Groco SV Seacock Testing Prior to Installation

[endoftheroad]

Nahanni,
One direction in which this thread has evolved includes the alternate method for NO thru hull bolting, instead drilling and tapping into G-10.
This is why we are trying to find a source for the product with a thickness greater than 1/2".

[endoftheroad]

Originally Posted by HopCar

I've been trying to figure out how to buy it so I could sell it in my store. I haven't figured it out yet. Right now if I was installing seacocks, I'd buy some GPO-3 from Online Metals.
They only stock it up to half inch thick, but if you need it thicker, you could glue two pieces together. If you're careful, you should be able to get four 6" backing plates from a 12 X 12 piece.
Order Plastic GPO-3 Plate in Small Quantities at OnlineMetals.com

Luckily enough I need eight 6" backing plates.
I hope I can get all 8 out of these two 12" x 12" 5/8" thick pieces of G-10.

McMaster-Carr

Any objections?

I'm installing 8 new seacocks, 2 of which are getting relocated above the waterline so I'll have to fill the 2 existing holes as well as the old transducer hole and Dynaplate holes.
At the same time I'll remove bottom paint for barrier coating.
My haulout is scheduled for next Tuesday and I'm not going back to my day job for about a month.
Hope that gives me enough time and money.

[cburger]

I'm installing 8 new seacocks, 2 of which are getting relocated above the waterline so I'll have to fill the 2 existing holes as well as the old transducer hole and Dynaplate holes.
At the same time I'll remove bottom paint for barrier coating.
My haulout is scheduled for next Tuesday and I'm not going back to my day job for about a month.
Hope that gives me enough time and money.

Do I read this to mean you will not be reusing the Grocco's?

[Badsanta]

Insted of drilling and taping use an epoxy and plywood backing plate and counter sink carriage bolts through from the back.

The way I mounted mine was to mount the flange adaptor to the backing plate as I described having drilled all holes first.
Then temporarily used an old plastic cutting board with a thru hull size hole drilled out. The new thru hull flange was to long anyway. So move the flange nut to the thru hull flange. Put masking tape around the threads 1/2 inch from the end to however thick your hull is and wax the tape to keep epoxy from sticking.

Now stick the taped thru hull through the hole in the plastic cutting board and through your thru hull hole. Have someone hold it there.

Go inside the boat and use thickend epoxy to your backing board and put it on your taped thru hull give it several turns on the threads and push the backing plate to the position you want. Now hold it while the person outside pushes the cutting board to the hull and tighten up the thru hull nut up against the cutting board. Make it snug enough to squeeze some of the epoxy out.

Make sure everything is pointing the way you want. Clean around the backing board.

Now just let it set up. This really makes a tight backing board to hull fitting. Makes a solid connection.

Next day unscrew your thru hull and remove the cutting board. Clean up excess.

Remove thru hull nut and measure the thru hull to length and cut.

Cover the thru hull shaft with the sealer of your choice and screw the thru hull into place and clesn up.

I tape the hull first and cut tape to size of the thru hull flange.

I wish I had a photo.

[endoftheroad]

Originally Posted by cburger

I'm installing 8 new seacocks, 2 of which are getting relocated above the waterline so I'll have to fill the 2 existing holes as well as the old transducer hole and Dynaplate holes. At the same time I'll remove bottom paint for barrier coating. My haulout is scheduled for next Tuesday and I'm not going back to my day job for about a month. Hope that gives me enough time and money. Do I read this to mean you will not be reusing the Grocco's?

Yes, this is correct. The originals are in very good shape but I am choosing to install all new Groco ball valves and flanges.

[cburger]

Would you consider selling the old Grocco's?

[endoftheroad]

Originally Posted by cburger

Would you consider selling the old Grocco's?

That's like selling the bumper from your classic car but I'm not going to travel around the world carrying 7 (five 1-1/2", two 3/4")bronze bumpers.
I suppose I'd sell them, they all seem to function very well with no leakage. I haven't opened them as I just bought the boat 2 years ago, but they operate smoothly and aren't corroded. We could discuss this in private message if your interested.

