Is this seacock ok?

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Seaboots

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Hi PBO's. I've been reading these forums for a while now, but this is my first post. Last year I bought my first boat and she is currently out of the water for maintenance. I have been looking at the heads outlet and I am trying to work out if I have a Blakes seacock or a cheap imitation or a good alternative? I wondered if I could ask the more experienced members of the forum to help? My research on Blakes suggests that there should be four bolts through the hull. Mine has three at 120 degree spacing. Also I have no locking nuts which Blakes seem to have. Any help would be most appreciated, even if it's a horrified 'get this out of your boat as quickly as you can'.

Plus a more general question - does metal on metal really make a good safe seacock seal?
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It looks in good condition. You can lap the taper by rotating with grinding paste to improve the seal. I would keep it but first, remove those bolts through the hull in case they are not the correct grade of bronze or are not DZR brass otherwise refit/seal. There is nothing wrong with this type of seacock. If of the right materials and is kept working so it does not jam, it will go on forever. Are those manufacturer's marks on the side?

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Seaboots said:
Hi PBO's. I've been reading these forums for a while now, but this is my first post. Last year I bought my first boat and she is currently out of the water for maintenance. I have been looking at the heads outlet and I am trying to work out if I have a Blakes seacock or a cheap imitation or a good alternative? I wondered if I could ask the more experienced members of the forum to help? My research on Blakes suggests that there should be four bolts through the hole. Mine has three at 120 degree spacing. Also I have no locking nuts which Blakes seem to have. Any help would be most appreciated, even if it's a horrified 'get this out of your boat as quickly as you can'.

Plus a more general question - does metal on metal really make a good safe seacock seal?
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It looks very similar to my Blake’s seacocks I serviced earlier in the week, although surprised there were no nuts on the end of those bolts ! Definitely put some on.


I took a picture of mine at the time which you can compare.

After a lot of research I went for the Blake’s sea cock grease which I would recommend. One tin will probably last a lifetime (shop around as it varies quite a lot in price !)
 

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You normally expect to see the name on the body and it looks a bit dumpy for a Blakes. However, it seems a good bit of gear and I would certainly keep it.

As eebygum says get the Blakes grease, it's very good.

The same basic design was used for petrol and gas in the past.
 
My Blakes valves have four fixing bolts in both 3/4 inch and 1.5 inch sizes. I don't think this is a Blakes valve but it looks perfectly ok. Grind in with paste and apply grease. Should perform perfectly well.

The fixing bolts look slightly suspicious: worth checking for corrosion wastage.
 
Agree. I think it looks typical for proper bronze to me but I admit a photo is hardly a proper forensic test. Have a good prod OP. Message to the OP - the original sea cock is the proper stuff. So much better than the current products.
 
Thank you for all your responses, they have eased my concern to some extent. There are some letters on the side which can be seen in the first picture. I thought that I could make out the end S of Blakes, but following tillergirl's suggestion, I think that this is more likely to be the S at the beginning of the Simpson Lawrence mark.
I thought from initial inspection that the white around the fixing bolt was paint. I will check again more closely. Thanks again!
 
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