# Closing seacocks



## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

We have 20 thru hulls, with seacocks, that I can count off the top of my head. A half dozen or so more for three bilge pumps, underwater lights, etc. When we leave our boat for more than a run ashore, we close nearly all our thru hull seacocks. In particular, we close the raw water intake for the main engine and generator. If they broke, they would most certainly overwhelm the bilge pump in time. We also close all the waterline thru hulls, such as the sink drains as well as the intakes for the heads and other accessories. We can't or don't close 100% of our thru hulls, as we leave the dehumidifier on, which requires that we leave the air conditioning thru hulls open. The washdown pump also stays open, because it is very difficult to get to (not a good reason, but the truth and I worry about it).

When at anchor or the dock for any period of time, I will typically close the main and/or genset thru hulls, if not being used. I will leave the rest open, if we are only going ashore for a number of hours, not days. Otherwise, everything gets shut down.

I recently had an experience where it seems very possible that the yard mechanics ran my engine up without opening the seawater thru hull and killed the impeller. Ironically, they claimed they knew they had to open it, because we are "the only boat in the marina that closes it when we leave". 

I found it hard to believe, not to mention being a better argument for why they might forget. 

Nevertheless, let's sound off. Do you close your thru hulls when you leave your boat?


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

Minnewaska said:


> Nevertheless, let's sound off. Do you close your thru hulls when you leave your boat?


Nope.


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## sachemgfp (Jun 6, 2006)

When leaving the boat for more than a day we close ALL seacocks except the scupper and bilge pump drains. I agree the engine inlet could overcome the bilge pump very quickly.


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## christyleigh (Dec 17, 2001)

No.


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## DrB (Mar 29, 2007)

*All except scuppers*

But we have only 6 in total.


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## cruisingdream (Feb 7, 2007)

no


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Both last season and already this season, I've seen nothing but a mast sticking up from a slip in our marina. Attention getting. Although, both were problems immediately after launching.


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## Ajax_MD (Nov 24, 2009)

Minnewaska said:


> *We have 20 thru hulls, with seacocks, that I can count off the top of my head.* <snip>
> 
> Nevertheless, let's sound off. Do you close your thru hulls when you leave your boat?


Oh. My. God.

My answer:
The engine seacock is shut whenever I leave the boat. I leave the head's seawater intake seacock open in the warmer months and leave it shut all the time during the winter months. The overboard discharge is never opened except to periodically cycle the valve for maintenance.

My cockpit drains, and sink drains are standpipes with no valve. The cockpit drains are above the waterline.

I do admire your "submarine level" of paranoia. Cycling nearly 20 seacocks on a frequent basis sounds like a chore.


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## copacabana (Oct 1, 2007)

20 seacocks Minnewaska???!!!!!! No wonder you don't close them all! That's a full-time job!

On my boat I have tried to reduce all holes in the hull and I've got it down to 4: washdown pump intake (always closed except for the few times I've used the pump), head sink outlet (always closed when sailing), galley sink outlet and engine raw water intake. All are easily reached without having to move stuff around. I close all of them when I leave the boat. I also removed any through-hull transducers and paddlewheels (speed) in favour of 2 in-hull fishfinder transducers. Speed (SOG) I get from my GPS, although I miss the speed through the water data I used to have. I feel more comfortable leaving my boat now. Installing a composting toilet and removing 2 through-hulls gave me great peace of mind, especially after reading somewhere that toilets are the number one cause of boat sinkings (siphoning water back into the boat).


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

20+ ... holy sheet! How is that even possible? LOL

No, I don't close ours, but then I only have three


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

Yes, I close them all, except cockpit drains. I only have 5. 

When I purchased the boat every seacock was seized open. The PO never closed them.
I took them all apart cleaned and lubricated them; replaced all the hoses and clamps and maintain them that way.

The 1st thing I look for when starting the engine is waterflow.


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## copacabana (Oct 1, 2007)

T37Chef, I'm curious... what are your 3 seacocks?


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## celenoglu (Dec 13, 2008)

Closing seacocks is a good measure. On the other hand even bronze does give away in sea water. You cannot see the difference by checking the thru hull. Make sure you replace them every ten years. If it breaks the sea **** will not protect.


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

copacabana:869080 said:


> T37Chef, I'm curious... what are your 3 seacocks?


Ooops, 4 total...Engine, head (closed always), head sink (wash down pump and head intake also use this), galley sink.


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## SimonV (Jul 6, 2006)

Typically NO, but I do close the head seacock if leaving the boat for more than a day.


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## CarbonSink62 (Sep 29, 2011)

I'm not in the water yet (2 days!) but my projected answer goes like this:

Yes, but I only have 2 (head intake and sink/ice box drain).


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

Minnewaska said:


> Nevertheless, let's sound off. Do you close your thru hulls when you leave your boat?


