 2' drop. and i had a beer in one hand. it was too late, couldnt stop. front wheel went off the ramp and i went flying. it was all in slowmo. pretty wild. spilt my beer. bike landed on top of me. skinned up all my knees/elbows. hit my head. im hurting. and everybody was looking! no one really came to my aid though! they just all stared from a distance. the thing that really sucked was i busted my digital camera in a million pieces and shattered my $400 costa del mar's. The marina had no caution tape/signs, nothing. they did on the other docks. the summer solstice tide ripped the plate off. I complained to the marina and they were patronizing. they immediately put up tape. they admitted fault. they said maybe they would consider replacing my camera, but i need to talk to manager. this really sucks!

Really shouldn't be riding on floating docks or ramps... It's too easy to get injured, as you found out, and too easy to end up in the water.

took a break from the heat and went to in-laws beach house saturday nite (they r out of town for 3 months!). I didn't need too, but im worried im gonna stress my wife out too quick. she is being a trooper, but i know she is not used to this kind of thing and always being hot and sweaty.

jibes138 · Jun 29, 2009

Marina Liability

What are they intending to do about the beer that you spilled?:dance:

Paul F · Jun 29, 2009

In water thru hull repacement

I see this thread has turned to beer recovery which is always important and of high interest. Earlier this year a diver replaced a thru hull for me in the water. It is written up in this linked thread. Maybe not as interesting as beer but it may be of some use in the future.
http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=594643#post594643

Fix a Thru hull seacock in the water?

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Carlos Ross

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