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Close your sea cocks

7K views 32 replies 21 participants last post by  cormeum 
#1 ·
4 boats have sunk around Annp. this week most likely do to not closeing there sea cocks. I went down to clean my boat of and also cleaned off my neighbors boat and he told me he left his sink **** open.
 
#2 ·
Okay - stupid question - how does the sinking happen IF the hose/tubing stays in tact?

I accidentally left the seacock to my galley sink open a couple of weekends ago. I drove out the next morning and closed it. But, in the slip, the water pressure from below wasn't enough to force water up through the hose into the boat.

So do the hoses freeze and burst? Or do the clamps get loose and the pressure pops the hose at the seacock?

How does it happen?
 
#4 ·
....So do the hoses freeze and burst? Or do the clamps get loose and the pressure pops the hose at the seacock?

How does it happen?
Yes , maybe yes, plus as the hose and clamps age, they can deteriate and fail, simply due to age. In most boats sitting on their waterline, the water level will be below th esink, but somewhere above the thruhull - any failure in a hose can sink the boat.
 
#3 ·
It doesn't sink the boat as long as the hoses stay intact. This is why two good quality SS hose clamps are highly recommended for below the waterline through hulls. I'm not nearly as anal about maintenance as many folks, but I do replace below the waterline hose clamps when they show signs of rust.

Mine stay open all the time. I live aboard though, so I guess I'd be more likely to notice ankle deep water...:eek:

MedSailor
 
#5 ·
From what I understand if the snow on top of your boat weighs you down then the water rises in your sink or tube. If you have any leeks I would asssume in a few days you may go under. I wouldn't want water in my pipes when we are below freezing. I could be wrong but I'll just play it safe and keep everthing closed. Why keep it open anyway ? Here is another thought while your at the boat make sure your drains are clear of ice.
 
#7 ·
According to "Seaworthy" (the Robert Adriance book that reviews BoatUS insurance claims) . . . "Whenever a boat is stored in the water over the winter, all through-hulls, with the exception of the ones for cockpit drains, must be closed, or the boat could be on the bottom next spring. All through-hulls, especially the ones for cockpit drains, should be double-clamped with stainless steel hose clamps at each end. While not required by ABYC standards, double-clamping is nonetheless critical for cockpit drains in colder climates (and it's a good idea on all other through-hulls, regardless of climate.) The reason being that as water freezes, it expands and consequently will lift a poorly secured hose off a fitting. The hose itself is also important. Lightweight hose and PVC tubing can rupture or crack. Use only a heavily reinforced hose, especially at cockpit drains."

I've also heard of the weight of snow pushing a boat down far enough in the water to push a bilge pump thru-hull below the waterline, and if there is no vented loop installed, a siphon can set up.
 
#9 ·
SShhhhh! Be quiet, you! At least let me live in denial peacefully. :laugher:

My cockpit drains are heavy, reinforced hose. The sink draincock is closed but the hose is thick, clear, tygon tubing. Now I'm sitting here wondering if I should replace it. Thick, but not reinforced. Hm..........
 
#10 · (Edited by Moderator)
For peace of mind I do the following as part of my winterizing routine:
1) close my sink drain seacokcs
2) dump anti-freeze down my sink drains
3) open the seacocks
4) reclose the seacocks

In theory this will push enough water out of the drain line to allow at least a mixture of water and anti-freeze to be stored in the lines.
 
#11 ·
My boat has:

  • Front head brine in
  • Front head blackwater out
  • Front head sink out
  • Galley sink out
  • Left and right cockpit drains (through the boat)
  • Raw water engine in
  • Rear head brine in
  • Rear head blackwater out
  • Rear head sink out
  • Rear shower greywater out
  • Two deck drains (through the boat)
That's 13 sea cocks!! If I have to shut and open all of these every time I go sailing it would drive me nuts. I make sure my clamps and hoses are good (replace all clamps with every haul-out, pipes when required) and I don't close any sea cocks unless I leave the boat a long way from home and am not likely to see her for an extended period.

