Despite a successful survey in the autumn I have been concerned about the state of some of Little Scarlet’s seacocks. These are key components of the boat plumbing systems that allow water to pass through the hull: in, to allow engine sea water cooling and heads (toilet!) flushing and out, from the sinks, cockpit drains and heads.
Generally the seacocks have functioned well, but confessional time, the two seacock drains have been neglected. They drain, ie. they are open, but they do not close which could be an issue if the internal pipework failed. For the connoisseurs, the drain seacocks are bronze, and made by Blakes of Gosport and are ‘classic’ fittings but if they are totally seized they will probably need to be replaced.
I am no engineer so have sought help from a variety of marine engineers in and around Portsmouth but they are all extremely busy ... and we have a launch date of the end of the month, the seacocks need to be fixed before then!
Youtube is helpful – lots of reference to penetrating oil - made no difference, lump hammers – made no difference despite hitting hard (!) and the application of heat. Applying heat to a seacock within a GRP boat worried me but with reassurance from some expert marine engineers (thanks John Redington!) and with some desperation, noting the impending launch date, the combination of Nigel’s carefully directed blow torch and a some extremely hearty blows with a lump hammer and drift up though the valve eventually shifted the valves. Much relief! The valves will now be re-seated using valve paste and I promise I’ll remember to maintain every year!
By the way – we do carry a range of wooden bungs so if my plumbing fails we do have a back-up!
