Seacock surprise

WinterRiver · #1 (**permalink**) 05-23-2008

11PM. I looked in a cabinet and noticed that a seacock was closed. Hmmm, I thought I reopened that one after I cleaned the strainer. I grabbed the handle to open it, and there was absolutely no friction. Odd, it shouldn't be that easy. Then I noticed a few drips. This wasn't looking good...

Surprise! The handle came right off. A stream of water...

I put the handle back in quickly and thought for a moment. The leaking stopped, so this wasn't an emergency.

I pulled the handle out again to get a good look:

All the wood plugs are way too big for this hole. I could certainly have found something else to plug it with, but the handle worked so well that there was no reason to search further. I couldn’t expect the handle to remain in place without a little help.

As usual, a piece of duct tape is the answer:

So now my boat is held together with duct tape.

Luckily, I know exactly what should be done. Thanks, Halekai!
Replacing Thruhulls and Seacocks

Oh, the fun of a new-to-me boat....

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 05-23-2008

LOL... you cheated... you didn't try bubble gum first.

Maine Sail · #3 (**permalink**) 05-23-2008

Was that valve a bronze UL Listed and marine rated unit or a Home Center special. The handle looks to be stainless but that doesn't mean much these days..

sailingdog · #4 (**permalink**) 05-23-2008

It looks like it was brass...the shaft on that handle is awfully pink...which is a sign of dezincification...

more common on brass than on bronze, which has little or no zinc content.

SEMIJim · #5 (**permalink**) 05-23-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by WinterRiver

So now my boat is held together with duct tape.

ROFL!

As soon as I read "I put the handle back in quickly and thought for a moment. The leaking stopped, so this wasn't an emergency." I thought "Duct tape."

Jim

WinterRiver · #6 (**permalink**) 05-23-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by halekai36

Was that valve a bronze UL Listed and marine rated unit or a Home Center special. The handle looks to be stainless but that doesn't mean much these days..

I honestly don't know if it's a home center special. It's a full seacock with a round flange, not just a valve. The surveyor didn't flag it as not marine. But you never know...

Here's the best pic I could get of one of the handles. Maybe someone will recognize the logo. I couldn't find any other indication of a brand.

There are 4 of these on the boat. One is now held together with duct tape. Two are seized. (Knew that, negotiated that.) One works but the handle has some play in it. All 4 will be replaced. No more blue handled seacocks on my boat!

sailingdog · #7 (**permalink**) 05-23-2008

A lot of the brass home-depot specials seem to have blue handles... don't know if they're the same brand...but just thought I'd make the observation. Good thing you're ditching them all.

TrueBlue · #8 (**permalink**) 05-23-2008

I'm curious to know if a brass valve from Home Depot, intended for us in hydronic home heating systems, can be retrofitted for boat use ( I don't know - which is why I'm asking ).

If so, is a typical marine grade, female mushroom fitting, screwed onto the threaded male - water side of the fitting?

sailingdog · #9 (**permalink**) 05-23-2008

TB—

While a brass ball valve for a home hydronic heating system would probably fit, since the threading is standardized... it probably wouldn't last as long, since it probably has brass in it rather than marine-grade bronze. Most home heating systems use relatively pure fresh water for them, and don't have the corrosion issues that saltwater presents.

TrueBlue · #10 (**permalink**) 05-23-2008

I realize that SD - my question responded to your last post, stating that lots of blue handles occur on home depot specials. I thought you had first hand knowledge of their obvious, inappropriately adaptive re-use.