Yes, absolutely...... We have six and it takes me less than 45 seconds to close them all..


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## saillife (Jun 25, 2006)

Yes!!!!
I have four, 2 sinks, head, engine. The key for the engine hangs on the lever for the engine seacock.


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

Minnewaska said:


> Nevertheless, let's sound off. Do you close your thru hulls when you leave your boat?


Yes.


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## cb32863 (Oct 5, 2009)

If I had them on my boat I would. I am planning on adding them during the next off season.


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## Kenn43 (Feb 3, 2012)

Yes. Those that I can. I have 5 thru-hulls and close all except the 2 cockpit scupper seacocks.


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## sebez (Aug 23, 2011)

I usually only get down to the boat ever couple of weeks and when I leave all the seacocks get closed. Peace of mind and it exercises the valves. I do like the idea of hanging the engine key on the engine intake seacock


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## arf145 (Jul 25, 2007)

We always close the seacocks when we leave the boat. We have 4: engine water, galley sink, head sink, and toilet flush water. The toilet one is always closed now, a good thing, because it would be a slight pain to do every time.

I would turn around and go back to the boat if it occurred to me that I'd forgotten--I've seen a sunken sailboat in a slip--sad and scary.


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## Kenn43 (Feb 3, 2012)

I also like the idea of hanging the engine key on the engine intake seacock. Plan on giving it a try.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

Yes if leaving the boat for a period of time (in days). No when Living aboard/cruising. Only exception is when anchored for a period of time, we close main and sometimes generator.

I am a big proponent of exercising your seacocks. I am also of the mind that they should stay closed if you are leaving the boat for the weekend or week or something similar. But that is just me.

Brian

Lets see: 8 sea cocks. Only 8 because I intentionally plumbed to minimize holes in the boat/sea cocks.


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

SVAuspicious said:


> Nope.


Below the waterline:

1. Washdown intake
2. Port galley sink drain
3. Starboard galley sink drain
4. Starboard deck drains
5. Port deck drains
6. Starboard cockpit drain (with seat drain)
7. Port cockpit drain
8. Main engine cooling inlet
9. Generator cooling inlet
10. Generator cooling outlet
11. Head sink drain
12. Head inlet
13. Head outlet
14. A/C cooling inlet

Above the waterline:

15. Forward A/C outlet
16. Aft A/C outlet
17. Main bilge
18. High bilge
19. Manual bilge
20. Shower sump
21. Generator dry exhaust
22. Main engine wet exhaust
23. Diesel heater exhaust

I'm on the boat most of the day almost every day. I carefully inspect the hoses and cycle the valves quarterly. That's working for me.


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## rockDAWG (Sep 6, 2006)

Minnewaska said:


> We have 20 thru hulls, with seacocks, that I can count off the top of my head.
> 
> Closing seacocks


May be you can get a SPOT II (if you don't have one yet) and hot wired to a flood sensor to send you a text message when you boat is about to sink.  Damn closing 20 seacocks is lot of work. I am just sayin'


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

I actually really like the Sea Chest idea that is commong on many Tayanas. Basically, it is one larger hole in the boat a the very bottom with a very large strainer that feeds everthing. Sure does make a leak quick to stop. I am sure there is some nautical reason why Catalina or Bene or most other manufacturers do not use a Sea Chest (probably cost) bu is still seems like the way to go to me. 

If I had 20 sea cocks, I can guarantee you I would be looking for a way to start reducing them. For example, I have a washdown pump. I could have put in a whole new Thull for it. Instead, I pulled off the shower drain. No biggie. I pulled for a watermaker off of my Air Conditioner. I figure I will not run them both at the same time anyways and the AC is furthest forward in the boat. The Gen and engine have their own Thull, which Ii agree with, but Catalina put those in anyways. 

Anyways, random thoughts.

Brian


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

Minnewaska said:


> We have 20 thru hulls, with seacocks, that I can count off the top of my head.
> 
> Nevertheless, let's sound off. Do you close your thru hulls when you leave your boat?


Dude, 20? That's not a boat that's a floating one of these:










I always close my 2 seacocks. The dudes around here have scared the hell out of me.


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

Cruisingdad said:


> I actually really like the Sea Chest idea that is commong on many Tayanas. Anyways, random thoughts.
> 
> Brian


I believe Caliber has been using this idea for a while now?


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## Barquito (Dec 5, 2007)

I close my 3 seacocks every time I leave the boat (usually for a week). There are still a number of thru-hulls w/o seacocks: rudder stuffing box, shaft stuffing box, two cockpit scuppers, knotmeter wheel. I would imagine a good drip would sink most boats in a week.


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## bristol299bob (Apr 13, 2011)

I close all seacocks, except the 2 cockpit drains, when I leave the boat unattended. To avoid the possibility of starting the engine without raw water open, I leave the key looped on the raw water seacock.


