Blakes seacock & On the west coast

nickrj

nickrj

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Hi all,

My boat finally arrived from New York City last week - She went straight from the truck to the water due to some rather severe scheduling conflicts (a month late, no hard standing or crane time available - They made an exception to launch me). The boat was pretty much ready to go in, but I felt rushed. Anyway, last year I removed the head, but didn't have the foresight to disassemble the seacocks, and re-grease them to make sure they were watertight (bad mistake). The 2" diameter one now has a very slight leak. I've put rubber tubing on it up above the waterline for now, but it's not exactly a fix. I don't really need these seacocks - What can I do? Other than diving with a plug, is there specifically made to plug these things up from the inside? Any special caps? I can't find the grease nipple (old model?), but is there another way I can grease them; maybe that would stop the leak?

I've tightened the screws down on either side of the valve handle assembly, which slowed it to a very slow trickle, but nothing else seems to stop it completely...

Nick
 
I also have the older (1" 1/2 not 2") version without the greasing nipple. I fear there is little you can do now the boat is in the water. Greasing/Servicing them requires dryness - I suppose that is why they added the nipple to later versions, so you can grease in situ.

I would be very careful about driving a plug from the outside in, you could make the leak worse if you drive a plug onto the cone. The best temp fix would be to make a softwood plug that does not reach the cone and drive in from the inside.

As far as I am aware there are no plugs made specifically for them. Remember, Blakes have been going well before GRP, when everybody sailed with "very small trickles"!

PS In my experience, Blakes seacock grease is the best for the job. Might have a spare if you need it. Why not drop Blakes an e-mail for advice?
 
Not too many options here. Tightening down will slow the leak, but will also force out any remaining grease so that you are relying on metal to metal seal. If were you, I'd find a scrubbing post or similar and service the things properly between tides. Blakes grease is good, but expensive, Keenol ( if you can find it) is equally good and cheaper.
 
Re: Blakes seacock & On the west coast

If you use a ido self seal bubble on the outside , you can then use a fibre line blank, you will need to make sure the seacock is slightly loose first.put the blank under the ido bubble before sticking to hull, undo seacock and push into bubble then push blank into hull, you will need two people one outside and one in.there is a rubber washer with blank but best to replace with fernox sealer for flush finish. as long as you can loosen seacock job only takes 15 mins and only half a bucket of water comes in.
 
Thanks everyone.

I may have found a scrubbing post to do some work on it between tides. I went in to a chandlery today, but there is no such thing as Blakes grease. In fact, no one knows what a Blakes seacock is (lucky [--word removed--]) ...

What else could I use instead? I'm guessing standard marine grease isn't going to work. I had another thought to seize the entire seacock... I could cover it Sikaflex, and jam the cylinder back down in the closed position. I know you're cringing now, but I've gotta close her up somehow!

/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Nick
 
Bizarely Nick, Just before I launched in Grenada a couple of months ago, my heads Blake seized. Following much persuasion, the handle snapped off leaving a nice new air vent to the outside. Following a bit more hammer action, I managed to get the inner cone out, but was left with the usual trauma of 'what now'. I hopped up on deck and sat sulking - thinking that this was going to postpone the postponed launch....again, when I looked up and &ugger me, there was a bloody Blakes seacock sitting in the branches of a nearby tree! I climbed said tree - retrieved the beast and set about it with a blowlamp to separate the inner cone. It came apart easily, was very shiny (always swayed by shiny precious things) and I lobbed it in the hole. Half an hour later we were in the water! Now thats not to say that sixteen thousand other things havent gone wrong in the meantime.... but funny old world isnt it? Oh, and I've got some Blakes grease too..... dont suppose that helps much though. Wish we were nearby to give you a hand.

Patrick and Sinead
 
Sorry I'm late--------but I service my Blakes seacocks regularly when afloat.
I just whip out the moving part and pop in a standard wooden plug. Clean it up and re-grease with totally waterproof grease and then reverse the process. Its no more dramatic than changing the log but it takes a certain amount of planning and confidence.
 
Re: Blakes seacock & On the west coast

Even later post -but incase you find this thread as I did, when on-the-job, not sure the new 1.5 inch Blakes is any different in alignment of fitting holes - Blakes say they are not, and I have the old and new in front of me now, and they seem a good match. Maybe your old fitting wasn't a Blakes?
 
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