I have been reading this forum for a long time and find the information helpful. I used to sail a Hunter 23 and it had no sea-cocks or thru-hulls below the water line. Now I moved up to a larger boat with thru-hulls and sea-cocks. I always close them when I leave the boat at the mooring. I have two thru-hulls up in the bow for the knot meter and the depth meter. Should I remove those transducers and put the plugs in when I leave my boat? What kind of maintenance do most of you do on the sea-cocks? Do they have to be taken apart and rebuilt or inspected periodically? My boat is at a mooring not a slip. It is a big harbor. I worry as I read stories in this forum about boats developing leaks and filling with water. Is there any kind of affordable alarm system that would be practical if someone was off the boat and a leak developed?
thru-hulls
- Thread starter Mike8193
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Personally, I woud eventually replace both thru-hulls with A GPS for speed and a "fish finder" with an internal module for your depth readings. Both are fairly inexpensive and allow you to permanently block your thru-hulls. It always bothers me when my boat is in the water and I am not aboard with thru-hulls, but that is just my opinion. Novelman
Thru-hull subjectivity
Mike, Thru-hulls are a fact of life in boating. As you said bigger boat different circumstances. We do close all of our through hulls when leaving the boat and we also take out our speed guage. It is the paddle wheel type and all kinds of critters want to live in their and interfere with its performance. We have marina neighbors that laugh at the fact of us closing our sea cocks as they never or rarely do. In terms of maintenance I think it varies. Our boat is a 1998, we keep a dry bilge and every year we spray the outside with silicone spray and wipe them off. I think the constant use keeps them in good operating condition. If yours are in bad condition, I would recommend that you do service them. If they operate okay and they don't leak, I would opt to leave them be. Just my opinion, Mike D p.s.Good luck with your newly upsized boat! The most important thing is to enjoy it.
Mike, Thru-hulls are a fact of life in boating. As you said bigger boat different circumstances. We do close all of our through hulls when leaving the boat and we also take out our speed guage. It is the paddle wheel type and all kinds of critters want to live in their and interfere with its performance. We have marina neighbors that laugh at the fact of us closing our sea cocks as they never or rarely do. In terms of maintenance I think it varies. Our boat is a 1998, we keep a dry bilge and every year we spray the outside with silicone spray and wipe them off. I think the constant use keeps them in good operating condition. If yours are in bad condition, I would recommend that you do service them. If they operate okay and they don't leak, I would opt to leave them be. Just my opinion, Mike D p.s.Good luck with your newly upsized boat! The most important thing is to enjoy it.
Thru hulls
Take a walk throug the yard where you are storing your boat and you'll see most boats have mutliple thru-hulls. Our boat has six. If the do not leak great, if they do leak, remove and rebed them with Boat Life Caulk. The mix is about 50-50 for those that close their stop cocks when they leave the boat. We leave them open, two drain and one motor intake. The lake water stop cock is alway left closed because I don't want lake water pumped accidentally into the boat. You should have not worries.
Take a walk throug the yard where you are storing your boat and you'll see most boats have mutliple thru-hulls. Our boat has six. If the do not leak great, if they do leak, remove and rebed them with Boat Life Caulk. The mix is about 50-50 for those that close their stop cocks when they leave the boat. We leave them open, two drain and one motor intake. The lake water stop cock is alway left closed because I don't want lake water pumped accidentally into the boat. You should have not worries.
Everyone has their own level of comfort
I only close the intake sea cock to the head as I'm concerned with the failure of a valve or an "O" ring sinking the boat. The other thru the hull are connected by double clamped hoses to sealed pumps or above waterlin drains where the incidence of failure in my estimation is not as high as the head. I do periodically check these hoses and the clamps. As far as the transducers I do not take them out as to do so would be to substitute one plug for another. An important safeguard to the sea cocks is the bilge pump and the power to run them. I'm tied to shorepower and keep the batteries charged with an inboard charger. You are in a mooring so I would recommend you consider a solar panel charging system. To top it all off, I keep the boat insured. This may not keep it from sinking but will sure help with the expenses of re-floating it. Hope this info may be of help to you.
