Kitchen sink seacock?

[Timothy List]

The owner of the 25.5 I just purchased told me to replace the kitchen sink seacock. He said I should use a "ball-valve" type replacement?Where is it located?What size is it?How do you remove it and what tools does it require?

 

[Steve O.]

seacock

A seacock is just a fancy name for a closeable valve that lets seawater in or out. There are 2 types used in marine applications: ball valves and gate valves. Gate valves are like what you have on your garden hose faucet on your house and should NOT be used for marine applications. Look under your sink vanity and follow the drain hose to where it exits the hull. That's where the seacock will be. You will need a pipe wrench and teflon tape to wrap the threads. IMPORTANT! this work should be done when the boat is hauled out unless you dont mind a lot of seawater coming in. Unscrew the old valve, wrap the threads and replace with the new valve. Get the ball valve from a marine retailer not a hardware store because they will sell you a gate valve

 

[Michael Johnson]

valve replacement

I'm just doing the same thing in a 87 Hunter 31'. It's actually the in-line valve that has to be replaced. Mine is a 1 1/2" valve, I ordered it from BOAT/US for $47. It's probably necessary to haul the boat to change the valve, unless you plug it from the outside first.Let me know if you need more info.Michael JOhnson

 

[Been there]

The IMPORTANT things about seacocks

First and most important, you should know where each through-hull is on your boat. If the boat ever takes on water, closing the seacocks is the first step to isolating -- and probably curing -- the problem. Second, you should never leave the seacocks open while away from the boat. (The only exception are scupper seacocks, which your boat does not have.) More than one sailor has come back to a boat sunk at dock from this mistake.There are several kinds of seacocks. Gate valves should NOT be used as seacocks, though they are appropriate for other applications, such as controlling your fresh-water tanks. Ball valves are the most common type of seacock. They come in bronze or marelon. Some boats have bronze cone valves, and these are also fine.

 

[Paul Akers]

Maintenance

Valves should be maintained annually. That is, they should occasionally be lubricated. This will prwevent tightness in the mechanism. I had a handle break off a tight seacock on the head sink. No leaking occurred, but to fix it, I had to have the boat quick-hauled (an expensive proposition) to do a 15 minute replacement. In the fall during lay-up, spread teflon grease with a ling-handles solvent brush inside the closed seacock from both the inside and outside. Work the valve to spread the grease and let it sit over the winter. Do it again in the spring for assurrance. Spray lubricant, like WD-40, can also be used, but that may tend to wash away easier.