Maintenance of Sea cocks, & toilet waste and saildrive

[sailingrbg]

Can anyone advise in some detail how I do annual maintenance on my seacocks, I have just had some renewed to the new ball type and am wondering what, if any annual maintenance is required?.
Additionally if there is any advice on the waste seacock from the toilet (which is a large brass or bronze fitting) and the sea cock on my sail drive I would be very much obliged.

Regards

 

[tillergirl]

I don't think there is any maintenance that you can do to a ball valve. I think some people hereon have suggested squirting something like a teftlon spray inside but whether that really has any point to it is arguable. Regular use is probably the best way of avoiding seizure.

As to the toilet have you got a proper seacock? ie a Blakes or Simpson Lawrence type. These disassemble by undoing the retaining ring and withdrawing the cone complete with handle. Smear seacock grease round the cone and reassemble. There was an interesting debate as to how tight to do up the retaining ring as this presses the cone into the seat of the seacock. Tightening it ensures water tightness, over tightness will bind it so that you can't move the lever. I think the concensus on a well maintained seacock was that you ought to be able to move the level easily with one finger. If the cone binds in the seat, it is easy to clean it up and rebed it using a little grinding paste (Halfords), spinning the cone to and fro in the seat until a smooth action is obtained. Thereafter clean off the grinding paste completely and reassemble with grease. As to inside the toilet pipes, it is said that vinegar down the loo helps to descale.

As to the engine water seacock, what type. If it is part of the saildrive, I have no knowledge to offer. If it is a ball valve, para 1 applies. If it is a valve with a wheel to operate ie a gate valve, I'd get rid of it as they were not designed for boat applications (neither were ball valves of course but they are a better design). I assume since you have a saildrive that the boat is not of the era of combined seacock and strainer which had similar cone design to the toilet.

By the way, you will be out of the water or mud when you disassemble. won't you!

Hope this helps

 

[Amscerp]

Hello tillergirl

I am a newbie to boats, a very newbie

I have Simpson and Lawrence type sea cocks, and they were seized up when I got the boat.
I have been advised to remove them, and do some maintenance.

Attached are pictures.

You will see the small one has the valve out, and it noiw turns completely around in the socket. I have been told this is not good !!!! . .. it should just half turn ???
The larger one is still completely seized up.

Do I have to replace them, or, can I service them ???

 

[Sandy]

Can anyone advise in some detail how I do annual maintenance on my seacocks, I have just had some renewed to the new ball type and am wondering what, if any annual maintenance is required?

Open and close them frequently, pour a large whisky and relax.

 

[pvb]

Hello tillergirl

I am a newbie to boats, a very newbie

I have Simpson and Lawrence type sea cocks, and they were seized up when I got the boat.
I have been advised to remove them, and do some maintenance.

Attached are pictures.

You will see the small one has the valve out, and it noiw turns completely around in the socket. I have been told this is not good !!!! . .. it should just half turn ???
The larger one is still completely seized up.

Do I have to replace them, or, can I service them ???

I'd replace them, for peace of mind.

 

[bitbaltic]

I'd replace them, for peace of mind.

Yep

and the OP probably has too, because this thread is 15 years old. If he hasn’t he has probably sunk.?

 

[pvb]

Yep

and the OP probably has because this thread is 15 years old. If he hasn’t he has probably sunk.?

The thread is 15 years old, not 25.

I replied to the poster who posted today.

 

[Sandy]

And I did not look at the date of the original post. I hate phoenix threads.

 

[bitbaltic]

The thread is 15 years old, not 25.

I replied to the poster who posted today.

I know that (re your reply) don’t worry I wasn’t mocking your contribution (was agreeing with it).

typo corrected before you posted.

 

[bitbaltic]

And I did not look at the date of the original post. I hate phoenix threads.

It was still a very worthwhile piece of advice ?