Finding a Discharge Thru Hull assy

[A71busman]

Hello to all... Im trying to locate a Thru hull valve assembly for my head. Its the discharge valve that allows you to empty your tank if over 3 miles offshore. My problem is the inside part of the valve is weeping and Id like to replace it during my haul out. I have found the actual " thru hull " part where it mounts to the hull and is secured by 5200 and a nut but I cant seem to locate the open/ close portion of it. Is this something I should upgrade to a large sea cock? Im guessing this is the original on my 66 Cheoy Lee. It has a big square nut on one end and the boat came with a special wrench to open and close it with. We are planning a trip to the keys this winter and would like to eliminate all weeping thru hull valves before we launch. Thanks ahead for any replies...

[Sailmonkey]

I'm confused.......you say you need a seacock, then you explain how you have one? Do you want to replace your seacock or repair it?
From the photos it looks like you can disassemble and lap the plug so the valve will stop leaking.

[Cheechako]

I cant tell from the pic. The handle goes on the big square part... but is there there a nut on the opposite side? If so, as Sailmonkey mentioned, it's a tapered plug seacock or valve. You should be able to remove the nut, tap lightly on the end and take the tapered plug out. Clean it up well with fine sand paper... like 400 grit wet/dry type. Then lube it with lanolin or proper grease and install it back in... just enough tension on the nut so it turns smoothly but not bound up and not too loose.
If it is threaded onto a thru hull fitting as you indicate, you might just consider relacing the whole thing with a one piece seacock if you can spare the money. Groco or Spartan are good.

[rw58ph]

Being its a corroded I would replace the whole thing, including the hose. You might ant to eliminate all together and pump to the holding tank, and then install a macerating pump to pump the tank out. That way you do not have a through hull below the water line open that can get stuck. At least replace with a through hull that can be easily open/closed.

[Cheechako]

If it's bronze, being green doesnt mean it's corroded. It's just a cuprous oxide layer that forms on the bronze.

[A71busman]

Thanks for the replies. I have removed the nut before but sitting in the slip is not the place to do it lol. It is a brass fitting and probably could be cleaned up but with the rust/ corrosion/ oxidation going on, I would be better off replacing it. I DO have a macerator pump installed in line from the tank but because of the weeping I have not used it. My holding capacity is only 13 gallons so it would be nice to use this feature. I am interested in eliminating the valve completely if I could. Would you want the new valve above the water line?

[A71busman]

I meant bronze valve, not brass.

[rw58ph]

Originally Posted by A71busman

Thanks for the replies. I have removed the nut before but sitting in the slip is not the place to do it lol. It is a brass fitting and probably could be cleaned up but with the rust/ corrosion/ oxidation going on, I would be better off replacing it. I DO have a macerator pump installed in line from the tank but because of the weeping I have not used it. My holding capacity is only 13 gallons so it would be nice to use this feature. I am interested in eliminating the valve completely if I could. Would you want the new valve above the water line?

I would eliminate as many though hulls below the water line as possible, and replace with above the water line though hulls and pump up and over the water line. I hope you close the through hulls below the water line when not being used. I have a pump after the holding tank so the tank can be pump up and above the water line. Our head is electric with a macerator built in. Our holding tank is 50 gallons which I stalled to replace a 20 gallon which was to small.

[zeehag]

i have had entire thru hull fittings and seacocks replaced in water. takes 2 people and a plunger. and persistence and correct parts and tools in hand when doing this work. should take only a couple of hours total.

weeping fittings means replace asap. sometimes is the thru hull fitting itself and sometimes is the seacock part. figure out which part is bad and replace it. if you have not yet done this, find a good diver who has done this so you can save the boat and money. is not necessary to haul for replacing these items if you have a GOOD diver.

[Sailmonkey]

If you want to replace it, I'd replace the mushroom, and use a Groco flanged adapter with a ball valve and hose barb. Neat easy strong and easy to replace the valve if needed.

[AbaftAndBaffled]

Originally Posted by zeehag

i have had entire thru hull fittings and seacocks replaced in water. takes 2 people and a plunger.

If you're doing it the way I'm envisioning in my head, you're suctioning the thru-hull outside of the boat and then removing everything inside... how do you get the wider outer portion of the thru-hull on the outside without sinking?! :?

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by AbaftAndBaffled

If you're doing it the way I'm envisioning in my head, you're suctioning the thru-hull outside of the boat and then removing everything inside... how do you get the tapered portion of the thru-hull on the outside without sinking?! :?

I've never changed a whole thru hull fitting in the water, but I have installed several new ones in the water. The deluge isn't bad at all of properly planned for.

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by AbaftAndBaffled

If you're doing it the way I'm envisioning in my head, you're suctioning the thru-hull outside of the boat and then removing everything inside... how do you get the wider outer portion of the thru-hull on the outside without sinking?! :?

Toilet plunger inside boat-method.

Drive tapered wooden plug into thruhull from outside
remove old valve assembly and nut.
place deep plunger over interior thruhull threaded section.
bear down and push thruhull to exterior- plunger against hull prevents inrush of water
Diver pushes new caulked thruhull into place-holds in place with wooden plug.
nut and valve assembly replaced inside boat.
( helps if diver has the "stepped" tool used to prevent thruhull from turning while nut is being tightened.)

practice on land with new fittings before diving in.

[AbaftAndBaffled]

Our thru-hulls wouldn't budge with that method... we had an incident while we were installing one of ours and if the 4200 had set, nothing short of a sabersaw would remove it. Good to know though!