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## casey1999 (Oct 18, 2010)

I close all except the two cockpit drain valves (need to stay open to drain rain water).

I also have this remote monitor which will call my cell phone for high bilge water or low battery voltage. The company has been bought by Mcdermott Light and Signal. Gives me peace of mind if away from boat. Figure if I get high water alarm I can get to boat and solve problem before she sinks.
Boatsense Solutions
The unit is now monitored by:
Marine Navigation Lights by McDermott
Contact Mcdermott Light if you are interested in purchasing.

This unit has multiple normal open or normal closed contacts- you can wire these as an intruder alarm, smoke alarm, low temp, high temp or whatever you like. The unit will text message of the abnormal condition.


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## captainrizzo (Feb 24, 2008)

I don't close mine during the sailing season.


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## priscilla (Mar 20, 2000)

No


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## CapnBilll (Sep 9, 2006)

SVAuspicious said:


> Below the waterline:
> 
> 1. Washdown intake - Tee'd to another intake
> 2. Port galley sink drain - Above the waterline
> ...


If it don't need to be below waterline eliminate it, if it does, then locate near a hatch so you can close it.


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## SloopJonB (Jun 6, 2011)

A friends Hunter has the best seacock setup I've seen. The head, galley and engine are all clustered around the companionway so under the galley sole is a pit with all the seacocks, strainer etc. clustered in one place, labelled, plugs wired to each and everything right at hand - very slick.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

I close all 6 every time I leave the boat--even if it's for just a couple hours.

Gary


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## jrd22 (Nov 14, 2000)

I close them all except the cockpit drains, bilge pumps and the exhaust valve (above waterline). Like others have said we leave the ignition key on the raw water inlet valve.


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## Alden68 (Mar 21, 2007)

I closed all 7 every time I left the boat if I wanted peace of mind ashore. I replaced the cockpit drain thru-hulls, seacocks and hoses when I bought the boat knowing that they would always remain open. I usually closed the engine, head intake & discharge if not being used when ON the boat. Why not? The alternative could really suck.


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## MedSailor (Mar 30, 2008)

Minnewaska said:


> We have 20 thru hulls...
> 
> ... Do you close your thru hulls when you leave your boat?


Mother of God. 20 through hulls Really? Maybe it's what's making your hull stronger....

This reminds me of an old Boeing joke. You might appreciate this. 

So with the 787 being built of new fancy composite material Boeing was learning the hard way with some of the structural parts. Most embarrassing of these was that they were having a hell of a time keeping the wings on. 
They kept adding more and more reinforcement to the composite and every time they would mount the wings they would fall off.

It got to the point where the engineers were so embarrassed that they started mounting the new wing-box at night, so that _if_ if fell off again nobody would see.

Well it did fall off again and the only person to see it happen was the janitor. He laughed at the engineers each time it would happen without holding back. One night, after the wings fell off again one engineer, in a fit of rage asked the janitor "What? You got a better idea??"

The janitor said, "yeah I do. But you'd never listen."

"Oh yeah, so what's your idea?"

The janitor wiped tears from his eyes and said, "drill a bunch of 1/2 inch holes, one inch apart right along this line where the wing joins the fuselage."

Needless to say, the engineers laughed him out of the hangar and banned him from working there at nights where they were testing the wing-box.

After failure and failure and failure again, one engineer finally suggested not increasing the size of the composite attachment and suggested trying the engineer's idea. They were desperate, and tried it in secret and low and behold it held! They tried every stress test imaginable but the wings would not come off!

Finally they sheepishly went back to the janitor and asked him how he knew that drilling a line of holes through the most important part of the structure would hold????

He said, "You guys and all your education never pay attention to anything. I don't know anything about composites, but I can tell you from working with toilet paper for the last 40 years that NOTHING will tear along a perforated line!"

Now, in answer to your question. No, I never close my through hulls when leaving the boat unless it's for more than a month. Properly maintained, they don't leak. I maintain them. They stay open. They're more likely to come undone underway with stresses of the hull and floating debris to hit right? Why would they suddenly fail at the dock?

By the way, I found a picture of the original hull mold for the Jenneau 54. I've attached it here:









MedSailor


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## rjcaudle (Jun 27, 2010)

I have 6, and usually don't close because I am lazy. But I think I should.


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## Gust14882 (Nov 30, 2010)

My little Gust has but one (for the galley sink) and it is kept closed except when in use.

Life is so much simpler with a smaller boat...


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

MedSailor said:


> Mother of God. 20 through hulls Really? Maybe it's what's making your hull stronger....
> 
> This reminds me of an old Boeing joke. You might appreciate this.
> 
> ...


That's a classic!!!


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## chrisncate (Jan 29, 2010)

Huh, 20 seacocks.. 

And I feel guilty with 2..


