The seacock in the galley is "weeping" (some days just plain crying).
Being new at this game I ask... is it safe or practical to try and tighten while in the water
mzenith@aol.com
Seacocks
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Bill Cochrane
Re: Seacocks
No problem with tightening while in the water...but first, how hard is it to move the handle? Tightening the nut will increase the handle pressure and may not affect the leak. If the handle is pretty loose, go ahead and try it.
More likely, the cause is lack of grease and/or grooving of the body or core. The fix is to haul the boat (sorry), remove the nut, pull the core out, clean old grease off both surfaces and examine for scoring. If it's visibly scored you need to lap it by putting a bit of lapping compound (a fine abrasive paste) on the core, assembling it into the body, and opening and closing it 10-20 times, checking periodically to see if it's working. When you're satisfied, clean off ALL the lapping compound with solvent, apply a waterproof grease, and reassemble. Spartan sells seacock grease and lapping compound, but there are equivalents around.
Bill
CD 36 #114
Phoenix
cochrane@clark.net
More likely, the cause is lack of grease and/or grooving of the body or core. The fix is to haul the boat (sorry), remove the nut, pull the core out, clean old grease off both surfaces and examine for scoring. If it's visibly scored you need to lap it by putting a bit of lapping compound (a fine abrasive paste) on the core, assembling it into the body, and opening and closing it 10-20 times, checking periodically to see if it's working. When you're satisfied, clean off ALL the lapping compound with solvent, apply a waterproof grease, and reassemble. Spartan sells seacock grease and lapping compound, but there are equivalents around.
Bill
CD 36 #114
Phoenix
Michael Heintz wrote: The seacock in the galley is "weeping" (some days just plain crying).
Being new at this game I ask... is it safe or practical to try and tighten while in the water
cochrane@clark.net
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Ed Haley
Re: Seacocks
I assume you have the Cape Dory bronze tapered barrel seacock.
Like Bill said, the best time to do this is when the boat is on the hard especially if you are new at the game of boat repair. However, I have lapped my seacocks while in the water but made sure a friend was with me if something goes wrong. Fortunately, the process went smoothly with only about a gallon of water entering the boat.
I use Spartan's seacock lapping compound and seacock grease. Have them near as you begin the job. Also have a small amount of grease solvent (Simple Green, diesel fuel, kerosene), 2 wrenches (one of the wrenches is a thin wrench used to tighten bicycle wheel bearings that fits the inner nut on the seacock), a old cloth hand towel and some paper towels.
Loosen the two nuts from the tapered barrel and position the outer nut just at the end of the threaded end of the tapered barrel. Rotate the valve and see if you can begin to remove it from the seacock housing. If you can't, you may have to tap the nut on the threaded end to break the seal. Caution should be used here to avoid hitting the threads on the end of the tapered barrel. You will know when it's loose because you'll see water coming through the valve. Gently slide the barrel back to reduce the amount of water coming in and remove the two nuts and washer from the barrel.
Check to make sure all the equipment and tools are nearby before you start the removal of the tapered barrel from the housing. It is rather unnerving to see and hear the gush of water entering your boat but remember: you're in control. Even if you work slowly, only about 2 gallons of water will enter. You're not going to sink your boat.
Remove the tapered barrel and put a hand towel through the seacock housing. Pull it through until the water only trickles in. Your buddy can pump the bilge to make you feel better. Now that you got the tapered barrel out, clean it up with a solvent. Clean the washer and nuts if needed. Take your lapping compound and coat the barrel. With one hand, remove the towel from the seacock and insert the tapered barrel into the housing as quickly as possible so that the inrushing water doesn't wash off all the lapping compound. If you're too slow, try it again with more lapping compound. Don't worry about the water coming in. It looks worse than it is.
Once the barrel with lapping compound is inside the housing, put the washer and a nut on the threaded end and tighten the nut until you feel resistance to turning the barrel. Rotate the handle (you shouldn't have to force it hard) of the seacock throughout its full range of motion until resistance is lessened (about 3-5 times). Tighten the nut again (about 1/4 turn) and rotate the handle again until resistance decreases. Do this repeatedly until resistance doesn't substantially decrease. I usually have to go through 8-10 cycles.
