Stuck Blakes seacock

M

maxshanks

.
Jul 22, 2015
3
Westerly Centaur Plum Branch, SC
I am in the process of getting my newly acquired 1972 Westerly Centaur ready for the water. She has been drydocked for at least three years that I know of. One problem I am having is the Blakes seacocks for the head. They are stuck like they have been welded shut. I have taken the retaining bolts off and soaked them with Deep Creek daily for two weeks, taping on them every day to see if they might break loose. Then I went under the hull and tried to get them out by using a dowel and a hammer and hitting as hard as I dared since I am basically pounding on the hull! Then as a last resort I decided I would take the whole thing out. I removed the four retaining bolts and still cannot get the thing off the hull.
So... any suggestions? At this point I am afraid of damaging the hull but I am at wits end.
Thanks! ...Max
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

.
Feb 6, 1998
11,693
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
maxshanks said:
I am in the process of getting my newly acquired 1972 Westerly Centaur ready for the water. She has been drydocked for at least three years that I know of. One problem I am having is the Blakes seacocks for the head. They are stuck like they have been welded shut. I have taken the retaining bolts off and soaked them with Deep Creek daily for two weeks, taping on them every day to see if they might break loose. Then I went under the hull and tried to get them out by using a dowel and a hammer and hitting as hard as I dared since I am basically pounding on the hull! Then as a last resort I decided I would take the whole thing out. I removed the four retaining bolts and still cannot get the thing off the hull.
So... any suggestions? At this point I am afraid of damaging the hull but I am at wits end.
Thanks! ...Max
Click to expand
Which Blakes seacock? Can you post a picture? The Blakes is a vertical cone and may require metal to metal tapping to pop in up into the boat.. A scrap piece of bronze prop shaft can sometimes work as a "drift" to pop it out.. Be careful though..
 
M

maxshanks

.
Jul 22, 2015
3
Westerly Centaur Plum Branch, SC
Well, I should have more attention to your "be careful" comment! I went under the boat with a brass drift and started tapping. Ok maybe I was a little more aggressive than tapping. Apparently my drift was too small, went up the center of of the cone, and blew the top off of the cone with the handle attached. And the cone is still stuck! Now I still have to get the cone out. I am guessing at this point I may as well remove the entire seacock which I did not want to do.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

.
Feb 6, 1998
11,693
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
maxshanks said:
Well, I should have more attention to your "be careful" comment! I went under the boat with a brass drift and started tapping. Ok maybe I was a little more aggressive than tapping. Apparently my drift was too small, went up the center of of the cone, and blew the top off of the cone with the handle attached. And the cone is still stuck! Now I still have to get the cone out. I am guessing at this point I may as well remove the entire seacock which I did not want to do.
Click to expand

Honestly if it was that stuck it was already done for and well past due for replacement..
 
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