Regarding the G-10, can I use the 1-1/2" cutouts for filler pieces for the existing thru holes that I need to patch.
To be honest I am totally intimidated for patching those holes no matter how many times I read Don Casey's book.

And I need a good sander to remove the 3 existing layers of bottom paint in preperations for the barrier coat.
Any recommendations? We only have Sears here in Key West.

[HopCar]

Hi endoftheroad! Nelson, my website guy, just told me you called. I look forward to helping you with this project.

[endoftheroad]

Originally Posted by HopCar

Hi endoftheroad! Nelson, my website guy, just told me you called. I look forward to helping you with this project.

Thank you,
Nelson was very helpfull, you have a great selection and your prices are very competitive.

I'm spending Christmas in a boatyard and I'm quite content with that.

endoftheroad

[captain58sailin]

I like your method Badsanta, I wonder if you could use marelon or a similar product instead of wood to achieve the same results without the potential of wood rot? Of course you could epoxy encapsulate the plywood piece and get protection from rot.

[cburger]

Simple marine ply 1/2", 3 coats of epoxy was used as a water barrier and bedded with a quality caulk used to replace the one marine ply donut that had started to rot at my raw water seacock, that was 35 years of use out of the original installation, mmmn at 58years old if I get that kind of use out of my replacement I should be long dead. Re-engineering the wheel is not always progress, internet is a great source for the traditional tried and true methods for installing a seacock.

http://www.groco.net/SVC-MAN-07/Sec4/PDF/IBV-FBV-TB.pdf

[Badsanta]

Originally Posted by captain58sailin

I like your method Badsanta, I wonder if you could use marelon or a similar product instead of wood to achieve the same results without the potential of wood rot? Of course you could epoxy encapsulate the plywood piece and get protection from rot.

I would have preferred a fiber board but I could not find it at the time. I did encapsulate the 10 ply marine with fiberglass .
And thanks for reading the whole long thing.

[endoftheroad]

I have done so much research for my upcoming haulout Christmas eve morning.

One thing I can not find anywhere are videos or tutorials for how to patch my discontinued thruhull penetrations (1-1/2" holes).

As I mentioned above I am relocating my below waterline cockpit drains to above the WL. I also have to fill the old transducer hole and Dynaplate bolt holes.

I have found alot of info for fiberglass break repairs but nothing specific to patching old thruhull holes.

[Roy M]

Butt blocks are an ideal solution for closing up removed through hulls. Simply use a 1/2" OR 3/4" piece of plywood, about three to five times larger than the hole being covered. Saturate the ply, on both sides, several times with epoxy, then sand the mating area on the hull. Mix up a batch of epoxy with the cotton fiber filler (I can't recall the West System number for this product) and squish the butt block against the hole, holding the block in place with some duct tape until it cures. Be sure to tool the squished out epoxy before it hardens to make a neat job. I dip my fingers in soapy water, just as the epoxy begins to harden to the "putty" stage, and mold it like soft clay. Then you can give it a light sanding and a coat of paint to protect the epoxy against UV, though there is damn little in the bilge. On the outside, take a grinder and feather the fiberglass around the hole until you get to the butt block, then lay up glass cloth and epoxy, sand and fair, then prime and bottom paint. This is a good technique, also, if you need to change the size of an existing through hull fitting.

[Rhapsody-NS27]

Originally Posted by endoftheroad

I have found alot of info for fiberglass break repairs but nothing specific to patching old thruhull holes.

These videos refer to fiberglass damage repair but I think the idea behind it could work for fixing a through-hull too.

YouTube - West System Fiberglass Repair Howto Part I

YouTube - West System Fiberglass Repair Howto Part II

Since I removed my head in order to switch to composting, I now have two through-hulls to remove and patch. So, I have an interest in fiberglass patch work too.