[C320-list] seacock access

[jim brown]

I put a deck plate inspection port in the panel just behind the engine cover.I can reach in and open both the engine intake and air intake (that I close when sailing so I don't have to bleed the system) and check the packing nut temp without taking the berth apart. We use 2 sheets on the mattress so I can just lift the aft piece, open the plate, and open or close just by feel (when the shaft is not rotating) close the plate  and tuck in the sheet  Still a bit of a pain but not much. My wife likes it a lot. 

Jim Brown

      From: Dean Vermeire <dean at vermeire.us>
 To: C320-List at Catalina320.com 
 Sent: Friday, June 5, 2015 5:26 PM
 Subject: Re: [C320-list] seacock access
   
Someone on the list a while ago suggested putting a deck plate, similar 
to 
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--screw-in-deck-plate-4-smooth-white--11743002, 
above the thru hull.

Seems like a good idea.

On 6/5/2015 3:45 PM, Bill Lowe wrote:
>  What about cutting out a 3 or 4" circle right above the thru hull with a hole saw. Then gluing a thin piece of something, (slightly larger than) to the piece that was cut out so you could set it back in the hole to support the mattress. Maybe you could reach under the mattress, remove the piece and reach the seacock that way. ?I haven't looked in the boat to see if this would work.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeff Hare <Catalina at thehares.com>
> To: C320-List <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
> Sent: Fri, Jun 5, 2015 3:24 pm
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] seacock access
>
>  
>  
>  
> I think if you really want to solve this raw water intake valve access
> problem there are really only a few choices.
>  
> 1)  Alter the wooden cover board behind the aft engine cover so that you
> easily reach under the mattress and operate the valve without needing to
> disturb the aft cabin bed or wrestle the board out from under the aft engine
> cover.  You might even find a way to hinge the board so that you could prop
> the mattress up with it so you could access the strainer.
>  
> 2)  Change the location of the raw water intake valve.  The valve is about 4
> feet of hose away from the pump.  You could put a new thru-hull and possibly
> a larger raw water strainer under the galley sink.  "More mature" hulls like
> yours would probably have to add the access door under the nav station like
> the "less mature" hulls have.  (not that we wanna spend too much time
> talking about how your mature your hull is... :)
>  
> 3) Find some way to add an access door just aft of the rear engine cover.
> You'd probably have to Re-locate the raw water strainer.
>  
> 4) Replace the thruhull with a Groco E-Valve.
>  
> Door #1 would be the best choice in my opinion...
>  
> Yea, it's a pain but I can reach in and open/close it without needing to see
> it, so it's not risen to the level of being in need of change.
>  
> -Jeff Hare
> #809
>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf
> Of Warren Updike
> Sent: Friday, June 5, 2015 2:27 PM
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] seacock access
>  
> Boy, I'd love to find a workable solution for this. Forespar does not have a
> catalog product but can custom make a remote operated valve for $300-400. If
> interested, contact Art Bandy, via the contact web page:
> http://www.forespar.com/support/contactUs.shtml
>  
> I was thinking of a mechanical solution such as an actuator cable that can
> be manually operated without crawling under the bed. Perhaps a rotating
> solution such that the cable can be attached to the handle with the axis of
> the cable aligned with the axis of the valve. An issue would be the torque
> necessary to turn the handle vs the specs of the cable. Teleflex cables are
> used on our engines; but, that is a longitudinal force vs a rotating force.
> Any thoughts?
>  
> Warren and Pattie Updike
> 1994 C320 "Warr de Mar" #62
>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bill Lowe [mailto:wflowe3 at aim.com]
> Sent: Thursday, June 04, 2015 6:26 AM
> To: c320-list at catalina320.com
> Subject: [C320-list] seacock access
>  
>  Has anyone devised an easier way to get to the raw water seacock??
>  
>  
>  
>  
>
>    
>
>
>
>