Alright! I have been thinking about changing my gate valves on my 33' Hunter. I was at the marine store and saw the nylon style valve replacement with shut off arms and the traditional brass. The nylon style were a greater price. Has anyone done the switchout and which ones. I'm looking to do the galley thru hull and the head thru hull. Thanks
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Do them all with Bronze
The factory valve are junk and will fail (mine did). It's hard to believe some boats still have them. The bronze ones will screw nicely on the exsisting thru hull fittings. (bronze means don't but them at Home Depot) Be carefull not to spin the fittings unless you plan to rebed them.I've broke handles off the plastic valves and wouldn;t own one again.
The factory valve are junk and will fail (mine did). It's hard to believe some boats still have them. The bronze ones will screw nicely on the exsisting thru hull fittings. (bronze means don't but them at Home Depot) Be carefull not to spin the fittings unless you plan to rebed them.I've broke handles off the plastic valves and wouldn;t own one again.
Use only the plastic ones. Just make sure they
are Marlon. The only way I know to hurt these things is to never work the handles. I changed mine out, in 1987. The boat was one year old and getting her first bottom job. Still no problems with the new valves. Just be sure to use a Marlon tail piece to your hoses. Here's my link so you can get an idea of what the boat has gone through. Not much on the valves but they were along for the ride.
And be sure to do ALL of your valves. And another trick is to use a lot of teflon tape on the bronze pipe before you install the marlon pieces. Isn't it illegal yet to install gate valves in a boat? Hey Daryl, must be happy hour huh?
are Marlon. The only way I know to hurt these things is to never work the handles. I changed mine out, in 1987. The boat was one year old and getting her first bottom job. Still no problems with the new valves. Just be sure to use a Marlon tail piece to your hoses. Here's my link so you can get an idea of what the boat has gone through. Not much on the valves but they were along for the ride.
And be sure to do ALL of your valves. And another trick is to use a lot of teflon tape on the bronze pipe before you install the marlon pieces. Isn't it illegal yet to install gate valves in a boat? Hey Daryl, must be happy hour huh?Don't use nylon below the water line
Use only Marelon or Bronze below the waterline. Nylon has a nasty habit of possibly breaking off and sinking your boat. Nylon through hulls could be an issue if it ever came to an insurance claim follwing a sinking or flood damage but I don't know that with any authority. Suffice to say that either bronze or marelon (black plastic looking) are ABYC and generally approveds for below waterline use.
Use only Marelon or Bronze below the waterline. Nylon has a nasty habit of possibly breaking off and sinking your boat. Nylon through hulls could be an issue if it ever came to an insurance claim follwing a sinking or flood damage but I don't know that with any authority. Suffice to say that either bronze or marelon (black plastic looking) are ABYC and generally approveds for below waterline use.
What material are your thru hulls?
Before you do anything, you need to determine of what material your existing thru hulls are constructed. If you have brass thru hulls and you place bronze valves upon them, you set up a marvelous electrolysis between the two different metals, exasperated by the presence of salt water. If you have bronze thru hulls, the same applies if you use brass valves, although generally there are few of these used with thru hulls. I do not know of any fashion in which one may ascertain bronze as opposed to brass thru hulls when they are positioned on a vessel as both have non-magnetic properties. Hence, the general popularity and broad acceptance of the “plastic” or glass reinforced nylon or Marlon valves that avoid the electrolysis issues. However, the handles on these valves are subject to breaking unless disciplined greasing maintenance is performed on theses valves at least before launch and then at haul out. Further these valves should be opened and closed at least several times a week during the sailing season. The best fashion I know of to grease these valves is to use a spray can of Super Lube (yellow top) that is a synthetic lubricant that will not react poorly with the “plastic” parts of the valve as lubrications with petroleum distillates may have the tendency to do so. Close the valve, remove the hose on it, and then spray down onto the top part of the ball valve. Then go out side and spray onto the bottom side of the ball valve through the thru hull. Note that you could also use the solid form of Super Lube that comes in a can, however, this may be difficult to apply from the bottom without removing the valve.
Before you do anything, you need to determine of what material your existing thru hulls are constructed. If you have brass thru hulls and you place bronze valves upon them, you set up a marvelous electrolysis between the two different metals, exasperated by the presence of salt water. If you have bronze thru hulls, the same applies if you use brass valves, although generally there are few of these used with thru hulls. I do not know of any fashion in which one may ascertain bronze as opposed to brass thru hulls when they are positioned on a vessel as both have non-magnetic properties. Hence, the general popularity and broad acceptance of the “plastic” or glass reinforced nylon or Marlon valves that avoid the electrolysis issues. However, the handles on these valves are subject to breaking unless disciplined greasing maintenance is performed on theses valves at least before launch and then at haul out. Further these valves should be opened and closed at least several times a week during the sailing season. The best fashion I know of to grease these valves is to use a spray can of Super Lube (yellow top) that is a synthetic lubricant that will not react poorly with the “plastic” parts of the valve as lubrications with petroleum distillates may have the tendency to do so. Close the valve, remove the hose on it, and then spray down onto the top part of the ball valve. Then go out side and spray onto the bottom side of the ball valve through the thru hull. Note that you could also use the solid form of Super Lube that comes in a can, however, this may be difficult to apply from the bottom without removing the valve.
Bayard, you contradict your self.
If you just install Marlon, why determine what your thru hulls are made of. And working the handles several times a week???, I might have done it once every other YEAR! Come on, where do you get your opinion???????
If you just install Marlon, why determine what your thru hulls are made of. And working the handles several times a week???, I might have done it once every other YEAR! Come on, where do you get your opinion???????
