Seacock Maintenance

[SVMorningStar]

We are on the hard for a bottom job. Although I know that seacocks should be inspected/lubricated when the boat is out of the water, I have been unable to find any information on HOW to do it. I have a series of 7 Marelon ball seacocks and at least 1 is frozen (a scupper so it's not that big a deal but I'd still like to get it operational). The rest move freely and easily. Can anyone give me an idea about how to tackle this job?

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by SVMorningStar

We are on the hard for a bottom job. Although I know that seacocks should be inspected/lubricated when the boat is out of the water, I have been unable to find any information on HOW to do it. I have a series of 7 Marelon ball seacocks and at least 1 is frozen (a scupper so it's not that big a deal but I'd still like to get it operational). The rest move freely and easily. Can anyone give me an idea about how to tackle this job?

Check the forespar website...I think they have the instructions there...

Marelon needs to be moved regularly from my experience...monthly or so...a good squirt of teflon based grease might be all they need and worked...but I'm not sure if the handle area needs anything....best to check directly with Forespar.

[Blue Stocking]

Didyou try advanced search on this forum.
Asked and answered many times

[GordMay]

MAINTENANCE
Maintenance is simple. Simply activate the valves on a regular basis and lubricate with winch grease, Lanacote®, or water pump grease twice a year.
Marelon® is UV stabilized and will not deteriorate in sunlight.

➥ http://www.forespar.com/pdf/techTips...aintenance.pdf

➥ http://www.forespar.com/pdf/techTips...bing-chart.pdf

[SVMorningStar]

Thanks. I'll check those places out.

[HopCar]

Be careful with your frozen Marlon seacock. The stem between the handle and the ball is a weak point. I tried to force one and it broke. The best way to maintain them is to move them often. A little non petroleum grease once in a while won't hurt.

[SVMorningStar]

I was able to get the stuck one to move this afternoon, though not the whole way. I think if I can get the lubricant in there, it will probably loosen the rest of the way up. It was already that way when we bought the boat. I just didn't want to address it earlier while it was in the water for obvious reasons.

[Mark Zarley]

Remove the drain plug, usually has a square head. Install an appropiate grease zert and give it a couple of pumps. Lubed up quite nicely.

[Chief Engineer]

I don't think Marelon seacocks have those

[Mark Zarley]

Chief, another cruiseheimer moment on my part, was thinking about the brassy ones not the plastic ones.

[HopCar]

Mark, That's very good advise for the tapered cone type seacock but you can blow the teflon seats out of the ball valve types by pumping grease into them, bronze or plastic.

[pillum]

There was a good report on seacock inspection in the June 2011 issue of Yachting Monthly, I'll PM it to you since there may be copyright issues if I post it here.