But then were I live, the only ice we see is in the bottom of a glass :)
 
#12 ·
I dunno folks, I would think the combo of snow (18" here in Bowie) wieghs ALOT on a bigger boat coupled with the low temps and poor clamps/tube will cause as stated earlier 1)more pressure and 2) ice expanding and pushing off hoses. My feeling and worth a half pence.
 
#15 ·
Wintering in the water is complicated sometimes...

I think I have a small advantage, in that part of my work as an engineer has been winterizing chemical plants. You have to visualize everything that can happen.

My neighbor's boat went down yesterday; he had a low spot in his bilge pump hose, the snow pushed the boat down, and it came in the exhaust (loose clamp because he had been working on the engine). The only saving grace was that the tide was so low he only sank about 1-foot!

I posted a bunch of thoughts on winter sailing and winterization on my blog, below. Comments are welcome!
 
#19 ·
Gee ...... I've got seacock envy with only 7! I open and close as needed. It's usually only the raw water feed to the engine and the sink drain. The cockpit drains are left open.

However, I do think every seacock should be worked every month to six weeks just to keep it in working order. Hate to think about trying to close a valve when you really need to, and it's been 6 years since it's been touched. :eek:

DB
 
#25 · (Edited)
Seacocks are the valves installed wherever a hose exits the hull below the waterline. The valve allows you to close it off so that water can't enter. If you have an inboard engine, there will be one for the raw water intake. If you have a sink, one for the sink drain. If you have a marine head (not a portajohn), one for the intake and one for discharge. Etc. and so on. The simpler the boat, the fewer the thru-hulls/seacocks.

I just got done helping with winterization on several boats in the mid-30-foot range. Air conditioning, shower sump pumps, manual and electric bilge pumps, engine intake, sink drains, head, holding tank, water tanks, hot water heater, all closed and pumped through with antifreeze. It's a pain but it beats a sunk boat or a freeze-damaged system.

Many people here and in other areas with a mild winter get by with adding a little heat with a space heater or light bulb, but then you're adding a fire risk and the cost of electricity. Plus some of the hard to reach places aren't really going to get any of that heat. A light bulb in the cabin isn't going to keep the plumbing for a cockpit shower at the transom from freezing.
 
#24 ·
This sink drain seacock is open (yellow handle is in-line with the hose). For winter in-water boat storage in colder climates, the handle needs to be rotated clockwise so it's at a right-angle to the hose, thus preventing water from entering. I'd then disconnect the hose and drain the remaining water (or hand pump it out if easier), reconnect it, and pour a little non-toxic antifreeze down the sink drain as well.
 

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#30 ·
Smackdaddy, if that is your through hull you have other risks. That is not a seacock, its a gate valve, and gate valves are far less secure than seacocks. Gate valves work just like sink faucets and, while a drip on a faucet won;t sink your house, it will sink your boat. And if you should need to close it in a hurry, a gate valve is hard to use. You should consider replacing any gate valves with real seacocks.
 
#31 ·
Thanks tweitz, I was just kidding. It's not my boat. I thought I'd show the worst-case scenario just for grins with a Googled pic.

You do have to admire the double clamps though - you have to look close under all the rust, but they're there.

In honesty though, I have gate valves on my C27. They're in MUCH better shape than the above, but I will still swap them out when I haul out next.
 
#32 ·
Sigh...

I've been focusing on things like chain plates and rigging and now this sweat-fest. It looks like I have the worst possible setup. Gate valves, old wooden doughnuts and degraded sealant and I only have 2 thru-hulls! Grrrrr. I gotta replace these things.

Well, I put a little antifreeze down the sink drain, and a lightbulb shining on each valve this afternoon.

Literally, as I was sitting here typing this at 10 pm, my wife was walking the dog and suddenly burst into the house saying: "You'd better go check on the boat! Two trucks just raced by, and they're parked down at the dock!"

Visions of burst valves and electrical fires and my boat sitting on the frozen creek bottom popped into my head. I grabbed the keys and raced down the street, only to find a guy about to leave. I asked him if there was anything wrong, and he said "no, I was just concerned about leaving a light on to prevent some water lines from freezing".

I exhaled in relief and walked down to check on things anyway since I was already down there, but geeze, a heart-attack for nothing!:hothead On the other hand, I guess I should be grateful that it was for nothing.
 
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