[C320-list] Replacing a seacock while in the water

[Chris Burti]

FWIW... I did this job on our old Cal-27 T/2 changing out a failed gate
valve with a proper sea cock...I had a rag and a plug handy, sucked up my
courage and simply screwed the old one off, the new one was open and I
screwed it on several threads and then closed the valve and finished up. No
more than a gallon or two of water came in and the adrenaline rush was
exhilarating to say the least.


On Tue, Jun 10, 2014 at 1:47 PM, Dean Vermeire <dean at vermeire.us> wrote:

> The brass ball valve / seacock on the water inlet for the air conditioner
> on Moonstruck II was a victim to the brutally cold winter we had.
>  Unfortunately, whoever winterized the air conditioner did not get the last
> of the water out of the ball valve.  Furthermore, once the boat was on the
> hard, the same person failed to open the valve to let the last bit of water
> drain out. Yes, I was the guilty party on both counts.
>
> Anyway, the ball valve got a crack in it.  When the boat was launched,
> there was no leakage because the valve was cracked above the ball.
>  However, when the valve was opened water sprayed out through the crack.
>  Not good.
>
> I went and bought a new ball valve.  This one has a drain or waste port on
> it, so that I can just drain out the last bit of water while the valve is
> closed and the boat is in the water.
>
> Having no trailer, I set about to figure out how to change the valve while
> the boat is in the water.  The simple solution I came up with was a rubber
> stopper or live bait well stopper inserted in the thru hull from
> underneath.  Unfortunately, after 8 diving attempts with various sizes of
> stoppers, I was unable to get one to stay in there securely.  So, I decided
> to move on to "Plan B", which was to call the marina and have them deal
> with it.
>
> They changed it out with no problem while the boat was in the water.
>  "How????", I asked.
>
> Here is what they used: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QtNw3m2yIw
>
> I'm sure many of you have seen these before.  I had not.  Gotta get one!
>
> Dean Vermeire
> Moonstruck II (#847)
>



-- 
Chris Burti
Farmville, NC