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## chrisncate (Jan 29, 2010)

I recommend Minn changes over to gate valves on the 20 holes. 

Make your life interesting, live on the edge! Rebel out...


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Swiss cheese, colander, all funny. Saw 'em coming from a mile away. Remember, we're talking about a boat with three full heads plus a dedicated shower room. Add the galley and that is 5 sinks alone! Still, I don't deny it's quite a few thru hills......... We do have a dedicated cabinet in the salon with every type of plug available. Packs of traditional dowels, that big soft cone thing, a bucket of stay afloat, etc. It also accounts for the 3 bilge pumps: an electric primary, an electric backup, and an installed hand pump. All with fully dedicated and independent hoses and thru hulls. Oh yea, a high water bilge alarm as well.

Here are ones that I close each time I leave for days.

Main engine intake
Genset intake
Aft shower sump
Aft shower sink drain
Washing machine drain
Aft head floor sump
Aft head sink drain
Aft head raw water intake
Prop seal
Forward port head sink drain
Forward port head floor sump
Forward port head raw water intake
Forward stbd head sink drain
Forward stbd head floor sump
Forward stbd head raw water intake
Macerator outlet (already closed)
Galley sink drain
Dishwasher drain

Left open:

2 separate air conditioning raw water intakes (hey, 2 of the 3 are combined!) and 3 separate drains
Deck washdown pump intake
2 cockpit drains

Geesh, that's 26 seacocks and you thought 20 was bad? Still have more without seacocks..... 3 bilge pump outlets, speedo wheel and four underwater lights.

All the seacocks are contained in 6 distinct locations. I can open/close them all in under 2 mins, in my sleep. And I do.

It's been interesting to see the diametric approaches. I've seen several boats go down over unattended leaks. I am surprised at how many really leave the vulnerability while away for extended periods, but it's your call.


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

MedSailor said:


> Now, in answer to your question. No, I never close my through hulls when leaving the boat unless it's for more than a month. Properly maintained, they don't leak. I maintain them. They stay open. They're more likely to come undone underway with stresses of the hull and floating debris to hit right? Why would they suddenly fail at the dock?
> 
> MedSailor


It doesn't have to be the actual seacock that fails. There are clamps and hoses attached, that add points of failure to an open seacock.

Wel maintained, you're probably right. What are the chances? For me, it just takes a little bit of the worry out of the equation, at the cost of 2 minutes of my time. The other benefit of closing them, in my mind, is that I know they are operational.

Does the period of time away from the boat matter?


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## Rick486 (Sep 14, 2010)

Minnewaska said:


> We have 20 thru hulls, with seacocks, that I can count off the top of my head. A half dozen or so more for three bilge pumps, underwater lights, etc. When we leave our boat for more than a run ashore, we close nearly all our thru hull seacocks. In particular, we close the raw water intake for the main engine and generator. If they broke, they would most certainly overwhelm the bilge pump in time. We also close all the waterline thru hulls, such as the sink drains as well as the intakes for the heads and other accessories. We can't or don't close 100% of our thru hulls, as we leave the dehumidifier on, which requires that we leave the air conditioning thru hulls open. The washdown pump also stays open, because it is very difficult to get to (not a good reason, but the truth and I worry about it).
> 
> When at anchor or the dock for any period of time, I will typically close the main and/or genset thru hulls, if not being used. I will leave the rest open, if we are only going ashore for a number of hours, not days. Otherwise, everything gets shut down.
> 
> ...


I have 7 thru hulls below the water line and I close all of them when leaving the boat for more than an hour or so, except if she is tied up in my slip or another when I'm running the A/C. The A/C inlet is a 3/4" bronze sea ****. Thru hulls above the water line I never close except in the fall. My bilge pumps empty into the aft end of the cockpit and overside so they are not in play. I've done the same thing for 3 large boats over 30 years and I can't imagine leaving them open all the time as I know some guys do. We had a boat sink on a mooring here about 15 years ago when a hose clamp failed on the engine raw water circuit. Having seen that once, one never forgets.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Some have made a point, that I failed to make. It isn't the seacock itself that I'm concerned with breaking, its the hose or appliance attached to it. With them open, the entire length of hose from beneath the hull to the engines, heads, etc, are essentially pressurized. I have found more cracked hoses in my lifetime to think it couldn't happen while I'm away.

Most of the cracks I've found would be accommodated by the bilge pump, if I weren't there. But eventually, every bilge pump is going to burn out if left to run perpetually. If you're on the hook, your batts may not survive. Worst case, if the 1.25 inch engine seawater line came off something, there is no way the bilge would keep up.

You'll note that most of the thru-hulls I listed are drains at or just above the waterline. They are very unlikely to be the primary cause of a problem, but are typically right next to some that could be, I see no reason not to close them. 