I only close the intake sea cock to the head as I'm concerned with the failure of a valve or an "O" ring sinking the boat. The other thru the hull are connected by double clamped hoses to sealed pumps or above waterlin drains where the incidence of failure in my estimation is not as high as the head. I do periodically check these hoses and the clamps. As far as the transducers I do not take them out as to do so would be to substitute one plug for another. An important safeguard to the sea cocks is the bilge pump and the power to run them. I'm tied to shorepower and keep the batteries charged with an inboard charger. You are in a mooring so I would recommend you consider a solar panel charging system. To top it all off, I keep the boat insured. This may not keep it from sinking but will sure help with the expenses of re-floating it. Hope this info may be of help to you.
I Close Them
When I leave the boat at the marina, I always close the sea cocks (5), especially the raw water intake and the head intake. This will protect the engine and water ingress from the head, as well as, a preference/precaution, but have, forgetfully, left them open in the past. This year I replaced both the speed and depth transducers. They were 18 years old and never leaked a drop of water, so I am confident with those. I has the old holes re-glassed and drilled to accommodate narrower thru hulls for the new instruments. These are the "mushroom" type of thruhulls and sealed with Life Caulk. After a year there are no problems. The boat is on the hard for the winter and an inspection revealed complete integrity. So I wouldn't worry about the transducer a and speedo, but I do shut all other sea cocks as a precaution and it gives me peace-of-mind when I'm not there. I lubricate them in the fall at haul-out.
When I leave the boat at the marina, I always close the sea cocks (5), especially the raw water intake and the head intake. This will protect the engine and water ingress from the head, as well as, a preference/precaution, but have, forgetfully, left them open in the past. This year I replaced both the speed and depth transducers. They were 18 years old and never leaked a drop of water, so I am confident with those. I has the old holes re-glassed and drilled to accommodate narrower thru hulls for the new instruments. These are the "mushroom" type of thruhulls and sealed with Life Caulk. After a year there are no problems. The boat is on the hard for the winter and an inspection revealed complete integrity. So I wouldn't worry about the transducer a and speedo, but I do shut all other sea cocks as a precaution and it gives me peace-of-mind when I'm not there. I lubricate them in the fall at haul-out.
Close them
Hi Mike - I close mine when they are not in use....I am not so worried about the sea cock failing but more the hoses and hose-clamps beyond them. If a hose gives or clamp releases your boat can sink. As far as maintenience goes - I would suggest putting some marine-grease on them from the outside while the boat is on the hard. Close them up and then go in there from the outside with a very thin brush and smear grease on the ball. Then work it a few times from the inside. Good luck - Rob
Hi Mike - I close mine when they are not in use....I am not so worried about the sea cock failing but more the hoses and hose-clamps beyond them. If a hose gives or clamp releases your boat can sink. As far as maintenience goes - I would suggest putting some marine-grease on them from the outside while the boat is on the hard. Close them up and then go in there from the outside with a very thin brush and smear grease on the ball. Then work it a few times from the inside. Good luck - Rob
thru hulls
No reason to pull the knot meter or depth sounder. Close all the seacocks when you leave the boat with the exception of the cockpit drains. The seacocks should be greased when you pull the boat. No need to take they apart if they are working smoothly after lube.
No reason to pull the knot meter or depth sounder. Close all the seacocks when you leave the boat with the exception of the cockpit drains. The seacocks should be greased when you pull the boat. No need to take they apart if they are working smoothly after lube.
Above water line
What is best/recommended material for the through-hulls (TH's) above waterline (stainless or plastic)? Also should the above water line TH's all have a seacock on them as well? On my last boat they all had seacocks. On my P36-2 none of them do. I kind of like the ability to shut them if I want so when I replace them this winter I am going to add the shut off ability to them. Thanks as always! Happy Holiday's.....to all! Greg 1986 P36-2 Four the Soul
What is best/recommended material for the through-hulls (TH's) above waterline (stainless or plastic)? Also should the above water line TH's all have a seacock on them as well? On my last boat they all had seacocks. On my P36-2 none of them do. I kind of like the ability to shut them if I want so when I replace them this winter I am going to add the shut off ability to them. Thanks as always! Happy Holiday's.....to all! Greg 1986 P36-2 Four the Soul
Bronze or nylon is fine.
