Posted by Alan Kusinitz (akusinitz@…>)
I understand why grease would be useful on
the seacock (this is certainly true for bronze but I’m not familiar with marelon)
but leakage from the seacock when the handle is open should not impact leakage into
the balsa core. That would occur if the bedding compound failed whether or not the
valve was open or closed.
I would dry the inside and outside where you
get the moisture readings (maybe using a hair dryer as well) while its out of the
water, wait a few days then take the readings again. If it still indicates moisture
I would either
- remove the thru hull, grind back and epoxy
the balsa if there and dry, reinstall and rebed, or
- Determine if the the hull is cored at
that point (you can look inside and follow down to the keel and if you see a significant
change in thickness its pretty obvious that’s where the balsa ends) you
could carefully drill one or a few small holes going through the inner glass
into the balsa (but not though the out glass) and essentially get core samples.
If its dry then just epoxy the holes with filler or glass over. If its wet
there’s more repair to do.
Personally I would resolve the problem
before relaunching. If it leaks once back in the water then you either wait
until next winter and live with the leak and any additional balsa damage or you
have the added expense of rehauling the boat to fix the problem.
If it turns out to not be a core problem
but just a thruhull/seacock problem personally I’d remove and replace the
thruhull. A good wrench and rubber hammer usually are sufficient unless 5200
was used as the bedding compound.
Alan
From:
freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com [mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of sweeneyscrod
Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2007
6:22 PM
To:
freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [freedomyachts2003] Re:
marelon seacock
— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com,
“Alan Kusinitz”
<akusinitz@…> wrote:
Moisture reading can be misleading but shouldn’t be ignored. If they
were
taken in the water (from the inside of the hull) or if there was any
condensation on the inside or outside the hull they are probably
inaccurate.
If the throughulls are in a part of the hull with the balsa core it is
possible there is a leak around one of the throughhulls that doesn’t get
into the boat but is wetting the core in that area. Eventually this
could
lead to rot of the balsa but its unlikely there’s any imminent risk
to the
boat/sinking. I don’t follow why greasing the seacock would make a
difference since no water is intruding into the boat and the moisture
reading appears to be in the hull/core.
I have a moisture reader and have gotten readings that turned out to be
erroneous but usually its been correct unless there’s a metal
backing plate,
condensation, wiring, or things just haven’t dried out (like doing
it right
away after hauling the boat).
I had a small leak at one of my throughhulls (the only one that
wasn’t put
in originally through fiberglass molded tube) that went through the
balsa
(on my 33 the balsa goes past the turn of the bilge and then its solid
fiberglass). It was a small leak around the base of the throughhull.
I had
the throughhull removed and rebedded. The balsa was fine but I ground it
back and added epoxy filler and then reinstalled the thruhull and
rebedded
it. Wasn’t a big job just required some torque.
On my 33 any water that comes up with the anchor chain drains from
the bow
down under the quarter berth down to the bilge. But my 1982 F-33 is
quite
different from your 1988 Mull.
Alan F-33 Hull #51 SEAPR
I checked out a new seacock at West Marine and it says on the label to
grease with Lanocote 2x a year(altho the tech at Forespar says not to
use Lanocote-says it’s too thick). I’ve never greased the seacock.
I’ve owned the boat for two seasons. The seacock leaks inside the
boat if it’s not completely in the 45 degree closed position. The
handle actually goes past the point of being perpendicular-closed,then
there’s a slight dribble into the boat. When it’s closed it doesn’t
leak.I did not open it all the way so I don’t know if it leaks when
fully open?? I was afraid to mess with it cause it was fine when
closed.Is the handle supposed to go past the point of 45 degrees? I
got the moisture reading a few days ago outside the boat after being
laid up for three months. I was all set to replace it but the yard
manager said to leave it alone for now and just keep an eye on it.
This is an original seacock-I wonder if mine goes through a fiberglass
tube. The thruhull is on the bottom of the hull where it’s flat. I
thought the whole hull was cored??? Thanks for your help.
From: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of sweeneyscrod
Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2007 12:16 PM
To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [freedomyachts2003] marelon seacock
I own a 1988 Mull Freedom 28. I get
moisture readings(not severe)on
the hull in between the two seacocks for the head. Has anyone else had
this problem? Don’t know if the seacock/s are the problem? They do
not leak in the boat. I do get water in the forward cabin at the base
of the mast on the port side. This area is less than a foot away from
where I’m getting the moisture readings. The water from here seems to
drain into the bilge. Are the seacocks bedded in fiberglass? Are they
difficult to remove from the hull? There is no sign of delamination in
the area. The yard manager told me not to worry about it and said it
would be difficult to remove the through hull. A technician at
Forespar(maker of the seacock) said to lubricate it with a silicone
based grease. Can anyone recommend a product? Please help I don’t want
my boat to sink!!!
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