Finally, some have mentioned they don't close theirs until they go up on the hard. Ironically, that is exactly when you want to leave them all open. You want all moisture to drain and have zero risk of freezing and cracking the seacock.


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## catamount (Sep 8, 2002)

I leave almost all my seacocks closed all the time unless I am actively using them, with the exception being the cockpit drains. Bilge pump drains are _above_ the waterline (not_ at_ the waterline), and do not have seacocks.

Turn the engine on? open the seacock! Turn the engine off? close the seacock!

Need to use the head? open the seacock! Done flushing? close the seacock!

Washing the dishes? open the seacock! Putting clean dishes away? close the seacock!

One key is making the seacocks easily accessible. The second is to just make it a habit.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

One of our old boats SANK under her new ownership. They had replaced the head intake hose about 5 years after we sold it to them and then proceeded to leave the thru-hull open, actually all thru-hulls, all the time. This, after I specifically went over the in-depth modifications I had made to the boat, in terms of seacock access, to make CLOSING them a 45 second job....

The intake "barb" on the Raritan PH heads has NO BARBS. GREAT HEAD, STUPID, STUPID, STUPID DESIGN FLAW!!!!!!!!!! 

The new owners used a typical CHEAP perforated hose clamp and only ONE fits well on that inlet barb due to it's short length. The hose HAD a nice non-perforated AWAB clamp on it but they clearly threw it away in favor of a crap quality "new one"....

We then had a Nor' Easter and it was decided during the insurance investigation that the wave action, and resulting hydraulic pressure, from the boat slamming down off waves, over many hours, forced the hose off the barb-less male adapter on the head. The 3/4" line then fell to the floor and began filling the boat. 

When they re-floated her they found the open seacock and the hose with clamp still around it. 

Insurance company initially tried to deny coverage due to only one hose clamp in use and the sea valve not sufficiently "secured". They fought it based on the fact that you can't effectively fit two clamps on that barb and that in the "static" position the head inlet was "technically" very slightly above the waterline. They argued "unforeseen circumstances" and the insurance company begrudgingly paid but later dropped them as a client.....

That taught me a good lesson that if your boat sinks, and the seacock was involved, the insurance company may try to deny coverage and they may actually be successful or at the least drop you. Stuff happens....


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## patrscoe (May 9, 2011)

I closed all primary seacocks only when I leave the sailboat for a few days or so. (Engine intake, head, sinks, etc..). I am not concern with the seacock as much as a hose or clamp. My bilge pumps wouldn't have chance.
Early last year the Marina moved our previous sailboat, Pearson 35 and never open the engine seacock, and burned up the impeller. They indicated that everyone in the slips leaves their engine intake seacocks open. They made me think that I was paranoid... but I still closed them.


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## casey1999 (Oct 18, 2010)

Can anyone explain why the cockpit drains need to exit the boat below water line. Seems these could route either out the side of the hull or through the stern and exit just above the water line. That would eliminate two big seacocks. Maybe sailing they would be below water but at anchor/dock they would be above.


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## Ajax_MD (Nov 24, 2009)

casey1999 said:


> *Can anyone explain why the cockpit drains need to exit the boat below water line.* Seems these could route either out the side of the hull or through the stern and exit just above the water line. That would eliminate two big seacocks. Maybe sailing they would be below water but at anchor/dock they would be above.


Huh? Mine are above the waterline. Not much, but they are.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

patrscoe said:


> I closed all primary seacocks only when I leave the sailboat for a few days or so. (Engine intake, head, sinks, etc..). I am not concern with the seacock as much as a hose or clamp. My bilge pumps wouldn't have chance.
> Early last year the Marina moved our previous sailboat, Pearson 35 and never open the engine seacock, and burned up the impeller. They indicated that everyone in the slips leaves their engine intake seacocks open. They made me think that I was paranoid... but I still closed them.


Same story from my marina, which is why I decided to ask this question. Although, they've tried to claim that the unique approach is why they would be so aware of it. While I'm admittedly surprised by how many leave their seacocks open, it certainly isn't everyone here or at all statistically possible that is the case in either of our marinas.

What I've further considered since starting this whole analysis, is their story itself. I've begun thinking that I've only had them work on my engine exactly ONCE, while in the water, and that was a year earlier. Everything else has been done over winters on the hard.

Their story stinks. They ran my motor with the seacock closed. I'm becoming more and more convinced every day.


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## casey1999 (Oct 18, 2010)

BubbleheadMd said:


> Huh? Mine are above the waterline. Not much, but they are.


I believe many cockpit drain seacocks are well below the waterline. Mine are and would like to route to above waterline.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

casey1999 said:


> Can anyone explain why the cockpit drains need to exit the boat below water line.....


So they can make that gurgling noise as they are just exposed to a slight heel and make you believe you have an enormous hull breach. Keeps you awake.


