Hatteras 53 seacock

[ian w]

I have rounded off and rendered useless the bar that goes into the seacock by putting too much pressure on the handle.Can I replace this bar and how do I do it?

[Glory]

If the seacock is old, 15 plus years, you should replace. Broke because something I wrong. Replacing both, or all, should should be considered.

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

I thinks it's done. You can extend the life of seacocks by an occasional shot of PB Blaster or similar.

Example: Two years ago a yard wanted a couple of grand to replace to two engine seacocks as they were "frozen." And they were, indeed, frozen to the point where I was scared to get rough with them in the water. I declined the job, and they made me a short cheater to be able to shut the seacocks. I gave them a good soaking with penetrating oil. After a couple of days, I tossed the cheater bar. They are easily opened and closed.

The smaller seacocks began to respond to a one finger touch, and they are all OEM to 1983.

So, I every now and again I give the seacocks a shot and we seem to good to go.

[Walter P]

Where exactly are you lubricating the seacock? I have been under the impression that most seacocks jam up because of growth on the ball or cylinder. If that is in fact the case, just lubing the stem where the handle is attached might not fix the problem. It sounds like it worked for you however so I'll do as you did and keep exercising them as I have in the past. BTW all of my seacocks have been switched out from original over the last 10 - 15 years and I wouldn't like having to replace them again during my tenure with the boat. My boat was built in 1982 (48 MY) so it was probably a good idea to replace them when I did... I didn't like the cost but that's part of the joy of boating....spending money.

Walt

[MikeP]

You have to regularly operate the seacocks in order to keep them in good, working order. If they stay too long in open or closed position they can be trouble. But if opened/closed regularly, in my experience they remain operable without resorting to cheater bars.

You have to disassemble the seacock to lubricate it and the moving parts can be disassembled/resurfaced with abrasive compound/lubricated with waterproof grease and reinstalled to work like new but that can't be done with the boat in the water...Well, maybe it CAN be done somehow in the water but I'd be afraid to try it.

[Walter P]

Mike,

Now that sounds more like what I had in mind for lubricating the seacocks. I do agree that the best way to go is to exercise them often.

Why wouldn't you change them in the water? I thought you had SCUBA equipment but it would probably be tough getting under the boat when it's sitting on the bottom...lol



Walt

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

When you say you can't lube them in the water, I disagree. Sure, you can't tear them down and grease them, but you can spray some penetrating lube on them to keep them free. I can't argue that tearing them down during a lay-up isn't a good idea either. But, if your seacock is hard to open or close and some penetrating oil helps you exercise it keeping it free, I'd be get'n me a can and seeing for myself.

[jim rosenthal]

Spraying a little (or a lot) of Blaster on a stiff sea valve is one thing. Getting rough with it while the boat is in the water is something else. If it breaks and floods the boat, you are screwed.

The right way to do this is to service all the sea valves with the boat hauled. Usually they are just stuck from not being moved.

The other advantage to doing it with the boat hauled is that you can spray Blaster up into the sea valves from under the boat, with the screens removed. This is far more difficult with you in scuba gear and the boat in the water.

LOL

If the valve is stuck that badly it is trying to tell you something. It's easier to listen to it with the boat hauled out.

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Well, I may have been unclear. I thought I said I didn't get rough because the boat was in the water. That would have, indeed, been unwise. But once a cheater bar closed the main valves in the yard, I decided to apply the spray lube. In fact, I applied it to all 12 or 13 seacocks. I've also been able to ascertain that they all shutoff leak free. They must have made them to tight tolerances back in '83 because I don't feel any roughness or grinding on any of them--just smooth operation and a whole lot less BMU's.

As to spraying up into the valve with the boat on land, that's fine. But, in the meantime, you can also shut a sluggish valve, remove the hose, wet-vac it out and spray down into the valve; gravity is your buddy.

So maybe it's time to replace them or maybe we ain't trying hard enough. I have absolutely nothing against anyone who wants new valves. Speaking for myself, I do enjoy fixing instead of replacing. And while I completely agree the right way IS to fix it in the yard, you might not make it to the yard if the wrong seacock is stuck open.

Best to all.

[jim rosenthal]

You did say that, and I was not being critical of anyone. The problem with them is that they don't get exercised as often as they need to be, so they get sticky. You weren't implying you were getting rough with them.