What are the chances my seacock is broken?

[demonboy]

Assuming that water has not run the wrong way previously I see no reason why a change of 1-2 inches should make a difference even if they are now submerged.

Thank you, Vyv ?

 

[Daverw]

Thanks to all for the replies. This is one of three seacocks that sit in a line so I think it prudent to replace all three since they're similar and of the same age.

My other concern is that since adding the dodger and stainless, we're now sitting in the water a little lower. All three seacocks are submerged, whereas before they were only partially submerged (on the waterline). One is the electric bilge pump, one the sink pump (both 19mm hose) and the third is the manual bilge pump (larger diameter).

Any thoughts on raising these above the waterline whilst I'm at it?

Is there any way you can heel the boat to get it above or just at water level?

 

[Stemar]

Any thoughts on raising these above the waterline whilst I'm at it?

I seem to recall Libby Purves describing a similar situation. The skipper sent his daughter down the pontoon to find a few fat ladies to come and sit on the other side.

Of course, that might be a bit harder in Thailand than here.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Is there any way you can heel the boat to get it above or just at water level?

He no better off , he may just as well bun the thohull , job done .
If he plainning to do all three , then he may just as well get hauled out .
All I say is just because one broke it's no reason to think the others are on the way out .
Good luck with it Demonboy

 

[LittleSister]

And if the OP does get a haul out to do the job, he might want to check the skin fittings for dezincification while he's at it, just in case all the fittings are brass.

 

[neil1967]

I once had a nasty experience with an outlet from a centrifugal bilge pump that was fairly near the W/L. I operated the pump while the boat was heeled. A few minutes later the cabin sole was awash. The outlet was below the W/L and a syphon had been set up over the pipe loop when the pump stopped operating, through the pump and into the bilge.
BTW Could you heel , (historically careen! ) your boat to raise the skin fittings above the water level?

I had a similar experience in our Oyster 406. The centrifugal bilge pump exited (normally) just above the waterline. On a very stormy night in a marina, with the bilge pump accidentally switched off and with the boat being unbalanced due to an empty water tank on one side, the outlet was submerged, and the motion of the boat set up a siphon into the bilge. I only discovered this when the gas alarm went into fault mode because the sensor was in the water. Needless to say there is now an anti-siphon valve fitted and in fact I have changed to a diaphragm pump to get more water out, with a higher capacity centrifugal pump mounted higher as a back up.

 

[demonboy]

UPDATE

We're hauling out. I've decided to change all three seacocks next to the one in question because they are of the same age and similar design. And whilst I'm at it, I'll be inspecting the other two cocks that are similar. The remainder are Blakes and in good order.

Since I'm still in the slip it seems prudent to haul. It'll cost and there's the issue of our nice new anti-foul being tarnished by the lift straps but I want to start the next part of the journey safe in the knowledge that the seacocks will not cause us trouble whilst at sea. All the other seacocks and fittings appear to be ok but if the others are of a similar age then who's to say they won't also break? Also I can inspect the skin fittings, which appear to be in good order, avoiding the additional cost of ordering new through-hulls unnecessarily. Last inspection they looked good but I don't know what'll happen when I attempt to remove the seacock. Better to do this out of the water.

I'd lined up some Groco's, which I can source here, but have the option of Marelon. Vyv sent a picture of a split Marelon but many people I know swear by them. I'm undecided on that and will sleep on it...

 

[demonboy]

And thanks, by the way, for the replies. Picked up some knowledge along the way . :encouragement: