Lubricating Marelon Thru-hulls

[Walt]

The marelon seacocks on my '94 Catalina 36 are more than a little stiff. I've always lubricated the bronze thru hulls on my other boat after I pulled it for the season with white lithium grease. This did not work well with the marelon. Hope I didn't do something harmful! Any lube suggestions would be appreciated.Thanks

 

[Michael McCann]

Marlon thru Hulls

Walt;I have a 93 C36, and have had to replace all of the Marlon ball valves because they became sticky, and some of the handles broke off. A C42 which is 3 years older has never had a problem. I know the instructions say to lubricate every 6 months (get real), but the 42 has never been lubed until this last spring when we had them out for bottom painting. Do you haul your boat once a year? Twice? I feel there might have been a bad batch of valves manufactured around 1993.Mike

 

[LaDonna Bubak - Planet Catalina]

Oil would probably work

Grease is more likely to build up & get gunky. I would close the thru hull & pour some oil down the drain. Then, as oil doesn't sink, open & close the lever to work it thru. Might work better than grease. But if they're sticking, you might think of replacing them with bronze on the next haulout.LaDonna

 

[Keith]

Thru hull grease

I have a friend in the plumbing buisness and he gave me a can of stuff called plumbers grease. Safe for plastics and water proof. Great stuff. I use it on my thru hull, and on the piston on the head pump. Does not gunk up and has many uses. Check your local hardware store or ask a plumber where to get it. Might be worth a try.

 

[Art Golden]

Lubricating Marelon Thru-h

Hey Mike...I have a '93 as well and I have had the same problem of handles breaking off. Iam planning to replace all of my thru-hulls with bronze this winter while my boats up and dry.