Seacock lube test

[Jim Walsh]

Since the last two days have seen daytime highs in the low forties I’ve been keeping myself amused with some pre-launch prep which I usually do in the spring. One of those fun projects is my annual seacock maintenance.
I have six seacocks. I always use Spartan seacock grease and I think it’s great stuff. I recently read of an Aussie who uses silicone grease and praises it. Since I had a tube of Super Lube I figured I'd try it on one of my cockpit drain seacocks only. I figured that they are normally left open anyway so would do the least harm if it performed poorly.
I usually test my cockpit drain seacocks once a month during the sailing season so I’ll be able to tell if it is up to the job. If it isn’t, I can plug the seacock, degrease it, and apply the Spartan product as usual.
I’ll report back in the fall with my subjective performance evaluation. (It has no chance of ever being considered an objective evaluation since it is not a science based evaluation)

[jbenagh]

Jim,
I think a few people like Maury's red grease. I'm still working through my jar of Spartan grease. It doesn't take up much space on board so I didn't see much need to experiment. I do keep the wrenches on board always for adjustments.
I've found that every two years is just as good for seacock cleaning and lube. It's an odd year so I'll skip it this year. I do operate each one at least once a month when in the water. When I do service them, I'm like you and do them on a cold, dark day when I don't want to do anything else. If I need to use a light anyway...
Jeff

[jbenagh]

PS I do keep Super Lube on board anyway for the head and it would be nice to reduce the inventory!
Jeff

[David Feibush]

Jim,

I just spent the past couple days chipping away at more projects on my 31. Added some nice bronze portlight screens and Lewmar self-tailing winches. What surprisingly beautiful January weather we've had here in CT. Next weekend, I'll be greasing the seacocks for the first time and adding the seawater strainer. I found this great website on Spartan seacock maintenance that was helpful for me and thought you might appreciate it - https://marinehowto.com/servicing-taper ... -seacocks/. Looking forward to hearing the results of your test.

Best,

Dave

[Jim Walsh]

Jim,

I just spent the past couple days chipping away at more projects on my 31. Added some nice bronze portlight screens and Lewmar self-tailing winches. What surprisingly beautiful January weather we've had here in CT. Next weekend, I'll be greasing the seacocks for the first time and adding the seawater strainer. I found this great website on Spartan seacock maintenance that was helpful for me and thought you might appreciate it - https://marinehowto.com/servicing-taper ... -seacocks/. Looking forward to hearing the results of your test.

Best,

Dave

One little hint when you tackle the seacocks. Access is always a bit of a pain but the two under the sink in the head are much easier if you take a minute to remove the four screws that secure the hinges and remove the access door. Once that door is out of your way it’s best to also remove the lower of the two shelves which are also held in place with two screws. Now you can kneel and have relatively unobstructed access to the head intake and cooling water intake seacocks. Not ideal but much improved.
Since you are adding an engine seawater strainer this will give you the opportunity to notch the shelf, if needed, while it is removed.
Be careful to keep each disassembled seacock discrete. The parts are best considered a matching set. If there is no seepage currently then cleaning, greasing, and reassembling should be all that is needed.
I do one at a time so I don’t have any problems. Some have used numerical punches to ensure parts are not mixed from one to another.

[David Feibush]

Thanks so much Jim. Great ideas. It looks as though most folks do not remove the seacocks for maintenance and leave them attached to the hull during the process. It would seem to me that removing them entirely gives you completely unrestricted ability to work on them as long as needed, but then again, I'm even more reticent to remove the fitting from the hull. Curious what your thoughts on best practice is here.

Dave

[Jim Walsh]

Thanks so much Jim. Great ideas. It looks as though most folks do not remove the seacocks for maintenance and leave them attached to the hull during the process. It would seem to me that removing them entirely gives you completely unrestricted ability to work on them as long as needed, but then again, I'm even more reticent to remove the fitting from the hull. Curious what your thoughts on best practice is here.

Dave

When performing routine maintenance you leave the body in place on the through-hull and just remove the other components.
I can’t improve on the advice provided by “Marine How To”. If your seacocks are in reasonable shape there is no need to routinely use valve lapping compound. It is a judgement call based on what you find after disassembly.

[David Feibush]

That makes sense to me. Thanks again Jim!