Greg: Bronze or nylon work well. I personally like the security of the metal regardless of being above or below the water-line. I know one of our sink drains on our H'31 was above the water line, but had no room for a ball valve or seacock. It was nylon and has lasted since 1985 without any problem. I agree that you may want to have a valve on these drains even if they are above the water-line. You will probably have better luck with bronze valves with bronze thru-hulls or nylon thru-hulls with bronze valves rather than stainless. You really do not want to mix these metals. It is not as critical above the water-line, but it can still be a problem.
Greg: Bronze or nylon work well. I personally like the security of the metal regardless of being above or below the water-line. I know one of our sink drains on our H'31 was above the water line, but had no room for a ball valve or seacock. It was nylon and has lasted since 1985 without any problem. I agree that you may want to have a valve on these drains even if they are above the water-line. You will probably have better luck with bronze valves with bronze thru-hulls or nylon thru-hulls with bronze valves rather than stainless. You really do not want to mix these metals. It is not as critical above the water-line, but it can still be a problem.
Marelon bepw water line
I was reading about forespar marelon products and they state that the use of these units below water line is safe with the benefits of no corrosion or worries about grounding them. What is the users-opinion of using these below the water line. Seems like metal is best, but...... Thanks Greg P36-2
I was reading about forespar marelon products and they state that the use of these units below water line is safe with the benefits of no corrosion or worries about grounding them. What is the users-opinion of using these below the water line. Seems like metal is best, but...... Thanks Greg P36-2
If it ain't broke.....................
From 30 years sailing: I would definatley not pull the units for the knot and depth sounder for two reasons: 1. What makes you think the plugs are safer than the actual unit? 2. Constant removal/replacement will only cause wear on seals and the thru hull fitting making a leak more likely. If it ain't broke................ In 30 years these units have never leaked for me. The packing nut is more likely to be a problem.
From 30 years sailing: I would definatley not pull the units for the knot and depth sounder for two reasons: 1. What makes you think the plugs are safer than the actual unit? 2. Constant removal/replacement will only cause wear on seals and the thru hull fitting making a leak more likely. If it ain't broke................ In 30 years these units have never leaked for me. The packing nut is more likely to be a problem.
Stories? Really? Who's ever had a ...
sunk boat due to a failed thru hull or transducers? First hand only please ... urban legends spread far too easily. Open and close the seacocks frequently to keep them working smoothly and don't worry about the transducers, unless those zebra mussels foul them frequently. Our boat is in relatively clean fresh water so we don't have any build-up of slime or marine growth on ours when they are in for the season. I do remove the transducers when the boat is hauled because it is far too easy for the slings to damage them. White lithium grease is the recommended lubricant for winter maintenance on the seacocks. Rest easy, you are not likely to have an episode if you check your hoses and clamps periodically. I agree that the most likely source of leaks is thru the packing gland for the drive shaft if you have an inboard engine. Your bilge pump should be able to keep up with any developing leak if you address the problem promptly.
sunk boat due to a failed thru hull or transducers? First hand only please ... urban legends spread far too easily. Open and close the seacocks frequently to keep them working smoothly and don't worry about the transducers, unless those zebra mussels foul them frequently. Our boat is in relatively clean fresh water so we don't have any build-up of slime or marine growth on ours when they are in for the season. I do remove the transducers when the boat is hauled because it is far too easy for the slings to damage them. White lithium grease is the recommended lubricant for winter maintenance on the seacocks. Rest easy, you are not likely to have an episode if you check your hoses and clamps periodically. I agree that the most likely source of leaks is thru the packing gland for the drive shaft if you have an inboard engine. Your bilge pump should be able to keep up with any developing leak if you address the problem promptly.
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