Freeing a Frozen Seacock Valve

[cabo_sailor]

I'm rather fond of dry ice if you can find it. I've used it to free up distributers on car engines. Place some in a dish towel and wrap around for a few minutes. Have a plug handy just in case but the volume of water should be easy for the bilge pump. Many years ago a sailing instructor pulled the speed transducer out. He kept lecturing for about 10-15 min.

No problem.

Rich


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[skiggy]

Hi, that reply from sailormed is brilliant, I have never seen a Seabung before but wiil get one or two as soon as possible. They would also be a Godsend in an emergency. Good luck with your seacocks. I have got into the habit of WD 40ing mine once a month and giving them a good workout, because I too had your problem though not stuck solid . Thank you sailormed.

[Blue Crab]

Exercising! So easy to say ... So hard to do.

[YellowcakeMan]

I have had great success by applying Liquid Wrench, waiting 24 hours, and then tapping the handle with a RUBBER mallet, alternating directions. Some have taken several hundred taps, but I freed 17 of 17 on my new (used) boat using this method, with no apparent damage.

Once you get them freed, put them on a monthly schedule for cycling to prevent re-occurrence.

[Maine Sail]

That appears to be a Blakes tapered cone. The best way of removing a frozen cone requires tapping it back in towards the boat from outside. The cone should be moving away from/out of the tapered valve body. Banging on the handle end only serves to drive it deeper into the taper and make removal even harder. An oak or maple dowel sized to fit snugly inside the cone, and distribute force to the underside of the head of the cone, works well.

Please do not attempt to free this in the water. If you break it you'd be in a real predicament...

[sestina]

Undo all the bolts, nuts and knighting plates. Then insert a short length of dowel from the outside and hit the dowel with a mallet. Easy peasy.

Clean, lightly grease and replace. Don't do it up too hard or it'll never move. My boat's Blake seacocks are barely finger tight.

[tinkrman69]

Some cylinder cocks have a small set screw on the body to one side or the other. usually has a square head. make sure yours doesn't or that it is loose, before getting too far. many of the other good post don't need repeating here

[andeeman]

Originally Posted by Kismet36

Hello fellow forum users,
I have a 1984 Westerly, which is a British boat. The brass valve assembly which controls the seawater coming into the head is closed and won't budge. I certainly don't want to force it too much. It can be taken apart easily, but I don't plan on pulling the boat. Short of going in to the cold Chesapeake to put a plug in the thru hull, and then removing the valve to clean and regrease it, does anyone have a good idea on how to get that to move again. Any advice, besides "use WD40", is greatly appreciated.

Hi, I too live on the Chesapeake with a Westerly Fulmar. I have the exact same problem my head seacocks (two of them) both Blake's. Were you able to solve the problem without pulling your Corsair out of the water? I'd be interested in any advice.

Cheers!

[Kolchac]

Some gentlemen advise to use heat or cold. Big mistake! Heat will damage a fiberglass hull for sure, you will not even notice, 90 C will be enough.
I have same problem, and I will fill a seacock with Liquid Wrench, when the boat is on lend.