Stuck Sea Cocks

[Bad Dad]

Hey All, does anybody know who makes this sea cock. The one on my port motor is stuck open. The one on the starboard motor seems very loose but it operates. I've only had ball valves prior to buying this boat. I'll be hauling the boat in the next week or so. Also, is there any advice on servicing these? Thanks in advance. (I hope I posted this picture correctly) http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u488/davegreene1/Sea%20Cock_zpswwqdvxef.jpg

[SteveM]

FYI, I just figured this out recently. The easy way to make a hosted photo show up is paste the link.
Then with your curser, highlight the entire link. Then click on the "Img" button. This will place the image code on either end.
Press submit, done.

[Donmystic1]

I freed mine by sliding a 3 ft pipe over the lever and slowly work it back and forth.
Once it was closed I poured a cup of my homemade penetrating oil ( 50% ATF and 50% Acetone) in it and let it sit for a day or two.
Working it back and forth soon freed it so I didn't need the pipe extension.

[Tony Meola]

I assume the boat is out of the water. If not be careful.

As you will see on that sea cock, if you remove the Nut on the opposite side you should be able to actual remove the lever and service the sea cock. I would do it out of the water. I would also grease up everything before you put it back together with a good water proof grease.

I used to have one like that and if memory serves me correctly, I think mine had a zerk fitting so it could be greased.

While you are at it, clean up the bonding wire. It looks corroded.

You need to also use a different hosting site, photo bucket does not work anymore on these sites. I am also assuming that the picture I saw was yours but was posted by Steve.

[Bad Dad]

Thanks very much for the replies.

[Pete Fallon]

That looks like the old Wilcox/Chritten sea cock from the early 1960's Bronze cone valve style. Like Steve M said remove the nut and the handle then tap either the nut or the handle side with a hammer (I had those in my 1961 Express). The insurance companies don't like the cone valves because of the number of steps required to free them up\ and the need to be greased all the time. Use a 3' extension pipe on the handle side if it won't move spay with Corrosion X or some type of penetrating oil to free it up. If I were you I would change them to the newer style Perko or Groco sea cocks and put your new screened sea strainers on the bottom of the boat. Less corrosion to deal with and use a full flow sea cocks the ones you have look like old 1-1/4", go with either 2" full flow or 1-1/2 " full flow and clean up your bonding wires. What year is your boat?

Pete Fallon

[Carl]

I cannot see the picture, but have the valve embedded in my mind. They are the simply perfect valve, except they lock up like all tapers.

When I bought my boat one was stuck open, the other kinda worked...had to remove and bring into shop to free it up, clean up.
First few years I played a game of trying to remember to work them often and keep free...which often meant loosening up the side nut and tapping the taper free...work it a bit if daring pull inner piece out dockside, while shoving a rag in best I could. Then clean taper, grease and reassemble.

Finally enough was enough and I replaced with ballvalves.

Problem is when you need them...they could shut, or be stuck. I had a wrench tied to base of each valve...just in case.

If you start cranking hard on them...while very well built, they are still castings and vintage ones in salt water at that...too much cranking you may wind up breaking off...then your up against plugging that nice size SeaCock hole.


So now you know those old vintage valves will last and last as they have for 5 decades...but they will cause the occasional grief.

[Bad Dad]

Thanks again for the replies. The boat is an '84 and will be blocked up while I make the repairs.

[pschauss]

Two related questions on sea cocks:

- With the boat out of the water, is there an easy way to test that they don't leak when shut off?

- Do you normally close them when you are not using the boat?

[mike ohlstein]

Thanks again for the replies. The boat is an '84 and will be blocked up while I make the repairs.

Great time to add crash valves.

[Tony Meola]

Two related questions on sea cocks:

- With the boat out of the water, is there an easy way to test that they don't leak when shut off?

- Do you normally close them when you are not using the boat?

If you are a text book kind of guy you close them all when you leave the boat. Reason is, hose breaks or somehow comes off, boat could sink. I bet 99% of the boats out there never close them up.