Rust around stopcock - is it safe?

[andrewbartlett]

View attachment 16358

Please see the above image. I'm a bit concerned by the rust to the piping although the whole feels as solid as a rock. Should I replace it or perhaps take it out and have it glassed over as it leads to a sink that is no longer absolutely necessary.

 

[Frankie-H]

Please see the above image. I'm a bit concerned by the rust to the piping although the whole feels as solid as a rock. Should I replace it or perhaps take it out and have it glassed over as it leads to a sink that is no longer absolutely necessary.

BUT no image

 

[VicS]

Please see the above image. I'm a bit concerned by the rust to the piping although the whole feels as solid as a rock. Should I replace it or perhaps take it out and have it glassed over as it leads to a sink that is no longer absolutely necessary.

Cannot see any image.

 

[andrewbartlett]

BUT no image

Hope you can see image now?

 

[JKay]

View attachment 16358

Please see the above image. I'm a bit concerned by the rust to the piping although the whole feels as solid as a rock. Should I replace it or perhaps take it out and have it glassed over as it leads to a sink that is no longer absolutely necessary.

If in doubt "chuck it out",looks a bit rough to me and I'd replace it

 

[MoodySabre]

If it is from a sink then presumably it is above the waterline. That being so I wouldn't worry too much. Try cleaning the rust of - it maybe just on the surface. If it cleans off then treat it with Kurust or similar and some red oxide. That's what I'd do anyway.

 

[Frankie-H]

That's better. Looks as though it is mild steel? Coming out of a flat horzontal floor. Is it actually the skin fitting, which we can see? What happens under the floor? Unless you can clean it very thoroughly, down to bright metal and get rid of that rusty nut, I would replace it with a bronze skin fitting and renew all the plastic pipework.

 

[VicS]

The reason for rust definitely requires investigation esp if its below or even close to the water line.

A steel back nut has been used I guess.

 

[2Tizwoz]

It appears to be only the steel locking nut that has corroded and produced a rusty stain.

Clean it paint it and monitor it should be ok.

Alternatively dismantle it and whilst checking the condition of the ball valve, which may be plated brass rather than the bronze it ought to be, swap the locking nut for a bronze one. If the valve is brass a more dependable longer lasting solution would be to change the valve also.

 

[vyv_cox]

It appears to be only the steel locking nut that has corroded and produced a rusty stain.

Clean it paint it and monitor it should be ok.

Alternatively dismantle it and whilst checking the condition of the ball valve, which may be plated brass rather than the bronze it ought to be, swap the locking nut for a bronze one. If the valve is brass a more dependable longer lasting solution would be to change the valve also.

+1. You beat me to it. No plated valves are either bronze or DZR I believe. A lock nut is quite unusual in my experience, may not be needed if you can screw the valve on well enough with sealant.

 

[VicS]

+1. You beat me to it. No plated valves are either bronze or DZR I believe. A lock nut is quite unusual in my experience, may not be needed if you can screw the valve on well enough with sealant.

The lock nut is useful in that it enables the valve to be positioned and locked in position with the handle facing in the required direction. Sealant is still needed but only to seal the joint , not to fix the valve in position. Sounder engineering I would have thought.

 

[vyv_cox]

The lock nut is useful in that it enables the valve to be positioned and locked in position with the handle facing in the required direction. Sealant is still needed but only to seal the joint , not to fix the valve in position. Sounder engineering I would have thought.

No argument with that but I don't think I have ever seen another. I have now looked at many photos of seacock installations and don't remember one with a locknut.

 

[LittleSister]

As others have said, if it is under or anywhere near the waterline (including when heeled) find out the source off the rust. You could have a crack in the threaded part of the pipe. (We discovered belatedly we'd been crossing the channel with a crack in our cockpit drain skin fitting below the waterline! )

On the issue of lock-nuts, we've got one on one fitting, and intend to put one on another next time we're out of the water. As Vic says, they can allow you to fix the seacock lever in the right direction. Have sorely wanted on in the past when fitting new sea-cocks to a previous boat, and for the lack of one have had to remove, turn and refit the otherwise perfectly fine skin fitting to get the seacock facing the right way when tightened onto it.

 

[john_morris_uk]

If it is from a sink then presumably it is above the waterline.

Not sure that this is always true as lots of sink drains exit below the waterline. Ours did on our previous boat and all the sinks drain below the waterline on our current boat...

Despite that, I have fitted seacocks to all the through hull fittings - even the shower pump outlets which exit above the waterline and the engine exhaust, gas locker drain etc.

Correction - the bilge pump outlets (there are two; one for the electric pump and one for the manual pump) exit just below the rubbing strake and don't have sea-cocks fitted.