Conference unifix::sailing

    How about tapping a plug into the overboard from outside the hull?
    
    You can then check for leaks, and if none, remove the seacock or
    disassemble it.  There was an article on seacock maintenance earlier
    this year in Sail or Cruising World that showed how to cleanup and
    reseat the valve.  I will look it up for you if you like.  
    
    Walt

The July/August 1986 issue of WOODEN BOAT has a long and very good 
article on selecting, installing, and maintaining bronze seacocks. 
Plastic seacocks weren't mentioned (this is a WOODEN BOAT article, 
remember). 

Alan

    Help, I have bronze seacocks and have had them apart this spring for
    cleaning and greasing. I used Super Lube and they are leaking now. What
    do I do? What kind of grease should I have used? Can they be fixed
    while my boat is in the water?
    
    

    has somebody still access to the wooden boat article mentioned by
    Alan ?
    
    I have the same problem,but I'm in the lucky position,that my boat
    is out of the water for the next 4 weeks.
    
    
    Peter

    I too have my seacocks all disassembled and cleaned up. What kind of
    grease do you folks use for reassembly. I am thinking about Johnson's
    salt water repellant wheel bearing grease, but if anyone has a better
    idea....
    
    
    
       thanks 
    
       john

    I have been told (but have not yet tried) water pump grease. It's
    waterproof and is supposed to do great things (according the the
    do-it-yourself books I've read).
    
    You may want to get some other opinions on it, but it least this is one
    option that's easy to purchase. Any automotive shop should carry it.
    
    Robert

    Yes, do try waterpump grease.  It will not wash out and will keep your
    valves well lubricated.  It is not all that easy to find or it wasn't
    the last time I needed some.  
    
    Brian

    Does anyone know what the maintenance prodecures are for seacocks?
    
    I seem to be having some leakage thru my thruhulls when they are open.
    The primary culprit is the salt water intake for the diesel cooling
    system. 
    
    I always close the seacocks when I leave the boat and don't seem to
    get any excessive accumulation in the bilge when the boat has been left
    idle for a week or so. However, when sailing, I notice more water
    accumulation, and a slight trickle from the above mentioned seacock.
    
    I'd like to know what I can do to service these before I am faced with
    a major problem. Any help you can provide is appreciated.
    
    Jim
    

    re .8
    
    jim
    
    
    1. get the boat out of the water, or make sure it is sealed from the 
       outside. Once you start, you will have a nice big hole that is
       below the water line.
    
    2. (optional) disconnect the hose attached to the seacock. This will
       allow you to look inside for blockage.
    
    3. If you have the type that are a 1/4 turn  from open to shut, remove
       the cotter pin and the  handle.
    
    4. unscrew the nut behind where the handle was. remove it with the 
       spacer behind it. You will probably need two wrenches. One to hold
       cylinder,and one for the nut.
    
    5. take a hammber and tap on the shaft where the handle is attached.
       the whole middle cylinder will pop out the opposite side.
    
    6. clean all surfaces with either a brass brush or 600 wet dry
       sandpaper until shiney. This includes the spacer. Wire brush the
       the nut threads.
    
    7. coat the surfaces with a good waterproof grease. People here
      recommend water pump grease, but I have used trailer bearing grease
      with no problems. I also grease the threads for the nut.
    
    8. reassemble in the reverse, except don't use the hammer. You will
       notice the spacer has a flat side on it's hole and it will match the
       cylinder's forging. Make sure the flat side of the spacer is against
       the housing.
    
    9. tighten the nut on the outside so that is tight to the point where 
       you can just move turn the handle back and forth. Open and close 4-5
       times and then readjust the tension as it will loosen up once the
       excess grease has found a place to go.
    
    10. Replace that hose clamp, it is probably too old to reuse. Also
        check the hose. Also, make sure you know which way is closed and
        which is opened. It is best to mark it if there is any doubt.
        And finally, make sure you can easily open and close before having
        the congratulatory beer on a job well done.
    
    

    Thanks to .9 (if you are still here!).
    
    Looks like very useful information for cleaning seacocks. 
    I was just wondering if there were any new greases (or recommendations
    for greases, or where to get hold of the waterpump greases) since this 
    was written a couple of years ago??
    
    Cheers, Chris

    re .10
    
    Chris
    
    Well, I'm here today anyways...
    
       Good question. I asked that one last year at a shop where the
    Wilcox Critterton seacock grease was $9 a cup, and Barnett winch grease
    was $3 a cup. They said very little, though the winch grease has better
    stuff in it. I used the winch grease with no problems (needed it for
    the winch anyways).
    
      I have also used wheel bearing grease FOR TRAILERS. Not the normal stuff
    for cars. It repells salt water much better. I forget whether it was
    Johnson or Mercury outboards that makes the stuff. Again, about $5.
    Available in any shop that sells boats on trailers.
     Never tried waterpump grease. Maybe some else could help here...