Hello! Just bought a "new" boat with old, original seacocks. Considering that they are the glassed-in variety I am wondering how any with experience in changing them out tackled the problem. Did you replace the whole works with true thru-hull types or just new valves on top of the exisiting glassed-in arrangement? Brass or Marelon? If you put new valves on the glassed-in pipes, did you do it while the boat was in the water? Thanks for any help. Pictures etc, to follow! Chris
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Garry @ S/V TASHTEGO
Sea Cocks
Dear Chris, I am in the middle of replacing all four sea cocks on my Cat 27 now that the weather is cooperating. When I tried to remove the gate valve from one of the old, glassed-in pipes the whole pipe came out of the big glop of resin that Catalina mounted them in. For a first rate job replace the old ones with new bronze thru hulls. These come with a straight (NPS) thread and ball valves have a tapered (NPT) pipe thread. You should use real sea cocks which have straight threads. Because the thru hulls are fairly long I have made teak mounting pads so that the sea cocks sit snugly on them with about ten threads engaged. Use plenty of teflon tape on the threads. The mounting blocks have been treated with West Marine penetrating epoxy to ward off rot. I posted a longer message a while ago which you can find in the archives. As soon as I have finished the last one I'll post some pictures.
Dear Chris, I am in the middle of replacing all four sea cocks on my Cat 27 now that the weather is cooperating. When I tried to remove the gate valve from one of the old, glassed-in pipes the whole pipe came out of the big glop of resin that Catalina mounted them in. For a first rate job replace the old ones with new bronze thru hulls. These come with a straight (NPS) thread and ball valves have a tapered (NPT) pipe thread. You should use real sea cocks which have straight threads. Because the thru hulls are fairly long I have made teak mounting pads so that the sea cocks sit snugly on them with about ten threads engaged. Use plenty of teflon tape on the threads. The mounting blocks have been treated with West Marine penetrating epoxy to ward off rot. I posted a longer message a while ago which you can find in the archives. As soon as I have finished the last one I'll post some pictures.
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Todd Osborne
Valves & thru hulls
Lube the valve hruhull threads with WD-40 or the like & put a big pipe wrench to the old valve. If you can get it off the tru hull without damage/movement, then the thru hull is fit to stay. If the thru hull breaks loose, your choice is made as well... P.S. Use brass if the thru hull is brass.
Lube the valve hruhull threads with WD-40 or the like & put a big pipe wrench to the old valve. If you can get it off the tru hull without damage/movement, then the thru hull is fit to stay. If the thru hull breaks loose, your choice is made as well... P.S. Use brass if the thru hull is brass.
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Chris Gonzales
thanks
Thanks for the comments. I appreciate the time and effort to respond. I am going to take a better looks at them this week and decide how to proceed. I'll let you know what I do! Chris
Thanks for the comments. I appreciate the time and effort to respond. I am going to take a better looks at them this week and decide how to proceed. I'll let you know what I do! Chris
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Chris Gonzales
one down, one to go
Well, I replaced the 1/2 inch ball valve in the galley raw water pump line. Did it with the boat in the water with no problems at all. I first removed the hose and fitting off the elbow and plugged the elbow with a brass 1/2 inch plug. I then proceeded to wrench the valve itself off of the through-hull pipe while keeping a tapered wood plug handy to plug that pipe once the valve was off. I was concerned about the pipe turning or becoming loose as I unscrewed the valve but it stayed in place without any movement at all. The galley/head sink drain line has a 3/4 inch valve and is VERY hard to work on because of it's location. Since I assumed it was a 1/2 inch like the other one I need to go back and buy the right valve. I will tackle that one next week. Chris
Well, I replaced the 1/2 inch ball valve in the galley raw water pump line. Did it with the boat in the water with no problems at all. I first removed the hose and fitting off the elbow and plugged the elbow with a brass 1/2 inch plug. I then proceeded to wrench the valve itself off of the through-hull pipe while keeping a tapered wood plug handy to plug that pipe once the valve was off. I was concerned about the pipe turning or becoming loose as I unscrewed the valve but it stayed in place without any movement at all. The galley/head sink drain line has a 3/4 inch valve and is VERY hard to work on because of it's location. Since I assumed it was a 1/2 inch like the other one I need to go back and buy the right valve. I will tackle that one next week. Chris
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Rod Worrell
Ooops!!!???
Chris, I'm catching up on the forum tonight and saw yours. What is your plan when yu try to take the valve off the next glassed-in pipe and instead of the valve coming off, the whole pipe breaks loose of its fiberglass bond and you are still in the water? I have a '79 also and replaced mine last summer while out of the water. Sure enough, most are well glassed in, but one didn't hesitate to simply come off as a pipe and valve all in one. Let us know how you fare. By the way, our sink drain valve was also hard to get to. During its replacement, I cut a new access hole in the fiberglass bulkhead just aft of the valve and put a teak door to match the others there. Now the valve is easy to get to all of the time.
Chris, I'm catching up on the forum tonight and saw yours. What is your plan when yu try to take the valve off the next glassed-in pipe and instead of the valve coming off, the whole pipe breaks loose of its fiberglass bond and you are still in the water? I have a '79 also and replaced mine last summer while out of the water. Sure enough, most are well glassed in, but one didn't hesitate to simply come off as a pipe and valve all in one. Let us know how you fare. By the way, our sink drain valve was also hard to get to. During its replacement, I cut a new access hole in the fiberglass bulkhead just aft of the valve and put a teak door to match the others there. Now the valve is easy to get to all of the time.
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Chris Gonzales
Rod
Well, I agree it is a little frightening, to say the least and doing it in the water isn't the smartest thing to do, but I guess I am a little adventurous. I am only going to change one more valve (the sink drain) as the others are in good condition. I have an assortment of tapered wood plugs handy and the two bilge pumps (auto and manual) work well. If there is ANY movement to the pipe at all I would quit there and haul the boat. If, by chance I had a more serious problem with the pipe loosening I would head for the boatyard immediately. It is around the corner of the marina and about 15 minutes away, motoring. I spoke to a few boat owners about this and the opinion was split 50/50 on doing the job in the water. Thanks for the post. I hope I won't be writing you back in a few days with "OOOPS" being the title! Chris
Well, I agree it is a little frightening, to say the least and doing it in the water isn't the smartest thing to do, but I guess I am a little adventurous. I am only going to change one more valve (the sink drain) as the others are in good condition. I have an assortment of tapered wood plugs handy and the two bilge pumps (auto and manual) work well. If there is ANY movement to the pipe at all I would quit there and haul the boat. If, by chance I had a more serious problem with the pipe loosening I would head for the boatyard immediately. It is around the corner of the marina and about 15 minutes away, motoring. I spoke to a few boat owners about this and the opinion was split 50/50 on doing the job in the water. Thanks for the post. I hope I won't be writing you back in a few days with "OOOPS" being the title! Chris
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