Bronze cleanout on galley sink drain line, necessary?

[Sailjourner]

Hi, I am preparing to replace the bronze seacocks in my 1991 Taswell 43 with composite TruDesign through hulls and been contemplating what to do about these gems. I am not able to find any content online regarding sailboat plumbing cleanout, cleanout plugs, etc... Should I just take the sink drain hose directly to the new TruDesign hose barb fitting? Or is there practical value in maintaining a cleanout such as these?

I have one on each sink - fwd head, aft head and galley sink

[Orion Jim]

That clean out looks like an unnecessary complication and an additional potential point of failure. I would not include in your replacement system. And yes, hoses should be terminated at the hose barb with two opposed hose clamps. Quality hose clamps with no piercing are preferred.

[LeaseOnLife]

these are check valves / one-way valves.

[Sailjourner]

Thanks for the input Orion Jim.

@leasonlife
Hadn’t considered check valves. I see the arrow now that mention it. I am guessing it’s needed considering the bottom of my sink(s) is near the waterline. I will look at the TruDesign options for check valves. The cleanout plug threw me off.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Sailjourner

Hi, I am preparing to replace the bronze seacocks in my 1991 Taswell 43 with composite TruDesign through hulls and been contemplating what to do about these gems. I am not able to find any content online regarding sailboat plumbing cleanout, cleanout plugs, etc... Should I just take the sink drain hose directly to the new TruDesign hose barb fitting? Or is there practical value in maintaining a cleanout such as these?

I have one on each sink - fwd head, aft head and galley sink

That is a check valve, not a clean out

[LeaseOnLife]

many Taiwanese boats, ours included, have these check valve. They will not prevent the leeward sink to slowly fill on a decent heel. They will prevent fountains coming up thru the drain. The bronze flap inside makes a distinct noise in any decent seaway and tells us to close the seacock... We kept ours!

[Sailjourner]

Originally Posted by LeaseOnLife

many Taiwanese boats, ours included, have these check valve. They will not prevent the leeward sink to slowly fill on a decent heel. They will prevent fountains coming up thru the drain. The bronze flap inside makes a distinct noise in any decent seaway and tells us to close the seacock... We kept ours!

It sounds like you also replaced your seacocks? Did you replace with bronze or composite? Were the check valves also replaced (or reused), or were they dezincified?

[LeaseOnLife]

Originally Posted by Sailjourner

It sounds like you also replaced your seacocks? Did you replace with bronze or composite? Were the check valves also replaced (or reused), or were they dezincified?

We cut thru all our thru hulls from the inside of the hole, with an air-die-grinder (a dremel-type electric tool will suck the bronze shavings and burn up) and a 1" disc-blade, heated the assembly and were able to pull the valves with leftover thru-hull stems from the inside. The thru hulls were worn, bad seats/balls/handles, but anything we cut apart after 25 years looked like good bronze. We disassembled and cleaned the check valves, and reused them.

[GordMay]

Tru Design Plastics makes barbed check valves:
➥ https://www.trudesign.nz/marine/prod...s-check-valves

[Manateeman]

Before you jump into plastic, consider Groco adaptor plates and ball valves. You can change the ball valve or cap it off without hauling or touching the thru hull section ever.
TruDesign are supported ball valves, not seacocks. Please look at the Marine how to web pages on a proper fix.
I’m pulling out all the Marelon seacocks in my boat and changing to Groco.
Fifty years of Boatbuilding and plastic was the worse mistake I ever made.
Mark and the manatee crew of professional boatbuilders.

[Scubaseas]

As others said, they're check valves. Keep them, especially the forward head sink one. Do take them apart and check the pin for rust. The galley sink one tends to clog with grease but the check valves do keep sink fountains in a brisk seaway under control. I have a 1985 Tayana with three of them, all fine this year when last looked at. They're there for a purpose. Unless you can get in the habbit of clsing the seacocks when underway better to inspect and leave in.

[Nico Domino]

From your pics, these checkvalves have to be installed upright and horizontal to work efficiently. They close by gravity and if on side, in particular as they get a bit older, will become less effective, seawater can return to the sink if close to waterline.

[stevo_002]

It would appear the last photo has a split ball valve as the street elbows were over tightened to lay out right. Might be better perhaps to build with hose nipples not hard nipples.