Cruising Forums

CHAOS · 11-22-2014, 10:22 PM

I've read a few posts on this forum about in water seacock replacement. I have a problem in that my vessel is about 1 week's sail away from the nearest slipway, where she could be hauled out.

I have a lot of seacocks, and ALL of them are seized open. There are several which have oval shaped strainers on the outside (so cant be bunged with a round bung), and they're mounted very deep - on the side of the keel or on the very bottom of the hull. SO I'm trying to find a way of sealing them from the outside temporarily.

I'm wondering if its possible to use a sheet of rubber or even plastic, and then stick it over the through hull (using something like 3m 5200), whilst still in the water, so I can then work on the seacocks without fear of ending up on the bottom of the sea.

Has anyone ever done this or heard of it done. Anyone got any other good ideas.

THe only other thing I can think of is careening, but I've never done that either, and all of the beaches round here are coral, and I'm quite concerned I'll seriously damage the boat, or end up permanently on the beach.

Would appreciate any suggestions.

haiqu · 11-22-2014, 11:12 PM

I'd be heading for that slipway. Attempting one in an emergency maybe, but changing all of them? Naah. You'd only need to be distracted by something nasty swimming past and there goes the ship.

They really need to be sealed properly when replaced. Doing it in the water as an emergency measure is fine but it still needs to be re-done eventually. Bite the bullet and haul her out.

CHAOS · 11-25-2014, 12:24 PM

The issue is we cant haul her out. She's in the pacific islands, and the nearest haulout is over 800NM away. The local yards can only haul 50t and we're over 75t. SO we are still with the problem that we have a LOT of seacocks which are seized open. We may be able to free a good number of them up as a lot of them are tapered cone type. SO we'll try plugging from the outside then loosening them up.
There is another option, which is to cut the hose off each sea cock and put a new pre plugged hose onto the seacock. So we'll give this a go first.

Auzzee · 11-25-2014, 03:40 PM

It's a significant problem. The drawback of using any sort of mastic or caulking compound is judging when it is thick enough, a uniform thickness and dry enough to safely hold the pressure of water which will be relentless when you remove the seized seacock.

Added to this is the probability that the through hull to which the cock attaches, may be broken free during the operation. The one surety is that if water starts coming in, it will continue to come in until the boat is dried out.

I know there is generally not much tidal movement in the Islands but I wonder about specific local conditions. Is there a beach or careening piles anywhere close by? How would the boat sit on a beach? Has it a long, deep keel? Is the tidal movement sufficient to allow you to beach the boat above the low water mark and then refloat her on the next tide?

I assume the strainers are on the engine cooling water intake and the head intake. The others should be open and could be cleared of internal fouling using a wooden 'blade' and wire brush when you next go for a swim. This might allow you to gently work the cock inside the hull, to get movement and consequent closure.

Are they a 90° closure and made of bronze and is there any evidence on the apparatus of corrosion?

The only true fix is to take the boat out of the water and dismantle and service each cock, re-bed the through hulls and run new hoses. Sailing 800 nm with seized seacocks is a real risk and the other options would appear, at best, to be temporary fixes which would also be concerning.

The tapered cone cocks are perhaps the easiest to service and free-up. Cracking the cone from the body, then working the valve could produce a result....but roll up your trouser legs just in case.

**delatbabel** · 11-26-2014, 07:49 AM

Forethought. I had a few seacocks that were jamming while I was in Newcastle and so I had all of them replaced, on suspicion, before venturing into the Pacific. I know that doesn't help you much in your current situation, but I think your case is another data point.

steve_h · 11-26-2014, 11:03 AM

You say the boatyard can only haul 50t but you are 75.
Could they not pull you part of the way out of the water
enough to get to the seacocks?

CHAOS · 11-29-2014, 04:15 AM

I did ask the boat out this. They said they would do it if I paid to get his boat ramp widened a rail system added to it and a new cradle built.

mico · 11-29-2014, 11:10 AM

[QUOTE=CHAOS;42307]I've read a few posts on this forum about in water seacock replacement. I have a problem in that my vessel is about 1 week's sail away from the nearest slipway, where she could be hauled out.

I did this last year to 4 major seacocks on my vessel without a drop coming aboard.

Whitworths sell a red rubber cone that looks like something you might get out of a sex shop catalogue that I don't even want to think about

but if your through holes are in good condition it makes things a breeze. I simple went over the side, inserted the 'stepped' plug into the hole and then came aboard, undid the seacock and replaced it with a new one. Not a drip!

I was very impressed and so was everyone else in Sutera Harbour Marina. so much so, that on my last trip up there from Oz I was asked to purchase a number of them for other vessels.

Sorry I can't give a link as I'm in a cafe in Kuching, Sarawak Borneo with crappy internet after arriving here after a 12 mile tow up river to the marina from the Malaysian Naval Coast Guard when a couple of my fuel hose end fittings sprung some pin hole leaks and no matter how much I bled the engine - I could not get the thing going again.

Still, we are a sail boat and did the last 180 nm without the engine and simply drifted past the leads and dropped anchor away from the shipping lane. All good now after replacing every line and running some pressure tests.

We were doing 10.5kts behind the patrol boat when my Navionics chart plotter on the ipad started blinking 'RECORD RUN! ..RECORD RUN! and a little gold cup appeared. I did'nt have the heart to tell it I was being towed behind a naval vessel!

But if you are ever in Kuching - I can highly recommend a fantastic marine engineering company and the authorities here are very welcoming and extremely helpful and friendly as too are all the locals. Looking forward to exploring this amazing place over the next two weeks.

Fair winds,

Mico/Australis