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

patrscoe said:


> I closed all primary seacocks only when I leave the sailboat for a few days or so. (Engine intake, head, sinks, etc..). I am not concern with the seacock as much as a hose or clamp. My bilge pumps wouldn't have chance.
> Early last year the Marina moved our previous sailboat, Pearson 35 and never open the engine seacock, and burned up the impeller. They indicated that everyone in the slips leaves their engine intake seacocks open. They made me think that I was paranoid... but I still closed them.


My Marina, will not start engines on vessels unless they have been issued a work order to commission the engine. They gondolier boats to and from the slip otherwise. They are quite good at it.

I imagine that they've heard the, " It was working fine when I left it" line enough times that they have taken this approach.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

patrscoe said:


> I closed all primary seacocks only when I leave the sailboat for a few days or so. (Engine intake, head, sinks, etc..). I am not concern with the seacock as much as a hose or clamp. My bilge pumps wouldn't have chance.
> Early last year the Marina moved our previous sailboat, Pearson 35 and never open the engine seacock, and burned up the impeller. They indicated that everyone in the slips leaves their engine intake seacocks open. They made me think that I was paranoid... but I still closed them.


I would have told them to go screw themselves. THat's insane. That may be the largest intake in your boat! If that blows, I seriously doubt any cmobination of bilge pumps would keep up.

The simple habit and rule (to tell you marina) is to put the kys to start the engine on the Thull for the engine intake. No excuses then. Seems to me the extra couple minutes to find and open the THULL is a lot cheaper and less involved than raising a sunken boat. Course, maybe they don't make as much money that way??

I have been in more marinas than I can count and I have never in my life had one tell me to keep my Thull open. Wow.

Brian


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## davmarwood (Jan 12, 2008)

We have 8 below the waterline in our 35' Bene & always close all of them when leaving the boat for a day or more. Two cockpit drains exit the transom about 12" above waterline, so no need to bother with them - no provision to close them anyway.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Here's another example of my thru hull OCD. Last Fall, I split a hose below the waterline, when trying to remove it from the barb to winterize. I didn't have the right diameter to replace it, so I left the seacock closed and removed the hose to the next connection. Just having the seacock closed, with no hose attached, made me nervous, so I banged a dowel into the barb. 

Would you?


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## svHornblower (Dec 11, 2010)

I also close all mine when I leave the boat. Not sure I would as far as banging a dowel into the barb of a closed seacock but that is buy no means a dumb idea. Better safe than sorry.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

Minnewaska said:


> Here's another example of my thru hull OCD. Last Fall, I split a hose below the waterline, when trying to remove it from the barb to winterize. I didn't have the right diameter to replace it, so I left the seacock closed and removed the hose to the next connection. Just having the seacock closed, with no hose attached, made me nervous, so I banged a dowel into the barb.
> 
> Would you?


Uh, nope. Sorry. There comes a point when its just up to the good Lord. You probably gotta a better chance of sinking via lightning that that Thull opening on its own and sinking the boat. But hey... if it makes you sleep better it's worth it.

B


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## catamount (Sep 8, 2002)

Minnewaska said:


> Here's another example of my thru hull OCD. Last Fall, I split a hose below the waterline, when trying to remove it from the barb to winterize. I didn't have the right diameter to replace it, so I left the seacock closed and removed the hose to the next connection. Just having the seacock closed, with no hose attached, made me nervous, so I banged a dowel into the barb.
> 
> Would you?


Yeah, I probably would. Belt _and_ suspenders! Of course it would depend on how long it would be before I was able to replace the hose. Later that same day, probably not. A week or two -- yes!


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## jimmalkin (Jun 1, 2004)

Minne - I had 18 on Taronga - marked all locations with blue tape when offshore or overnight passage for ease of location (should need be.) I always close engine intake, head intakes and overboard thru-hulls when leaving the boat - the rest stay open. Also - re: barbs - I have always capped either with pipe ends or bungs any thru-hulls no longer in use. It's just an easy extra layer of caution.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

Minnewaska said:


> Here's another example of my thru hull OCD. Last Fall, I split a hose below the waterline, when trying to remove it from the barb to winterize. I didn't have the right diameter to replace it, so I left the seacock closed and removed the hose to the next connection. Just having the seacock closed, with no hose attached, made me nervous, so I banged a dowel into the barb.
> 
> Would you?


Hey Minne-,

You know what you need? I cannot remember who makes it, but there is this electronic device that automatically opens and closes your Thulls for you. Also warns you of the bilge going off. Think I saw it in Cruising World a while back.

I mean, come on! Boating isn't cheap!!

Brian


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Bilge alarms are good. If you find the link, send it along. Auto seacocks sound cool. Maybe I'll have them on my dream boat one day......

I have an audible high water alarm already. It sounds down below as well as in the cockpit. I had an alarm that sounded if the pump simply ran for more than about 5 seconds straight. However, it must have shorted because it would go off randomly.

