thru hulls

[Barry]

This may seem a bit stupid, but how do I tell if my thru hulls are gate valves, or ball cocks? If that is the right term. They have handles on them that look like levers. When they are parallel with the hose they are connected to they are open, and when at right angles with the hoses, they are closed. I hope they are the right kind. They were there when I bought the boat.thanks in advanceBarry

 

[Steve Dion]

Not stupid if you don't know.

Barry:Gate Valves have handles like a water faucet. Sound like you have seacocks or ball valves (I'm not totally sure the difference here either).

 

[Roland]

thru-hulls

Barry, Steve is right. You have seacocks and they are the correct ones to have on your thru-hulls. You cannot always tell whether a gate valve is open or closed like you can with a seacock. A gate valve may not always close properly, either. RolandS/V Fraulein II

 

[Ray Bowles]

Barry, Ball valves have a lever

that runs in line with the pipe and valve when open and at a right angle to the pipe and valve when closed. Gate valves must be screwed open or closed with usually 2 or more complete turns. The terms or names for these valves I learned many years ago are "ball valves" or "gate valve". Ball valves are much better for the use you are using as they don't require gaskets, washers or seats. less parts that can fail.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Ball-valves vs. Seacocks.

Steve mentions not knowing the difference. A seacock will have a lever handle like a ball-valve but will be mounted flush against the hull. It usually has a wide base, most are triangular, and may be bolted through. In other words the hull is sandwiched between the thru-hull and the seacock base.Ball-valves are just a valve with two female ends. One end is either screwed directly on to the thru-hull or to an elbow that is on the thru-hull. My boat has the elbows. NEITHER are recommended because thru-hulls have straight threads and ball-valves expect tapered. So neither the elbow nor the ball-valve are good matches. But that is the way Hunter built the older boats. Not sure about later models.Next year I will replace elbow/ball-valve combinations with real seacocks. Oh, and the 1979 thru-hulls were 1/2 inch. The smallest seacock is 3/4" so I will also be replacing the thru-hulls.