Broken Seacock Handle

[Snore]

Guys I need a little assist, I would like to avoid a haul out.

Got up and opened the head's sink seacock and the handle came off in my hand...
Following are photos of the handle and where it once was

Thanks

[Snore]

Oh and you KNOW the *%! valve broke open...

Headed home to the north on Saturday via the ocean. Winds should be east and the head is to windward so I "should" be okay. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[wingless]

How far below the waterline is that valve?

Can the exterior be obstructed while the interior is swapped?

Can the boat be partially beached / tipped using the tide against the keel to get this out of the water?

[atoll]

eeeek!
i would have a soft wood plug handy.
you might be able to replace the valve in the water,but you run the risk of snapping off the elbow if the valve is siezed and the skin fitting is corroded.

[Pirate999]

Takes two people but I've done this before.

Get a large toilet plunger. With someone in the water, put it over the thru hull opening on the outside. The second person in the boat opens the seacock using a vise grip. Or if not possible, start to remove the seacock. The pressure will force the plunger against the hole and allow you to work.. Quickly. Keep a plug/bung near by and keep the person in the water.

This should allow you to replace the seacock without hauling the boat.

[Tingum]

That nasty thing is not a sea clock, it is a ball valve. The whole mess needs to be replaced before you sink your boat! You should not have a 90 degree angle in a head discharge line.

[Scott Berg]

I've done the plunger trick and the careen the boat with a halyard to pull out the fitting; both can work.

Quick note: It looks from the photo that the valve (not seacock) is mounted on a "street el" that is mounted on a thru hull fitting.

In that case you have a second issue in that most valves (not seacocks) have tapered threads (as will the street L); however, the thru hull will have straight (no tapered) threads to mate with a flanged seacock. Some manufacturers make valves with tapered threads on the "barb" end and straight on the "thru hull" end but that won't help with the street el in the circuit. While the threads do "fit" they only have 2-3 threads actually holding. For more search here and elsewhere for tapered vs straight threads on seacocks and thru hulls

[HopCar]

I'm with Tingum and Scott on this one. That whole rig needs to be replaced. Usually the hose is the weak point and the seacock is there to allow you to turn off the water. With that rig the thru-hull fitting is more likely to break than the hose. Replace it with a proper flanged seacock or flanged adapter.

[onestepcsy37]

get in the water. pound in a solid wood plug or fill it with underwater setting epoxy. or both. then sail home.

when you get home, haul the boat and do a proper job. the whole mess needs to be replaced, probably including the thru hull fitting itself.

[Snore]

First thanks for all the good inputs.

The body of the valve, nipple, 90 and through hull all looked good. The corrosion was at the weakest point --the screw that connected the handle to the moving valve. The better news is that winds are light SSE so it is a long day back to HIllsboro Inlet. Working on a haul out to change all three forward valves. The ones for the sink and engine were changed already.

Just in case, I I do have soft wood dowels and a spare sail to use as an outside blanket if it really goes south on me.

So much for the leisurely 5-day sail. But I guess that is all part of building deck time.

Thanks again guys!

[Rhapsody-NS27]

Looks a lot like how mine are. I had to replace one so far and will replace the others when I haul out.

Look at anything seacock related on this site. http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/boat_projects

I used that info to replace a thru-hull/ball valve to a proper seacock with this info and is much easier than I thought it would be. You may not WANT to haul out but you may HAVE to.

Here's posts of the replacement I did. Rhapsody: Raw Water Seacock, Installed! and Rhapsody: Seacock Project - Complete

Originally Posted by Tingum

You should not have a 90 degree angle in a head discharge line.

He said it was the head's sink line.

[levm]

Plugs made of orange foam are sold in chandlery stores now. I used one to do the exact job you are contemplating now (worked well).
It is a good practice to turn all seacocks once a month. It prevents them from seizing and will alert you when they start going South.

[S/V Alchemy]

I'm with those who are surprised you have yet to sink.

Haul, careen or plug and get that baby replaced, pronto.

[Badsanta]

I think he was tring to say ahead of the valve as infront of not a head discharge

[JPA Cate]

Snore,

If you're still at sea, heave to, and get a plug in that. Wash dishes in the bucket or the head sink if necessary, but you really have a potentially catastrophic situation there. If you are singlehanding, keep a line attached to the boat while you're in the water. I am sure you do not want the boat sinking out from under you, and that is the risk.

Ann