Sea cock handle broke. Now what?

[Batwing]

I have a 1999 Carver 350 Mariner with twin engines and my Starboard side seacock for my water inlet froze open. After several alternative steps to break it free, I had a slip neighbor use a little more leverage and broke off the brass handle. Luckily no water leakage but I'm assuming my only option at this point is to have boat taken out of water to replace or can this be done while in my slip? I've considered creating a temporary bypass valve in between the broken seacock and the sea strainer just so I can clean out my sea strainer and wait to remove boat from water to do other maintenance because of the extreme costs. Any other thoughts or ideas out there from the group would be appreciated?

Thanks
Steve

[bud37]

I guess if is broke wide open, then there really is no difference from before, except if you want to run the boat you will have to verify it is actually wide open.......you could slip a valve in where you are thinking....I guess a diver could plug the thru hull from below but you never know what is going to break if you try to remove the broken valve., also disturbing the bedding causing a leak. They can become quite brittle and there is no room to properly work if it is where I think it is......then you are pulling the boat for sure.

Bit negative, not much help really, kinda what you were thinking I guess. If you do pull the boat change all the sea cocks, it may be time.

[Batwing]

Thanks for reply. Next visit I'll look into the the temporary bypass valve I mentioned. Just have to find some clamps to pinch hose to eliminate water flow temporarily.

[Viper]

The valve is a safety device and should be replaced. Depending on the type of thru-hull you have, you may be able to remove the valve without the fear of spinning the thru-hull pickup. Some pick-ups are also thru-bolted aside from the threaded main intake tube. If you can unscrew the valve without spinning the thru-hull, the valve can be replaced in the water. You can prevent most of the water from coming in by having a diver cover the intake. Even if there's no diver, the amount of water that will come in is manageable if you're prepared ahead of time, the water isn't going to blast in. Cut a separate short section of hose and plug it. Use this and attach to the valve after you remove the existing hose. It'll allow you to spin the valve and keep the water out until the valve is completely removed. Have your new valve open when you first try to thread it on, then shut it off as soon as it's secured on a couple of threads and continue to tighten.

Having said all that, the danger is causing a catastrophic failure such as breaking the thru-hull and having no way of stopping the water. For that reason, you may want to have a marina simply sling the boat but leave it in the water, or just lift it high enough so you're out of the water. This would cut down your cost, and if something goes wrong, they can simply lift you out.

This highlights the need to work your seacocks periodically and lubricate if conditions are bad enough, especially in salt water applications.

Don't pinch the intake hose, pinching the hose will distort it as it's typically a wire wound hose. Even if you try to squeeze it back into shape, you've permanently bent the wire and while it may not be noticeable on the outside, you may cause the wire to break through the inner surface of the hose which can lead to a shortened lifespan and other problems. Simple wood plugs will help, even shoving a rag in the hose until you're ready works good.

[km1125]

QR_BBPOST ....
This highlights the need to work your seacocks periodically and lubricate if conditions are bad enough, especially in salt water applications.

Don't pinch the intake hose, pinching the hose will distort it as it's typically a wire wound hose. Even if you try to squeeze it back into shape, you've permanently bent the wire and while it may not be noticeable on the outside, you may cause the wire to break through the inner surface of the hose which can lead to a shortened lifespan and other problems. Simple wood plugs will help, even shoving a rag in the hose until you're ready works good.

Those two definitely needed to be repeated and highlighted!!!

Too late for your issue, but if other have ball cock-style valves that are sticking you can build a tool like below to help free it up. You can do this from the inside or outside, depending on the application and once you get it moving then you can lubricate and then use the handle to get it going normally. You adjust the two bolts so they contact the ball from the inside, then push the bar to "break" the ball loose from its stuck position.

ball_valve_tool_pic.jpg

ball_valve_tool.jpg

[Midnightsun]

Just curious but I need to close and then open all the ball valves when winterizing so they are exercised every year at least. Would this not prevent them from seizing up or should one be doing more?

I think this is more of a saltwater issue though as I know of nobody who has had this issue in all my years of boating in fresh water.

[bud37]

QR_BBPOST I think this is more of a saltwater issue though as I know of nobody who has had this issue in all my years of boating in fresh water.

Can just as easily be fresh water as well, depending on maintenance and whether the boat in question has ever had electrical corrosion issues, whether from the boat/dock or slip neighbors. So keep operating them on a regular basis and keep an eye out for corrosion.....once a year is not enough IMO.
Two people I knew had sea cocks break at the threads and they just stepped on them. It was not visible but corrosion was the culprit on further investigation.....that is the very reason I don't like the idea of applying too much force to those 1/4 turn ball valves to remove etc.
The valves were jammed on our last boat when we got it, so I have been thru this....the marina where it was or owner never operated the valves for winterizing, plus like the OP here they were in a terrible place. Once loose ( waited till haulout ), I just used a short length piece of PVC pipe to make them easier to get to.....new owner was gifted the pipe...

The old Grocos if I remember the name right were built to repair/rebuild.....I miss that.

[Viper]

Bud, if you're talking about the ones I'm thinking of, yes they were Groco. The problem still applied back then though. They had a locking T-handle that you tightened so the valve wouldn't accidently change position. The problem again was that people didn't exercise them enough, so the T-handle would corrode in place and when you tried to loosen it you'd break the T, making it impossible to move the valve handle. Once that happened, it was toast and no rebuild kit would remedy the issue. Can't tell how many of those I've ran into over the years. They were a very popular design back in the day and there's still a lot of boats out there with them but no more rebuild kits from the OEM.

Hans, this happens in fresh water as well if the valve is never moved. Don't forget that not all applications have strainers for winterizing. In those cases, the hoses are typically removed from the seacocks, there is no need to close them for winterizing so a lot of guys don't bother. If I'm in the engine bay for something and am near a seacock, I close and open it. It takes 2 seconds when they're in reach, then you'll know they won't seize and you can close them if there's ever an emergency.

My seacocks get lubricated every winter because I use the proper plumbing AND engine winterizing antifreeze, not the same as the cheap stuff Speaking of which, man is that going to be expensive this year

[km1125]

I'm with Viper on this... once a year is NOT enough! I would also operate them if I was climbing around the engine room for other reasons.

Also, MANY of them can be lubricated. At least on "real" marine ones there should be a drain plug opposite of the handle. You can remove that drain plug and replace it with a Zerk fitting (even just temporarily) and push some teflon grease in there while operating the valve a couple times. Fills the void in between the ball and housing in instead of water being in there.

I think as a lot more boats are getting stored in heated storage, some of these valves aren't even operated annually.

[bud37]

QR_BBPOST Bud, if you're talking about the ones I'm thinking of, yes they were Groco. The problem still applied back then though. They had a locking T-handle that you tightened so the valve wouldn't accidently change position. The problem again was that people didn't exercise them enough, so the T-handle would corrode in place and when you tried to loosen it you'd break the T, making it impossible to move the valve handle. Once that happened, it was toast and no rebuild kit would remedy the issue. Can't tell how many of those I've ran into over the years. They were a very popular design back in the day and there's still a lot of boats out there with them but no more rebuild kits from the OEM.

Yup, that was a while ago, they were nice for us guys that could take that valve apart, clean and lube it......the T handle was actually repairable as well.