Should the sea cock for the raw water engine cooling intake be closed at all times and every time the engine isn't running?
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Keith Redfield
Sinking is a drag
The raw-water system is extremely corrosive and so all parts are subject to a lot of wear. If any of them failed, and no one was around to notice, you'd lose your boat. A trick the fellow I bought my boat from taught was to store your ignition key around the valve handle, to remind you to open when you start and close when you leave. But I leave mine open while I'm out sailing on the assumption (perhaps foolish) that I'd notice water coming in...it's too easy to forget to open it during the trip and risk ruining the engine, so a fair trade-off.
The raw-water system is extremely corrosive and so all parts are subject to a lot of wear. If any of them failed, and no one was around to notice, you'd lose your boat. A trick the fellow I bought my boat from taught was to store your ignition key around the valve handle, to remind you to open when you start and close when you leave. But I leave mine open while I'm out sailing on the assumption (perhaps foolish) that I'd notice water coming in...it's too easy to forget to open it during the trip and risk ruining the engine, so a fair trade-off.
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Bob La Salle
My boat sank...
...the day after it was launched (in April 1999) when the yard forgot to close the raw water through-hull valve after replacing the cover gasket, which then leaked. This was on a Saturday afternoon. They were closed on Sunday. By Monday, when the yard re-opened, the boat was sitting on the bottom in about 6-7 feet of water. Apparently, the bilge pump kept up with the slow leak for awhile until the batteries died. The yard made good on restoring the boat, but the lesson I learned is that I always close all my through-hull valves every time I leave the boat. It only takes a minute and it's something I never have to worry about.
...the day after it was launched (in April 1999) when the yard forgot to close the raw water through-hull valve after replacing the cover gasket, which then leaked. This was on a Saturday afternoon. They were closed on Sunday. By Monday, when the yard re-opened, the boat was sitting on the bottom in about 6-7 feet of water. Apparently, the bilge pump kept up with the slow leak for awhile until the batteries died. The yard made good on restoring the boat, but the lesson I learned is that I always close all my through-hull valves every time I leave the boat. It only takes a minute and it's something I never have to worry about.
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Mike
Seacocks
All seacocks should be closed unless in use. For motoring, I consider 'in use' to be each time I go out. Rather than tie the key around the seacock (not a bad idea that), I have a plastic laminate checklist I made up for heading-out and returning. So, I go through the check list before I lock up - which includes setting all seacocks to closed position....works for me. PS...as I just mentioned in another post, if your seacocks are the old gate type. Replace them at your earliest convenience. It's a lot of work, but it's a safety thing. Those gate seacocks fail from the inside out. Mike
All seacocks should be closed unless in use. For motoring, I consider 'in use' to be each time I go out. Rather than tie the key around the seacock (not a bad idea that), I have a plastic laminate checklist I made up for heading-out and returning. So, I go through the check list before I lock up - which includes setting all seacocks to closed position....works for me. PS...as I just mentioned in another post, if your seacocks are the old gate type. Replace them at your earliest convenience. It's a lot of work, but it's a safety thing. Those gate seacocks fail from the inside out. Mike
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Dave
If they are gate valves.
Dave: If they are gate valves remove them (period). In the meantime keep the exercised so they do not freeze up on you and lube them if you can. You will just need to know how to close them and when they are closed (probably clockwise to close).
Dave: If they are gate valves remove them (period). In the meantime keep the exercised so they do not freeze up on you and lube them if you can. You will just need to know how to close them and when they are closed (probably clockwise to close).
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Mike
Gate valves
Gate valves look like your old fashion garden-hose variety valve (although the body of the valve is usually bigger/squatter than the ordinary household spigot) with a round water spigot type grip-handle that turns 360 degrees which screws in or out a solid gate inside the body of the valve. The gate slides inside the body of the valve to block water flow or release it. Generally, if you have a round old style handle on the seacock, and it turns 360 deg. (when working properly - they can get stuck too), then you have the old gates. What makes these type valves so bad is that the shaft that connects the turning handle to the gate is steel. The gate itself is bronze, as is the body of the valve (at least the ones I have seen). So, the steel shaft corrodes off, and the gate becomes detached and either stuck open or jammed shut. And because the shaft is no longer connected to the gate, the valve handle will turn just like always and you will have no clue that the valve went bad. Thus, such a valve could sink your boat. This is why old gate valves should go on the scrap heap of bad ideas and be replaced with modern marine grade ball-type valves. Ball valves have a bar handle and usually turn only 1/4 for on/off. And while I am on the subject, do not confuse ball type seacocks with in-line ball valves. Use only hardware that says it's a seacock. Tip off is that modern seacocks have a flange on the bottom with screw holes whereas in-line ball valves do not. Lastly, when I replaced all the gated seacocks on my '85 28.5 Hunter last year, I discovered that all but one was bad. I am glad I heeded the surveyor's warning and replaced them first. Mike
Gate valves look like your old fashion garden-hose variety valve (although the body of the valve is usually bigger/squatter than the ordinary household spigot) with a round water spigot type grip-handle that turns 360 degrees which screws in or out a solid gate inside the body of the valve. The gate slides inside the body of the valve to block water flow or release it. Generally, if you have a round old style handle on the seacock, and it turns 360 deg. (when working properly - they can get stuck too), then you have the old gates. What makes these type valves so bad is that the shaft that connects the turning handle to the gate is steel. The gate itself is bronze, as is the body of the valve (at least the ones I have seen). So, the steel shaft corrodes off, and the gate becomes detached and either stuck open or jammed shut. And because the shaft is no longer connected to the gate, the valve handle will turn just like always and you will have no clue that the valve went bad. Thus, such a valve could sink your boat. This is why old gate valves should go on the scrap heap of bad ideas and be replaced with modern marine grade ball-type valves. Ball valves have a bar handle and usually turn only 1/4 for on/off. And while I am on the subject, do not confuse ball type seacocks with in-line ball valves. Use only hardware that says it's a seacock. Tip off is that modern seacocks have a flange on the bottom with screw holes whereas in-line ball valves do not. Lastly, when I replaced all the gated seacocks on my '85 28.5 Hunter last year, I discovered that all but one was bad. I am glad I heeded the surveyor's warning and replaced them first. Mike
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Dave
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