In fact, it went off as I was sneaking through the inlet into the Great Salt Pond on Block Island. I had some big monster stinkpot behind me and opposing traffic to port. The inlet is tight enough that you could pass cocktails to opposing traffic, so this was a really bad time to think there was a flood in the bilge. False alarm, but the salon got tossed pretty fast to learn that.


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## Brent Swain (Jan 16, 2012)

20 seacocks seems extreme. I have one for the sink drain, which I rarely close, and one for the watermaker, which is closed most of the time. I have two seacocks, total.
I suggest you try think of ways to eliminate most of those seacocks. 
Standpipes can reduce the need to close some.


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## MikeinLA (Jul 25, 2006)

Cruisingdad said:


> Uh, nope. Sorry. There comes a point when its just up to the good Lord.


My feelings exactly. I've owned this boat for 13 years and other than the engine intake, I don't close any of them ever. I do have them lubed and serviced at haulout time, though. My seacocks are not well located and if I had to bend and reach and remove cushions, etc every time I left the boat, I would seriously just sell the boat. Of course, my refer has also never been turned off in the past 13 years. This stuff is why God made insurance and checkbooks.

Mike


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## Brent Swain (Jan 16, 2012)

I cut the handle on my seacock and welded it back on at a 45 degree angle. That let me put a push -pull rod on it to make it easier to reach. Works well.


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## SlowButSteady (Feb 17, 2010)

My boat has six thru-hulls below the waterline:
Engine intake
Cooling water for reefer (always closed, as don't use the chiller)
Galley sink drain
Head intake
Holding tank discharge (closed unless tank is actually being pumped at sea)
Head sink drain (almost never opened; I'm thinking of tearing the sink out anyway)

So, only three of the above get used on a regular basis.

Last thing I do before leaving the boat is to make sure all the seacocks/ball-valves are closed, the master battery switch is open, the companionway is locked, the halyards won't slappity-slap on the mast, and the docklines are secured. I then open the boat back up to look for the car keys I left in their designated cup-hook under the bridgedeck, and recheck everything (sigh....).


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Brent Swain said:


> 20 seacocks seems extreme. I have one for the sink drain, which I rarely close, and one for the watermaker, which is closed most of the time. I have two seacocks, total.
> I suggest you try think of ways to eliminate most of those seacocks.
> Standpipes can reduce the need to close some.


I suppose, but see post #47. The 20 count was just the original "off the top of my head" estimate. There are actually 26!.....wow, with about another half dozen thru hulls without seacocks.

I could theoretically combine some, as they are all essentially in 6 distinct locations. There are four separate heads aboard (one is a dedicated shower with no toilet) plus the galley. To those five locations, you add the floorboard next to the engine and those are my 6 stops to open/close. I'm serious when I say, its a 2 minute operation. Each head has a sink drain and floor sump, which could theoretically be combined. I suppose the dishwasher drain could be combined with the galley sink, etc.

However, it wouldn't really make that much of a difference, there will be a ton of holes in the boat, no matter what. Maybe I could realistically get it down to 16 or 18? I can't combine intakes with drains (there are five sinks, three toilets, three airconditioning units, two motors, alone). I would still be visiting each of these locations to close the combined seacock, so why not flip a few levers instead? It takes no additional time. The upside to the current configuration is that I can close off single systems to work on them, without taking others offline.

If I was doing it from scratch, I would seriously consider some combining. I'm the boat's second owner. However, I have a ton of priorities and wish list items in my maintenance log, like AIS, which I would do long before hauling, combining thru hulls and patching over old ones.

I will continue to close most when we leave for more than a day, regardless of how many I have. It's good for the ball valve anyway. It also forces me to check on leaks or valve issues, which I think I would notice before many who never touch them.

Thanks for the discussion. It has been fascinating how many different practices there are.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

MikeinLA said:


> My feelings exactly. I've owned this boat for 13 years and other than the engine intake, I don't close any of them ever.......


Just for clarification, CruisingDad, does close his thru hulls when he leaves his boat for extended periods. He was referring to whether one would put a dowel into the barb of a closed seacock that had no hose attached.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

Minnewaska said:


> Just for clarification, CruisingDad, does close his thru hulls when he leaves his boat for extended periods. He was referring to whether one would put a dowel into the barb of a closed seacock that had no hose attached.


Correct. I do not close them when cruising or LA (except engine and generator). When cruising the generator does not generally get closed and the main only if not being used for a while.

My biggest issues are the sink drain and the Main engine intake. Reality is that any of the thulls could sink the boat, but the sink drain (on the 400's) and the Main engine are very large Thulls and would swamp her quickly.

WHen cruising, we really have no great choice on the sink drain. It is always open. Those that open and close for every use, I wonder if you are F/T cruisers and or LA with kids? THat would get really old.

