Sea Cocks

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derekgillard

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My seized Sea cocks were removed at the end of last season and I am now ready to re fit them.

They are brass; I have cleaned them and assume that I should apply grease in both the skin fitting and the Sea cock itself before re fitting.

Am I correct and are there any tips when re fitting.

Thanks

Del buoy.


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Grease is fine on the sea cock's moving parts, but where the skin fitting passes through the hull, a mastic would be better. I've had good results with old fashioned builder's sealants, like Evomastic, for this job. There are, of course, fancy yachting types also!

See you sailing! Neil

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What make are they? - if Blakes - tapered cone type with an angled take pipe for the hose - they will be Bronze - perfectly OK. They should be lightly greased using a marine waterproof type grease - Duckhams do one called 'KEENOL' I think - your local chandler will have some. Have you rebedded the tapered surfaces with lapping compound to make sure they don't leak?


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Thanks for the advice.

Back down to boat next week to check, I guess they are the original Sea Cocks fitted when the boat was new in 1983 (sadler 29). I thought they were brass but will check.

Del Buoy.

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What is this lapping compound? Is it another name for fine grinding paste? If it is, then it is important to remove all traces before re-assembly, otherwise remaining particles will become bedded into the body of the valve. When all traces have been removed finish off with brasso or autosol.

If all the seacocks have been removed at the same time it is possible that the tapers and bodies have been mixed up. In that has happened, leaks will be inevitable unless each taper is thoroughly bedded into its new body. Work the taper back and forth in the body, remove and turn through 90 degrees. Repeat as often as necessary through the whole 360 degrees, to prevent a 'banana' shape developing. When finished, a beautiful, unbroken shiny ring will be seen around the taper. Assemble using Blakes seacock grease. Expensive, but more effective than Keenol.

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John, yes, it is fine grinding paste as used for grinding in valves on cars. Obviously one should remove all traces of the paste - sorry, should perhaps have made this clearer.
I did this successfully on a boat I had years ago, but forgot to remember which way round the handle was in relation to the outlet - but I did ask the boat yard to check the seacock on launching which was just as well as I had damaged the hose with the hose clip, and the seacock wasn't fully off!! - apparently there was a needle thin jet of water from the damaged hose...

<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing... :-) /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
 
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