Remove the tapered barrel and insert small hand towel again. Clean up the barrel. Remove all traces of the lapping compound using paper towels (including inside the hollow barrel). The lapped barrel should looked etched like frosted glass. Coat the cleaned barrel with seacock grease as set aside.
Using the hand towel and the inrushing water, clean the seacock housing with the hand towel to remove the lapping compound. Remove the hand towel and insert the greased tapered barrel and rotate to get the grease on both surfaces. Put the washer and nuts back on and tighten the inner nut until the handle can be turned with a little resistance. Put the outer nut on until it meets the inner nut. Using a thin wrench to keep the inner nut from turning, tighten the outer nut onto the inner to keep it from moving. Clean up and pump the bilge.
I've found that the sequential process of tightening the nut at the end of the barrel before rotating the barrel is of paramount importance to get the surfaces mated. Otherwise, the valve will not hold grease that well. It only takes about 15 minutes after you do it once or twice. Of course that first time may take an hour.
Cheers!
eghaley@twcny.rr.com
Like Bill said, the best time to do this is when the boat is on the hard especially if you are new at the game of boat repair. However, I have lapped my seacocks while in the water but made sure a friend was with me if something goes wrong. Fortunately, the process went smoothly with only about a gallon of water entering the boat.
I use Spartan's seacock lapping compound and seacock grease. Have them near as you begin the job. Also have a small amount of grease solvent (Simple Green, diesel fuel, kerosene), 2 wrenches (one of the wrenches is a thin wrench used to tighten bicycle wheel bearings that fits the inner nut on the seacock), a old cloth hand towel and some paper towels.
Loosen the two nuts from the tapered barrel and position the outer nut just at the end of the threaded end of the tapered barrel. Rotate the valve and see if you can begin to remove it from the seacock housing. If you can't, you may have to tap the nut on the threaded end to break the seal. Caution should be used here to avoid hitting the threads on the end of the tapered barrel. You will know when it's loose because you'll see water coming through the valve. Gently slide the barrel back to reduce the amount of water coming in and remove the two nuts and washer from the barrel.
Check to make sure all the equipment and tools are nearby before you start the removal of the tapered barrel from the housing. It is rather unnerving to see and hear the gush of water entering your boat but remember: you're in control. Even if you work slowly, only about 2 gallons of water will enter. You're not going to sink your boat.
Remove the tapered barrel and put a hand towel through the seacock housing. Pull it through until the water only trickles in. Your buddy can pump the bilge to make you feel better. Now that you got the tapered barrel out, clean it up with a solvent. Clean the washer and nuts if needed. Take your lapping compound and coat the barrel. With one hand, remove the towel from the seacock and insert the tapered barrel into the housing as quickly as possible so that the inrushing water doesn't wash off all the lapping compound. If you're too slow, try it again with more lapping compound. Don't worry about the water coming in. It looks worse than it is.
Once the barrel with lapping compound is inside the housing, put the washer and a nut on the threaded end and tighten the nut until you feel resistance to turning the barrel. Rotate the handle (you shouldn't have to force it hard) of the seacock throughout its full range of motion until resistance is lessened (about 3-5 times). Tighten the nut again (about 1/4 turn) and rotate the handle again until resistance decreases. Do this repeatedly until resistance doesn't substantially decrease. I usually have to go through 8-10 cycles.
Remove the tapered barrel and insert small hand towel again. Clean up the barrel. Remove all traces of the lapping compound using paper towels (including inside the hollow barrel). The lapped barrel should looked etched like frosted glass. Coat the cleaned barrel with seacock grease as set aside.
Using the hand towel and the inrushing water, clean the seacock housing with the hand towel to remove the lapping compound. Remove the hand towel and insert the greased tapered barrel and rotate to get the grease on both surfaces. Put the washer and nuts back on and tighten the inner nut until the handle can be turned with a little resistance. Put the outer nut on until it meets the inner nut. Using a thin wrench to keep the inner nut from turning, tighten the outer nut onto the inner to keep it from moving. Clean up and pump the bilge.
I've found that the sequential process of tightening the nut at the end of the barrel before rotating the barrel is of paramount importance to get the surfaces mated. Otherwise, the valve will not hold grease that well. It only takes about 15 minutes after you do it once or twice. Of course that first time may take an hour.
Cheers!
eghaley@twcny.rr.com