sink seawater intrusion

[wesandevie]

We are new owners of a 2004 Hunter 41. When we sail and heel over to the starboard, seawater comes into the head sinks. Anyone know where are the sea-cocks located for the head sinks? I looked under the sinks and there doesn't seem to be any levers or switches.

Thanks,
Evie

 

[xcyz]

The sea cock should be close by and accessible, can you not just follow the drain hose?

 

[Windjammin]

seawater intrusion

You should look under the sole. That is where all valves for incoming or outgoing fluid[not fuel] are normally located. review your owners manual

 

[Barnacle Bill]

I suppose it is possible that a hose could just connect to a through hull hose barb and have no seacock, but that isn't a good idea. If you followed your hoses to where they enter the hull and there is no seacock, then there is no seacock. Consider installing them the next time your boat is out of the water. Obviously the sinks are located in the boat so when you heel over, the heeled waterline of the boat is high enough so water flows into the sink, which could be a mess, if not dangerous. No seacock? That is a way manufacturers cut costs. Not good.

 

[seadaddler]

Mine

My 6 seacocks are under the sole at bootom of companion stairs on my 2007 H-36,so look for a floor section that is removable or follow the engine hose or head hose.
If you don't have a manual you should get one,look here or huntermarine on line maybe.
Nick

 

[Benny17441]

Most head sink drains are above the waterline and don't have a valve. I guess manufacturers feel the waste water coming out of the head sink will not easilly stain the hull as the waste water from the galley sink may. What kind of intrusion are you refering to? Gurgling and standing water in the bowl are pretty common but if water is spilling out of the bowl then it may be time to install a valve. Follow the drain hose to the thru-hull and see what you may have or don't have. In any instance make sure the drain hose is double clamped and that the clamps and hose are in good shape and tight.

 

[seadaddler]

Sink Value

Forget where it has the statement but was told to close the sink value when sailing due to heeling,I remember now a warning sticker on the head sink cabinet stating close the sink drain value when sailing.
Nick

 

[Scott B]

Nick is correct. The head sinks will be below the waterline if you heel far enough. I have learned this first hand

Seacocks will be below the sole floor close to each of the sinks, check your owners manual. You should be aware of the location of ALL your seacocks. Start lifting floorboards and you will find most of them to start.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Location of Seacocks ..................

Nick is correct. The head sinks will be below the waterline if you heel far enough. I have learned this first hand

Seacocks will be below the sole floor close to each of the sinks, check your owners manual. You should be aware of the location of ALL your seacocks. Start lifting floorboards and you will find most of them to start.

As Scott says "You should be aware of the location of ALL your seacocks." and in addition, they should ALL be closed every time you leave the boat. This is the reason that most boat sinkings occur while tied up, at the dock, in the middle of the night, with with no one aboard .

 

[saildog]

If you don't know where each and every thru hull is on your boat....your not ready to sail her. It should be listed in your owners manual.

 

[knotcarin]

There should be a seacock on any thru-hull, but it is a hassle to open and close them each time a head sink is used, especially if it is below the sole.

Perhaps a solution is a PVC one-way check valve mounted in the drain line.. It won't keep 100 % of the water out, but nearly all. If you spray it with CorrosionX on the inside before installation, the salt water will be slow to impact the valve mechanism.

Good luck.

 

[onecoolair]

We are new owners of a 2004 Hunter 41. When we sail and heel over to the starboard, seawater comes into the head sinks. Anyone know where are the sea-cocks located for the head sinks? I looked under the sinks and there doesn't seem to be any levers or switches.

Thanks,
Evie

I had a siedelman 25' a long,long time ago which had this same problem with the galley sink. I found a cork in the sink drain worked just fine. Problem solved Plus not letting the boat heal so far over on this tack also helped.
On nearly all hunters the main sea-cock thru hulls are at the base of companion way steps. The shower sump maybe located there too. Which you could just let lavatory sink drain into shower sump box. Thats what I have been concidering since that sink does not see that much use. The seacock thru hull would be of better use as an extra raw water pick up for one of the a/c units that already is using head pickup thru hull. I always use fresh water from shower to flush head any ways.

 

[Granfalloon]

Water while Heeling

I have a Hunter 310 - it has a thru hull to shut off while underway or not on the boat.

You should locate all thru-hulls, have a wooden plug near each one in the event of a failure. I have labels indicating the thru hull location if it is not visible.

Typically you have one for each sink, head, engine cooling line coming in, macerator, and water called heat pumps if you have one.

- Manual should indicate location or contact Hunter.

Coast Awhile

 

[Benny17441]

A drain stopper perhaps?

 

[wesandevie]

Thanks, I'll look for the seacocks. The amount of water is a sinkful, it never overflows and then it drains out when we flatten out the boat. We live on the boat and have only had this problem a couple of times when heeled over hard. I have located a couple of sink plugs that I put in the sinks when sailing now but have not had the opportunity to see if it works ad the wind has been negligible lately.