seacocks

Yep!

Read that article last year, and along with Forum threads on the quality of Jeanneau original fittings, was the main reason I hauled out earlier this year and replaced all my skin fittings and seacocks with DZR fittings.

Now I can sleep :-)
 
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Double Yep (or yikes as the case may be).

I have one of the seacocks that were discussed in the threads and the pics can be seen along with good info on Vyv Cox's site (link in his signature). I replaced the engine raw water inlet with a maylon (sp?) set up and sleep well too now.
 
A very timely reminder. Mobos in particular have so much equipment on board these days requiring through hull fittings that I'm surprised more don't sink. FWIW, I make a point of checking the operation and condition of every seacock on my boat as part of my winter maintenance schedule and any seacock which is stiff or doesn't look or feel right gets replaced
 
Yes - our 3yr old Bavaria has brass fittings, ball valves and tails throughout. I bought it knowing this as I have been through this hoop with a Jeanneau a couple of yrs before. So this year in about 6 weeks when she comes out for annual inspection, they will be changed to the correct DZR standard. When I checked last time out, "pinking" was already evident on the outer fitting surfaces, but could be sanded off. But that was enough to indentify a problem and put them on the list for change.
 
When we bought our Jeanneau at 7 yrs old one sea cock was jammed open, and all skin fittings were pinkish. I had them all replaced with DZR fittings.

IMO its p!ss poor that manufacturers stick brass fittings in. I only have three seacocks, so Jeanneau saved themselves €100 at most to supply something that would certainly fail within the lifetime of the boat and risk the sinking of it. No points to Sealine either on this, or Bavaria. I wonder who else should be on the 'naughty step' in these cost cutting times....
 
Remember that this is the fault of the EU as skin fittings have to last a minimum of 5 years.... so they can get away with brass which will fail at 5 years and 1 day!! :)

Older boats were made with more sense and something that was fit for the purpose it was intended..... radical thought!
 
gjgm said:
I have no idea how accurate this article is, but it should keep many of us awake at night !
http://www.paulstevenssurveys.com/upload/Seacocks.pdf
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Paul Stevens started the ball rolling, which Yachting monthly took up and ran with. It is possible that this has had some wider effect because there is to be a new standard on yacht equipment that does include seacocks. The RYA have had some input to the new standard but didn't feel the necessity to consult with YM or with me or, as far as I know, with Paul Stevens.
 
gjgm said:
should keep many of us awake at night !
Click to expand...

Won't be keeping me up, we changed all of Ariam's seacocks for DZR ones before we'd even bought her :)

(Tight timing of agreed sale dates and booked space in the spray bay meant we did the work with the vendor's permission after exchanging contracts but before completion.)

They were all plain brass and all showed clear signs of dezincification, though on sawing a selection in two none were far enough gone to be dangerous.

Pete
 
Nick_H said:
... and did they also state that they're not allowed to last longer, and manufacturer's can't use better quality fittings if they wish?
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No, but if you set a minimum standard then some people will assume that anything which exceeds that standard must be ok.

Pete
 
As I have already said in another thread:

1/ Brass skin fittings and valves last only 5 to 7 years unless there are stray 240v currents present and then they last a lot less, so should be replaced at 5 to 7 years by good DZR units.

2/ DZR and bronze skin fittings and valves should be removed from the boat and dismantled and only in perfect condition re used, in reality a 7 year programme to refit new DZR fittings is a good practice.

Some Insurance Companies will look for wriggle room and partial pay outs only if the removal, dismantling and inspection is well overdue following an incident, 7 years is the recognised norm.
 
Bandit said:
2/ DZR and bronze skin fittings and valves should be removed from the boat and dismantled and only in perfect condition re used, in reality a 7 year programme to refit new DZR fittings is a good practice.

Some Insurance Companies will look for wriggle room and partial pay outs only if the removal, dismantling and inspection is well overdue following an incident, 7 years is the recognised norm.
Click to expand...

Recognised by who? I've never heard of it before.

Pete
 
Hi read that article also and now in process of sourcing parts. We have a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 45.2 '2001" which is on the hard in Krabi, Thailand.
We are currently home in Australia and was hoping to source Groco gear here but none around - have to import from States. May have to wait to return to Phuket as have seen Groco there.
Any other brands anyone would recommend ? Was planning to stick to bronze but so many Chinese makes around.
Have removed Ball valves and Tails which seem to be BPT so Groco being NPS they won't match - is that correct. ?
Also how do we tell if thru hulls are in good condition ? Was hoping not to disturb them but they are not flanged and no backing plates so may just have to bite the bullet and do it.
 
prv said:
Recognised by who? I've never heard of it before.

Pete
Click to expand...

+1. There is no history of corrosion failures of either bronze or DZR fittings that I am aware of. Having been involved in the metallurgical side of seacock failures since YM started their campaign, i have never heard that any insurance company has stipulated any lifetime, not even for brass fittings. Many of the 'quality' yachts, e.g. HR, Malo, Sweden, still fit leaded brass seacocks. Are insurance companies refusing to cover them?
 
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