Replaing seacocks

[Bouba]

If you can’t undo the thru hull....you have two methods...the first is grinding off...this is the slow safe way for amateurs...but you should use a mask. The second is cross cuts with an angle grinder followed by a hammer and chisel...this is really fast...and an expert won’t leave any cuts or marks on the hull

 

[Fire99]

I replaced a Heads seacock a couple of years ago on my Trader Mobo with a Trudesign. I think it was 1 1/2" or so. It was a fair size. Parts were pretty cheap. Valve and skin fitting in total were less than £100.. It was the first one I've done and I can mirror some other comments.

1. It all depends on access. If the seacock is easy to get to (both inside and under the hull) it's a pretty simple job but if it's awkward, the time can go up a lot!!
2. The Trudesign is a fair bit physically bigger than the metal original. On my boat that wasn't a problem since the seacock location had a lot of air space around it, but it's always worth having a measure up to check it will fit AND you can still operate the handle to turn it off!!
3. I'm not sure how big an issue this is (I think it's for the US Insurance market) but if the Trudesign seacock is vulnerable to heavy sideways forces (like a whack by a club hammer) they recommend a collar that goes around the inside of the skin fitting, but I wonder if that's more a theoretical issue than an actual one.
4. As much as I wince at most marine labour costs, £480+vat for a pair to be fitted, including parts, doesn't sound bad if they're a reputable engineer.

 

[fredrussell]

If you can’t undo the thru hull....you have two methods...the first is grinding off...this is the slow safe way for amateurs...but you should use a mask. The second is cross cuts with an angle grinder followed by a hammer and chisel...this is really fast...and an expert won’t leave any cuts or marks on the hull

If you’re cutting them off the way I describe in post #20 is far less hassle than an angle grinder and much less likely to mark the hull.