Thru Hull Fittings

[Abarb]

Hi:
I'm a looking at a SJ 30' sailboat and the owner says he's replaced the thru hulls with high quality stainless ball valves. I am new to sailing and looking to buy my first boat. In reading and researching I've found that SS thru hulls are not advised as there is potential for crevice corrosion which you can not see until the fitting fails. Would this be a deal breaker?
Thanks

 

[jssailem]

Not necessarily. Lots of factors involved.

1. How much does the boat cost?
2. Is it the right boat for you?
3. How old are the thru hulls
4. Were they installed professionally
5. do they pass the surveyors inspection

You can change out thru hulls. They require annual inspection and some times even when they look ok from the outside theY can fall apart in your hands. (Personal experience)

What does the rest of the boat look like?

 

[Ron20324]

Hi:
I'm a looking at a SJ 30' sailboat and the owner says he's replaced the thru hulls with high quality stainless ball valves. I am new to sailing and looking to buy my first boat. In reading and researching I've found that SS thru hulls are not advised as there is potential for crevice corrosion which you can not see until the fitting fails. Would this be a deal breaker?
Thanks

I wonder if he means just the actual open/close rotating ball is SS? Some are delrin or some sort of plastic. The rest of the housing would be some other material. Bronze/Brass/Aluminum or something.

 

[Tricia]

I'd make sure to have the boat surveyed before buying it. A good surveyor will address your concerns.

 

[Abarb]

I'll be seeing the boat this weekend. He has it listed at $9500. I thought the SS was a questionable choice since he sounds like a very experienced sailor and has kept the boat in good condition. But I'll have to see if the description fits the reality.

 

[jssailem]

Good luck to you. Let us know the outcome.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Top quality stainless steel is ok for thru-hulls...plastic should be marelon. Bronze will last forever, but it's REALLY pricy. Brass should never be used for anything on a boat except the bell...and nylon should never be used above waterline because it's not UV resistant...sunlight will turn it into powder.

--Peggie

 

[CarlN]

After you see the boat, if the only thing you don't like are the seacocks - buy it. You can always change them in a year if they worry you. But do ask the owner about the choice of stainless. If he says "what's crevice corrosion" - you might want to reconsider how knowledgeable he is. More likely, he'll have a good reason. Crevice corrosion is really rare in big pieces like seacocks. Much more common in stainless rigging pieces and chainplates - but most boats are built with stainless chainplates anyways. If you crossed every boat with a stainless chainplate off your list, you'll be looking for a boat for a long time. Personally, I'd much prefer to have a stainless seacock from a top manufacturer than the brass seacocks that comes on many well known European built boats. The EU only requires that seacocks be made of a material that lasts 5 years so many use an alloy that is more like brass than bronze. Another good thing about this boat - since you are a first time boat buyer - is that buying a boat from a knowledgeable owner is a big plus. After the sale, he's likely to be a huge help as you learn the boat. I still exchange Christmas Cards with some of the people I've sold my boats to. It's great to hear about the new adventures my old boat is having.

 

[dlochner]

Depends on what the seller believes is high quality. If the valves are off the shelf valves from a big box HW store, I'd be suspect.

Ball valves have advantages over tapered cone seacocks, they require less maintenance and are less likely to freeze in place.