Stuck seacock

[MagicalArmchair]

Due to the "propeller coming adrift" adventure on our last week long cruise, I've not been to visit Mirage as much as I'd like as she is a couple of hours away. On my last visit, I worked all the seacocks.... apart from the aft heads outlet that appears to be stuck!

It has always been a bit tight (when I purchased the boat I was concerned, as this head had been used for storage, it was truly stuck, but with some persuasion it came free), and this just happens to be the only seacock and skinfitting that has been changed by the previous owner (it's on the boat "todo" list to replace all skin fittings).

It looks to be of good quality, and dezincification resistant (I read the DR there)

Previously when its been a bit jammed, I have tugged it a bit harder, and it would free up... I feel this time I would need to apply extra leverage to get it to move. Is this a great idea? Or wait for lift out and inject some rydlymn up it and then replace with the rest.

Edit: It appears to be one these:
Aquafax Isis DZR Brass Ball Valve - Fox's Chandlery (what documents I can find here:
https://www.specifiedby.com/relianc...s-with-t-handle_specifications_1_b84903c6.pdf)

 

[Stemar]

It looks to be a darned sight better than the one that literally came away in my hand when I tried to get persuasive. Not the handle, the whole thing just snapped off! Fortunately, I was out of the water as it obviously needed changing.

On yours, I'd be inclined to use a bit of persuasion, up to and including a few taps on the handle with a rubber mallet to get it moving. I doubt very much you'll have a problem, but have a suitably sized wooden bung handy as insurance

Once it's moving, open & close it several times, then keep it closed when you leave the boat and open it when you come on board so it gets regular use.

 

[Refueler]

I'd be reluctant to do more than 'tap' the handle .... I have a handle same as that on one ... and it did not like the 'tap' .....

I'd take a small tack hammer and repeatedly tap around the body to try 'scare' the calc thats holding it ... nothing too hard ... just plenty of taps around the body ..... while doing it ..... try move the handle / valve ....

Once moving - try veg oil in the loo - pumped through to try lub it ...

 

[capnsensible]

I've had some success with valve's like that by taking the handle off and using a spanner on the spindle.

 

[PhillM]

I would NOT use too much force. Does it really matter right now? If its open and working leave well enough alone until the next time you are out of the water. My thinking is that if you do apply force and it goews wrong you are going to miss a chunk of the season while you get lifted and repeir it.

 

[[70521]]

Why, o why do people put 90° elbows directly after a through hull, utter madness.

As others have said lots of small taps with a light hammer and perhaps some decent penetrating oil where the handle goes in.

Alternatively a lift out, a hold in slings overnight and replace the through hull and sea cock. I use plastic as metal has no place in a GRP hull, but others think differently.

B&Q are still doing their £1 orange buckets if things get desperate.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Why, o why do people put 90° elbows directly after a through hull, utter madness.

I agree it should be a tee with the vertical leg fitted with a plug

I have has issues with the one piece ball valve that jsmed so I now only fit 3 part ball valves th ecan be dismantled without removing all the other fittings

 

[Poignard]

(...) . I use plastic as metal has no place in a GRP hull, but others think differently.

(...)

I must disagree with that statement.

My GRP hull has bronze stern gear, 6 bronze seacocks, and two bronze transducer housings.

None of these nine hull fittings have ever given me any trouble despite all except three of the seacocks having been in the hull for all of its 56 years.

 

[[70521]]

I must disagree with that statement.

My GRP hull has bronze stern gear, 6 bronze seacocks, and two bronze transducer housings.

None of these nine hull fittings have ever given me any trouble despite all except three of the seacocks having been in the hull for all of its 56 years.

As I said others think differently. I've just had the metal stern tube replaced with a spun glass one because of 'problems', it has been only been in situ only since 1986 and finally have a launch date after over a year out of the water.

 

[Poignard]

As I said others think differently. I've just had the metal stern tube replaced with a spun glass one because of 'problems', it has been only been in situ only since 1986 and finally have a launch date after over a year out of the water.

That's bad news, and expensive I guess.

What was the problem with the original?

