Seacock Leak

That is a little concerning, especially since it stopped leaking once the weight was off the straps, if you were not there, you would never have known about it. I think I want to be on my boat when they put it back in now.

With regards to your lift re-paint job, what do you think about propspeed. I have it on my shafts and props and they look great after 2 years. I was thinking of doing the trim tabs this year, and maybe the lift.

Not to highjack your thread, but I also have two leaky seacocks, although mine just don't seal closed properly. The port engine and the bridge a/c. They feel fine working them, but when closed they still allow a small amount a water to pass through. Any ideas?
 
Wow, something like this makes you really wonder whats happening when you are out in rough weather in the boat and you have no idea whats going on in the bilges.
 
Gary

Hard to imagine hull flexure being an issure and where the seacock is located, plus there should be a separate insert located in the hull for the seacock. (I've seen them on my 2005.) You might want to see this area yourself before they splash the boat. Something changed while sitting on the hard. (Did the guys block the boat at the location of the seacock that caused high local stress?)
 
I can't really comment on the prop speed stuff as I've never used it. I looked at it a few years ago but it was pretty expensive... more so than having a diver keep the gear up.

The platform is a real issue with growth. I've tried everything and the main problem is that it never sees water flowing by it. It's either in stagnant water at rest or out of the water when the boat is on plane.... and it gets slime and barnacles like no tomorrow. The prop speed stuff needs to be in a water flow to work right if I recall. I've just come to the conclusion that the thing needs to be disassembled, striped, greased, primed and painted with tri-lux every few years... granted this is our area and the water is radio active for growth in July/Aug/Sept.

I can't comment on the leaking seacock valves themselves.. sounds like the internal seal has failed for whatever reason.

Greg said:
That is a little concerning, especially since it stopped leaking once the weight was off the straps, if you were not there, you would never have known about it. I think I want to be on my boat when they put it back in now.

With regards to your lift re-paint job, what do you think about propspeed. I have it on my shafts and props and they look great after 2 years. I was thinking of doing the trim tabs this year, and maybe the lift.

Not to highjack your thread, but I also have two leaky seacocks, although mine just don't seal closed properly. The port engine and the bridge a/c. They feel fine working them, but when closed they still allow a small amount a water to pass through. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
 
NCBoater said:
Gary

Hard to imagine hull flexure being an issure and where the seacock is located, plus there should be a separate insert located in the hull for the seacock. (I've seen them on my 2005.) You might want to see this area yourself before they splash the boat. Something changed while sitting on the hard. (Did the guys block the boat at the location of the seacock that caused high local stress?)
Click to expand...

I'll be there to take pictures of the repair... There was no blocking around this sea cock. This is a very experienced yard so I don't think they did anything wrong. I'm the "cheap boat" in the bunch.

My understanding is Sea Ray switched to solid glass around these thru hulls in 2003 (I have the hull number somewhere when the switch was made) because a seal break could get the core wet.... so this is not a "new" issue.

The boat was 48,000 pounds on the lift today... that is heavy. also, this thru hull is right along the aft sling point... so any stress/flex is going to be maximized at this point.
 
That's an interesting problem. But, what about the flip side? Are you at all worried that they'll fix it nice and tight on the hard, but when it gets put back in the water, it's going to flex the opposite way and start leaking again?

Actually, I'm betting it just wasn't sealed right from the factory and your yard will fix it right and you'll never have that problem again.

That had to be a lot of flex!
 
I can't really comment too much on the flex of the hull but I don't think people understand that EVERYTHING has flex in it. Yes... EVERYTHING. Even your hairbrush. Being an engineer, a 50 foot "thing" that weighs close to 50,000 pounds is gong to have some flex when held by a couple slings or going over a big wave... it's physics... Did that cause this to have a seal break? I don't know... the mechanic said he sees it from time to time... especially on bigger sailboats going over big waves in the Atlantic... So I don't thing there is anything structurally wrong. I just had a hull survey done back in December with moister readings and an infrared camera and the hull is sound. And it could be very well that it just was a weak install at the factory.

What's curious is how often this happens on larger sea rays... Sea Ray didn't switch to solid glass around thru-hulls for the hell of it...
 
It's Bush's fault.
 
I don't think the flexing was the cause of Gary's problem.

All hulls flex and this sea cock happened to be in a high stress area. I think that the original bedding compound may have been left a little thin when the sea cock was installed and tightened the bedding squeezed out so there wasn't much there. When the flex occurred, the bond broke either between the sea cock and the bedding or the interior of the hull and the bedding. Either way, check the core and reseal it with epoxy if it is exposed, then clean the hull and sea cock, re-bed the sea cock with 5200, let it cure, splash all 48,000 lbs and go boating.
 
Four Suns said:
You must be on that "other" board as well.
Click to expand...

You mean this board? :grin: No thanks, I rather read your stuff.

post.jpg
 
Gary you just want to sthow off you big equipment. No other reason for those pics. And whats up with playing dumb this time? I thought you were a know-it-all!
All jokes aside the boat looks good. Nothing like having everything tuned up/repainted and ready to splash. That day is the best it will look for the rest of the season.

As far as the seacock issue. I was certain this thread woulda brought out some of the boards humor by now. I wouldn't think there should be that much flex around a ~10-12" area to cause something that is through bolted with flanges to leak. Then again these are boats and anythings possible. As long as the remove it, inspect it and properly rebed I wouldn't be worried.
This thread should described you tearing the seacock out with your bare hands to personally inspect the damage along with many pics to document the job!
 
I will have to be honest I was expecting to see about 30 pictures of removing it, troubleshooting, and replacing along with some humorous commentary and some pictures of bruised bloody knuckles and maybe a bloody toe. I guess its not replaced yet though! I am sure there is not another 480 Sedan that has had the care that his has had.

I honestly love to see pictures and documentary of people fixing almost anything on their boat, there is always a lesson to be learned. Gary does a great job of it and he can show off that 480 any day of the week to me, I'll hopefully be looking at one and posting a ton of pictures sooner than later when I find my own priced the way I like and equipped the way I like.
 
Four Suns said:
There was no blocking around this sea cock.
Click to expand...

I guess I have to take the chance and ask a stupid question.

They screwed the seacock base directly to the hullside? Jeezus, you must have have some thick fiberglass there. I've seen ball valves installed without reinforcing blocks, but never a seacock.
 
Later boats discharge waste via a seacock and thru hull in the bottom of the boat, not the hull side. The thru hull is a 2 part assembly that bolts thru the hull bottom.
 
Carver370 said:
I will have to be honest I was expecting to see about 30 pictures of removing it, troubleshooting, and replacing along with some humorous commentary and some pictures of bruised bloody knuckles and maybe a bloody toe. I guess its not replaced yet though! I am sure there is not another 480 Sedan that has had the care that his has had.

I honestly love to see pictures and documentary of people fixing almost anything on their boat, there is always a lesson to be learned. Gary does a great job of it and he can show off that 480 any day of the week to me, I'll hopefully be looking at one and posting a ton of pictures sooner than later when I find my own priced the way I like and equipped the way I like.
Click to expand...

Something tells me given the time of year and the weather, the only photo Gary will be posting of this repair, is a photo of a couple of boat dollars that he paid the yard to take care of the problem.
 
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