Locking Fresh Water Deck Fill ?

[SvenG]

I've looked for locking fresh water deck fill fittings but all I can find are those labeled Gas or Diesel.

I'd just like to make sure that only we open the fill and put stuff in there, I'm not worried that anyone will steal our water. I do worry that some inattentive in-slip pump-out service will hook up to the wrong fitting when doing their business while we are away.

Ideas ?

Thanks,



-Sven

[daddle]

Duck tape & marking pen in the local language?

[matauwhi]

G'day, mate, Just install a valve below the deck (if you have good access) in the fill line. Cheers.

[hellosailor]

Sven, if you have a metal fill plate, you could probably take it to a machine shop, have then fill in the keyway with a fast bead of weld, and polish it down again. Then have them stamp in a different keyway, i.e. a Torx fitting or other "security" bit fitting, so that you can easily open it with the right tool--but not a conventional fill plate key.

Plastic fill plate, same idea, but you could use MarineTex to fill the original keyway.

[barnakiel]

We got ourselves some stickers (picture attached).

I will place one on our water fills, one on our anchor float and one on the engine (only when we expect a visit from an engine mechanic).

They seem to work just fine.

barnie

[h20man]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

We got ourselves some stickers (picture attached).

I will place one on our water fills, one on our anchor float and one on the engine (only when we expect a visit from an engine mechanic).

They seem to work just fine.

barnie

Barnie,
these stickers are great.... ! I think that by putting them on the boat (also in containers I do not want people looking through) I can get an all expense paid trip to Cuba... when I try to clear American Customs.... no?

[SV Demeter]

What do you do when the locks corrode from sea water sluicing down the decks on passage?

[marshmat]

Barnie- cute, but you can get in quite a bit of trouble for displaying that particular sign if the hazard itself isn't present. If you can come up with a good reason to leave some gutted smoke alarms lying around, though....

Sven, I'd think hellosailor's solution ought to work. Another option is to put the fill under some sort of lockable cover, like those plastic boxes that they put over thermostats in apartment buildings- fine if it's on a coaming, perhaps not so great for a deck mounted fill.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by SV Escape Plan

What do you do when the locks corrode from sea water sluicing down the decks on passage?

I think that's a good point. Marking the fills, putting duck tape over them or filling the slots and putting some other sort of keyway in the caps seem like more reliable and troublefree ideas.

[barnakiel]

SS? plastic? bronze?

Corrode - like what? Yours in soft steel?

b.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

SS? plastic? bronze?

Corrode - like what? Yours in soft steel?

b.

You are not going to find one where all the internal parts of the lock are made of stainless steel or plastic. The cylinder and tumblers are most likely made of brass with steel springs.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by rwidman

You are not going to find one where all the internal parts of the lock are made of stainless steel or plastic. The cylinder and tumblers are most likely made of brass with steel springs.

FYI A lot of springs are made with inconel, a non-ferros metal. I've had some Navy issue locks on my boats for 35 years and they still work fine.

Back to the cap. You could also put a screw in between the cap and flange to keep it from turning. one would have to go through extra effort to get the cap off and may notice what it is.

[barnakiel]

OK. I did not get it is about some special locks!

We only have the screw-in type caps here that show no signs of corrosion ever. We do not have locks.

barnie

[osirissail]

The best answer so far is simply large labels or placards mounted at each deck fill that in large letters - names what the deck fill is for. You can have plastic placard/plates cut at a sign stores and then screw them down beside each deck fill.