 

[capnsensible]

I would NOT use too much force. Does it really matter right now? If its open and working leave well enough alone until the next time you are out of the water. My thinking is that if you do apply force and it goews wrong you are going to miss a chunk of the season while you get lifted and repeir it.

Looks shut to me.

I replaced a hull valve on a lunchtime lift and hold in the slings. It's not difficult and you only miss an hour of the season.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Looks shut to me.

I replaced a hull valve on a lunchtime lift and hold in the slings. It's not difficult and you only miss an hour of the season.

It is shut or the operating rod is broken then the lever will turn freely

I replaced a ball valve like that while still on afloat just get everything ready before removing the current ball valve

 

[[70521]]

That's bad news, and expensive I guess.

What was the problem with the original?

Cracked. Perhaps the cold waters of the North Sea? To be honest I have no idea how it happened, but a routine out of the water inspection found the tube damaged. Finding somebody with the GRP skills has taken a lot longer than I anticipated.

 

[MagicalArmchair]

It is stuck shut - I will try tapping the body gently with a small hammer to free up any calciferous deposits - I am concerned about the handle as it is aluminium, and I am certain I could probably snap it off with my bear hands.

When I replace these I will replace with TruDesign ones I think...

I've had some success with valve's like that by taking the handle off and using a spanner on the spindle.

Is this just a simple case of taking off the nut retaining the handle and putting a spanner or socket on the spindle?? I did consider removing the handle, but didn't know if that retaining nut was doing more than just holding the handle on. I do like the Orwell, I'd rather not have it inside the boat...

 

[Poignard]

Cracked. Perhaps the cold waters of the North Sea? To be honest I have no idea how it happened, but a routine out of the water inspection found the tube damaged. Finding somebody with the GRP skills has taken a lot longer than I anticipated.

An expensive nightmare. I hope that not much of the 'cold waters' found its way in!

 

[roaringgirl]

It is shut or the operating rod is broken then the lever will turn freely

I replaced a ball valve like that while still on afloat just get everything ready before removing the current ball valve

The risk is that the through-hull fails when you try to unscrew the ball valve. You can be left with a through-hull that freely spins in the hull and a valve that needs to be ground off before the through-hull can be replaced; which means you can't put a bung in the leak you've made.

 

[Refueler]

It is stuck shut - I will try tapping the body gently with a small hammer to free up any calciferous deposits - I am concerned about the handle as it is aluminium, and I am certain I could probably snap it off with my bear hands.

When I replace these I will replace with TruDesign ones I think...



Is this just a simple case of taking off the nut retaining the handle and putting a spanner or socket on the spindle?? I did consider removing the handle, but didn't know if that retaining nut was doing more than just holding the handle on. I do like the Orwell, I'd rather not have it inside the boat...

Most are a 6mm -7mm - 8mm open end spanner as the spigot handle its on is elongated oval .... size depends on valve size.

The spigot is the ball shaft ... but should be fine to undo the nut and remove handle. Most handles are actually chromed rubbish !!

 

[rogerthebodger]

The risk is that the through-hull fails when you try to unscrew the ball valve. You can be left with a through-hull that freely spins in the hull and a valve that needs to be ground off before the through-hull can be replaced; which means you can't put a bung in the leak you've made.

Yes hat is a possibility

If the thru hull does break off it was a fault that could happen when not prepared

You should be prepaired to hold the thru hull to preent it from turning when unscrewing the valve

In my case all went well

I have also fitted a new thru hull and valve on a scrubbing post between tids. This involved using a hole saw to drill the 45 dia hole through a 6 mm steel hull before the tide came back in

 

[Poignard]

You could try loosening or removing the gland nut and injecting some penetrating oil into the thing.

 

[Dellquay13]

Cracked. Perhaps the cold waters of the North Sea? To be honest I have no idea how it happened, but a routine out of the water inspection found the tube damaged. Finding somebody with the GRP skills has taken a lot longer than I anticipated.

I have just had a cracked stern tube replaced with grp, 13 weeks on the hard and I’m finally getting back afloat on one of next weeks spring tides. I also struggled to get a good grp engineer with time to do it.