Marelon Ball Valves Good in the Long Run
The Forespar® Marelon® ball valves are good valves and mine which are going on 16 years old have never leaked. Also, they don't have to be grounded for either electrolysis or lightning reasons. Boating in New England can put one in some good lightning storms so metal valves should be grounded. The Marelon valves should be lubricated and I do mine at haulout using one of those metal "acid brushes" taped to a short stick. One person goops up the ball from outside the boat while I actuate the handle on the inside. And that has been about it. If you're replacing valves the Marelon valves can be conuntersunk to leave a flush installation on the surface of the hull which reduces drag. Be sure to check what is requred to prep the hull for the Marelon valve flange on the outside of the hull. Your old bronze valves are probably not countersunk and even if they are they probably won't match the Marelon requirements. Don't know how to countersink something if there is a hole in the hull all ready short of doing a temporary fill-in for the pilot drill.
The Forespar® Marelon® ball valves are good valves and mine which are going on 16 years old have never leaked. Also, they don't have to be grounded for either electrolysis or lightning reasons. Boating in New England can put one in some good lightning storms so metal valves should be grounded. The Marelon valves should be lubricated and I do mine at haulout using one of those metal "acid brushes" taped to a short stick. One person goops up the ball from outside the boat while I actuate the handle on the inside. And that has been about it. If you're replacing valves the Marelon valves can be conuntersunk to leave a flush installation on the surface of the hull which reduces drag. Be sure to check what is requred to prep the hull for the Marelon valve flange on the outside of the hull. Your old bronze valves are probably not countersunk and even if they are they probably won't match the Marelon requirements. Don't know how to countersink something if there is a hole in the hull all ready short of doing a temporary fill-in for the pilot drill.
I don't like them.
Capt. John: I personally do not like the feel of the handles on the Forespar Marelon valves. Catalina uses them on their boats but they do not telegraph confidence when you press on the handles. I think this is a decision that you must make yourself. Sailors that have the Marelon valves seem to like them. Those of us how don't seem to dislike them.
Capt. John: I personally do not like the feel of the handles on the Forespar Marelon valves. Catalina uses them on their boats but they do not telegraph confidence when you press on the handles. I think this is a decision that you must make yourself. Sailors that have the Marelon valves seem to like them. Those of us how don't seem to dislike them.
Failure Mode Choices
It's true that the handle on the Marelon valves don't have that absolutely solid feel in the connection to the ball valve, however, if they're maintained properly it doesn't matter because it will work, soft feeling or not. The alternative, a metal valve, can have a sudden failure as in the valve just breaks off for no apparent reason. Depending on the situation this could be exciting. Here's my true story which I've told a couple times before but it's been a while. A fellow co-worker, a mechanical engineer, had a C&C 36 which I used to crew on. His top fordeck crew married his daughter and dad loaned him the boat for their honeymoon in the San Juans. He got a call one afternoon that his boat was sinking! While they were motoring the bronze/brass thru-hull in the engine compartment had "just fallen off" and water came in to the point that the floorboards were awash. Fortunately, being a through skipper he had tapered plugs attached to every thru-hull so they were able to find the problem and get it plugged. Phil (new son-in-law) said that finding the leak was not easy and they were frantic but they found the leak and got it plugged. I flew dad up there and we changed the valve with the boat in the water (Friday Harbor). It can be done if you're confident and keep your cool. Reminded me of pulling the speed transducer only wetter because it took longer to get the new one in. Examination of the old valve revealed no signs of corrosion on the outside to the extent that it would just break/fall off. The corrosion that caused the failure was on the inside of the valve!!!! What bothers me is the outside condition of the valve - one would have never guessed that it could have just fallen off. The electrolysis was on the INSIDE of the valve, not the outside. The outside looked fine. That's why I like Marelon - given the same metal valve I really doubt I would have caught this problem.
It's true that the handle on the Marelon valves don't have that absolutely solid feel in the connection to the ball valve, however, if they're maintained properly it doesn't matter because it will work, soft feeling or not. The alternative, a metal valve, can have a sudden failure as in the valve just breaks off for no apparent reason. Depending on the situation this could be exciting. Here's my true story which I've told a couple times before but it's been a while. A fellow co-worker, a mechanical engineer, had a C&C 36 which I used to crew on. His top fordeck crew married his daughter and dad loaned him the boat for their honeymoon in the San Juans. He got a call one afternoon that his boat was sinking! While they were motoring the bronze/brass thru-hull in the engine compartment had "just fallen off" and water came in to the point that the floorboards were awash. Fortunately, being a through skipper he had tapered plugs attached to every thru-hull so they were able to find the problem and get it plugged. Phil (new son-in-law) said that finding the leak was not easy and they were frantic but they found the leak and got it plugged. I flew dad up there and we changed the valve with the boat in the water (Friday Harbor). It can be done if you're confident and keep your cool. Reminded me of pulling the speed transducer only wetter because it took longer to get the new one in. Examination of the old valve revealed no signs of corrosion on the outside to the extent that it would just break/fall off. The corrosion that caused the failure was on the inside of the valve!!!! What bothers me is the outside condition of the valve - one would have never guessed that it could have just fallen off. The electrolysis was on the INSIDE of the valve, not the outside. The outside looked fine. That's why I like Marelon - given the same metal valve I really doubt I would have caught this problem.
Tappered plugs the key
I too have tappered wood plugs tied to every thru hull fitting . We make sure everyone on board knows where the are and how to use them . Bronze vs. merlon I'd go with merlon just exercise the valves every so often to get a feel for pending problems .
I too have tappered wood plugs tied to every thru hull fitting . We make sure everyone on board knows where the are and how to use them . Bronze vs. merlon I'd go with merlon just exercise the valves every so often to get a feel for pending problems .
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