Have 14 hours to install seacock before launch - advice

[RichMason]

I just purchased my 1979 CD 28 last Saturday and we are planning a family sailing vacation this coming weekend. I went up last Sunday and removed a broken seacock. Replacement is coming overnight mail from Spartan and hardware is coming overnight from Jamestown. We live four hours away so here is the schedule. Arrive at boat 9pm or so this Friday. Install seacock upon arrival. Launch at noon on Saturday. I feel fairly confident that the 3M 4200 will set up enough in the ensuing 12-14 hours or so to form a watertight seal. My larger concern is the lack of bottom paint in that area. I had the bottom painted last week but the seacock I'm replacing is the engine intake so I had to remove the screen and hardware. Is it worth it to buy a quart of paint and brush over this area before launch?

[Steve Laume]

You could get some of that spray paint for lower units and spray the prop, shaft and through hull strainer. The stuff is pretty expensive but is supposed to stay on the prop and other meatal surfaces. My surveyer told me to epoxy coat the through hulls then bottom paint them. You do not have time for that but it would seem you do not want a bunch of growth on some already small strainer openings. The other alturnative would be to dive down and scrub the strainer on a pretty regular basis. Not a bad idea anyway. You are going to need a sailing weekend after the pressure of a hurry up launch. It really doesn't matter how much time you have, you never get every thing done any way. Best of luck, Steve.

[RichMason]

Great advice Steve - just what I was looking for. Thanks for the tip.