The engine is a bit of a different story. Honestly, for me, it is an issue of years of doing it and losing our key to the main once! Yes, it is true. I blame the kids (but, shhh, it was probably me on a dink ride... I mean, yeah, it was the kids or wife.). SO we long ago got in the habit of puting the key on the Thull for the main. Helps to remember where the key is and is also a bit of insurance.

Thulls that are close to waterline or above I don't worry about as much. It is the ones on the bottom of the boat that can shoot water up like a garden hose. ANything above the waterline I couldn't care less about. Exeption is when sailing we close them (like the head sink(s), because you can fill it up with water on the C400 on a good heel with some nice seas).

Brian


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## tspooner (Jun 18, 2011)

I close them all four of them if I'm leaving the boat for more than a few hours while at dock and also when we depart the dock except for the salt water engine intake. That one get closed as soon as the sails go up. If the head needs to be used while underway it's relatively easy to open and reclose them since they're handy inside the vanity.


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## catamount (Sep 8, 2002)

Cruisingdad said:


> Those that open and close for every use, I wonder if you are F/T cruisers and or LA with kids?


That would be me (open/close every use), and no I am not a full-time cruiser or live aboard.

And my boat is also very simple -- manual head, manually-pumped water, one engine, no generator, no air conditioning, no wash-down, etc....

Head: one seacock for the raw water intake which also serves as drain for the sink; one seacock for draining the holding tank (which we only open when offshore).

Galley: one seacock for draining the sink, one seacock for sea water intake (manual pump at galley sink).

Engine: one seacock for raw water cooling, one stuffing box for propellor shaft.

two seacocks for cockpit drains, left open.

two below-water thru-hulls for depth sounder and speedo paddlewheel

above water thru-hulls for engine exhaust, multiple bilge pumps, and additional cockpit drains.

The rudder shaft enters the hull above the normal waterline and is contained in a solid "stand-pipe" to deck level.

As long as the seacocks are easily accessible, it's not really a big deal to use them as the primary on/off valves for the manual plumbing systems.


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## JoeDiver (Feb 2, 2011)

I've only got 2 thru-hulls.....the head fresh water intake and the galley sink/cooler drain. I keep both closed unless in use. I'll open both seacocks when I get to the boat, pump some fresh water into the head. When I'm done for the day, or weekend...I'll close both seacocks when I leave the boat.


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## Brent Swain (Jan 16, 2012)

If you would stop eating in that Mexican restaurant and drinking that Mexican water, perhaps you wouldn't need three toilets.
My composter eliminates any thru hulls dealing with the heads. My skeg cooling eliminates the engine intake. That leaves just the sink drain and the watermaker intake


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## BCC1 (Dec 18, 2011)

Just did the orientation on the boat today. Been thinking about this topic.

On previous boats, I always closed seacocks, if I was going to be away more than hours.

No more.

No key needed to start the auxilary.

So, everythings going to be double clamped. and tightened.

Seacocks going to stay open thoughout the season.

Insurance, dude.


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## Brent Swain (Jan 16, 2012)

I once worked on a boat, which had the head sink drain led thru a slightly flattened ss tube , under the head seat, into the head bowl. One thru hull eliminated. There are many such innovative options , Finding them is great sport.


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## Bene505 (Jul 31, 2008)

Let's see... 4 bathrooms at 4 seacocks each, galley sink, washdown pump, engine, crew's quarters toilet (uninstalled), crew's quarter's sink, prop shaft. That's 22 below the waterline.

3 bilge pump outlets, engine exhaust, swim platform locker.. those are above the water line.

Many of the inlets are verticle and at or near the water line at the top of the seacocks.

I'm putting a bilge-on alarm on the onboard webcam. So at least I'll get an email every time the bilge pump goes on. (I actually brought the webcam home tonight to bring it to a tech store for the right plug for the alarm connection.) I have a driod, so I usually see emails pretty quickly.

Regards,
Brad


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## Jgbrown (Mar 26, 2012)

Yes. always, except the sink and cockpit drain. Both hard to get to both are above waterline. The boat next to me would have had a sad day tomorrow if we hadn't opened his engine compartment while looking at the the zincs he lost after 3 weeks in the water. I noticed his bilge pump was cycling, all afternoon. Hose was fine, engine was leaking, small plastic plug was broken off below the o ring. He was not connected to shore power so batteries only. 2 very expensive engines, batteries and an expensive generator down there. He never closed the seacock before, had to pry it shut with a wrench.

EDIT: After Brent's comment one thing about my head finally(sort of) makes sense. The previous owner observed the sink drain hose runs to the deck, and nowhere else. The rubber hose is just the right length to drain into the head, so long as you are willing to hang onto it. The SS tube makes more sense, I'll try that when I get to fixing the head.


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