LadyInBed
Well-Known Member
Would you expect to find seacocks on outlets above the water line?
If absent, would you fit them?
If absent, would you fit them?
Seacocks
- Thread starter LadyInBed
- Start date
starfire
Well-Known Member
Most of the time, but not always. It's good practice, especially on a sail boat.
If its been ok so far, I would not retrofit
If its been ok so far, I would not retrofit
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Depends on how far above and what they are for. I neglected to take a bilge pump outlet far enough above the waterline and dried out one night on that side. syphoned water back into the bilge. Fitted a one way valve and then later a seacock . Have seacock on my current sink and wash basin, both above the waterline.
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
Do not have them on the cockpit drains, but I do on the shower outlet, which is 400mm above the waterline in the transom.
I cannot recall where the electric bilge pump exits
. I have never had enough water in the bilge to submerge the electric pump. This thread has reminded me to check. I have checked the switch in it whenever I have raised the cabin floor, as a matter of course.
The hand pump does have a valve to the outlet in the transom which is circa 400mm above WL .
I would add that the cockpit drains also serve as drains to the gas locker as that spills to the cockpit. If that filled with gas there is a possibility, albeit remote, that gas could get into cockpit lockers & hence down below.
I cannot recall where the electric bilge pump exits
. I have never had enough water in the bilge to submerge the electric pump. This thread has reminded me to check. I have checked the switch in it whenever I have raised the cabin floor, as a matter of course.The hand pump does have a valve to the outlet in the transom which is circa 400mm above WL .
I would add that the cockpit drains also serve as drains to the gas locker as that spills to the cockpit. If that filled with gas there is a possibility, albeit remote, that gas could get into cockpit lockers & hence down below.
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Homer J
Well-Known Member
Mine are right on the through hull fitting and all above water Line have them. Factory fit. (jeanneau)
richardbrennan
Well-Known Member
When I had my gas safety check, the engineer told me it was now illegal to have a seacock on the gas locker drain. He got round this by opening the seacock on my drain and then removing the handle.
Boathook
Well-Known Member
I've got 5 drains above the water line and no seacocks. 2 are cockpit drains close to the waterline but when last surveyed the surveyor was more than happy with the setup.
Stemar
Well-Known Member
How far does the boat heel in a blow? Add some big waves, and I reckon that any openings below that level need seacocks. You'd be surprised how much water can overflow from a heads wash basin when it goes below the level of the water. I also managed to flood the boat when heeled over because I forgot to close the heads seacocks. There were a couple of inches of water in the cabin by the time I realised ?
I have to confess the cockpit drain locks were totally seized on Jissel, but I kept wooden plugs close by, and others got closed once a year, just to make sure they worked
I have to confess the cockpit drain locks were totally seized on Jissel, but I kept wooden plugs close by, and others got closed once a year, just to make sure they worked
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john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
I wonder what law he was quoting. Unless your boat is subject to inland waters regulations, I don't believe that there are any 'laws' about gas installation on leisure vessels in the UK. There is 'good practice' though...
Different for commercial coded boats where gas alarms and cut offs are required etc.
Stemar
Well-Known Member
And there's also what will give an insurance company the hives when a surveyor points it out
john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
Indeed. However it was the surveyor saying it was 'a legal obligation' that raised my hackles slightly. People airily quoting rules and laws that don't exist annoy me...
Bilgediver
Well-Known Member
Many insurers have a view on this and some surveyors talk to a vessels insurers and some even send a copy of the survey report direct. You could have a problem if there was an incident that could have been caused by a closed drain.
Stemar
Well-Known Member
Ooooh - HUGE +1 for that!
I'm reminded of a surveyor who condemned the forestay attachment on a Snapdragon because it was fitted to the bow roller, and that was "just" bolted through the foredeck. The same way as has been done with no issues on all Snapdragons, but no, he wanted it to go through the bow.
Find another surveyor.
