Servicing Maralon seacocks

[BobHorn]

Guy that bought our sail boat told me that his mechanic serviced the Maralon seacocks. Never heard of that, just exercise them periodically. What is involved in "servicing" them?
He bought the boat unseen about six months ago and put it into a boat yard to replace rigging and anything else that they thought needed doing. He saw the boat for the first time this week. I toured the boat a few days ago with him and thought there were some really strange plumbing changes.


Bob

[Tsuru]

According to Forespar their Marelon seacocks are relatively maintenance free and generally do not need lubrication. They suggest exercising the valves at least 4 times per year and clean growth that could impact operation. On our Catalina I used to clean and lubricate the valves with Marelube when the boat was on the hard (which was seldom) and they worked well.

If the mechanic exercised the valves it is a legitimate maintenance item, and certainly falls into “anything else that they thought needed doing” category.

[Redboat]

Quick sidetrack. I worked the last few years in the office of a marina. Nothing makes the service techs roll their eyes and laugh more than the phrase “anything else that they thought needed doing”.

Truth be told if they actually did that it could be many months and near the cost of another boat in labor charges alone.

[Gav]

I have a Marelon seacock with a slight leak around the leaver. its been in the water about seven years and used about twenty five times a year. Woundering if the leaver can be removed and a new seal put in with out hauling out. Reached out to Forespar, no reply. Thanks.

[dougweibel]

Originally Posted by Gav

I have a Marelon seacock with a slight leak around the leaver. its been in the water about seven years and used about twenty five times a year. Woundering if the leaver can be removed and a new seal put in with out hauling out. Reached out to Forespar, no reply. Thanks.

Yes, you can do this. Forespar sells a kit with the gaskets and o-rings for all the marelon seacocks. They used to sell separate kits for separate sizes but the Forespar guy told me they got tired of people ordering the wrong size so just started putting them all in one kit. You don't get a new handle any more but you get the o-rings, gaskets and a fresh screw for the handle.

You should have a plug with an o-ring in the center of the handle you can pull out. This is intended to plug the thru-hull from the outside when you are working on the seacock.

I just did this repair. In my case the leak was quite bad and I was concerned there might be something damaged beyond o-rings and gaskets. There was not, but I bought a new unit in case and just swapped the new seacock onto the old thru-hull while in the water. It took just a few minutes.

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by BobHorn

<snip>
He bought the boat unseen about six months ago and put it into a boat yard to replace rigging and anything else that they thought needed doing. He saw the boat for the first time this week. <snip>

Bob

Wah?!?!

[Professor Fate]

The Kit part number that includes the o-ring under the valve handle and the two flat gaskets that are located between the body sections is 930404. Each kit includes instructions for doing this repair/replacement while the boat is in the water. You can close the valve and then pull the white handle plug. There will be a screw under the plug. Once the screw is removed the valve handle can come out along with the o-ring. You might have to look for the handle o-ring if it does not come out with the handle. There is a lip on the valve handle that the new o-ring goes on to. Lightly grease the new o-ring and reinstall the valve handle. Make sure that when you reinstall the handle that it is in the same orientation/location as when you removed it. This kit is for the valves with part number that start with 93.... and are the square body type with the four screws.

[5BTM]

Originally Posted by wholybee

Wah?!?!

Happens often, an acquaintance of a friend sold his 40 footer sight unseen, no survey, to a non-sailor.

All they wanted was a spot in a Toronto yacht club.

[GordMay]

Forespar’s MARELON® Valve Maintenance Instructions:

”... FORESPAR® MARELON® Thru-hull/seacocks are corrosion free and provide great peace of mind in that regard. They are relatively maintenance free. Generally, lubrication is not required. What is required is to open and close them on a regular basis (4 times a year minimum). The frequency this is required is determined by two (2) things, whether the valves are routinely kept open or closed, and the rate of sea growth (weed and barnacles) in your area. If the rate of fouling is high and the valves are not actuated regularly, this build up of growth can cause any valve to turn hard or not at all. If the valve becomes stiff due to lack of use and sea growth build-up, it must be cleaned. The restriction of flow into the valve may cause harm to the machinery it serves and the valve may seize if not maintained. DO NOT DISASSEMBLE VALVE OR LOOSEN BOLTS EXCEPT IN EXTREME EMERGENCIES. All valves are factory pressure tested before shipping. Any adjustments to the bolts will void this testing and may void warranties.

All MARELON® integrated valves have a removable plug in the handle (white cap with loop). This plug is made to fit into the external thru-hull (non-screened style only). In an emergency, this plug can be placed in the thru-hull (water pressure will keep it in) and the valve disassembled while the boat is in the water. Someone must get wet, but the boat does not need to be hauled for valve repairs. By tying a lanyard to the cap, you need only get wet once...”

Here ➥ https://www.forespar.com/valveMaintenance.shtml
And ➥ https://www.forespar.com/pdf/techTip...aintenance.pdf

93 Series Valve & Seacock Handle O-Ring Replacement Guide
➥ https://www.forespar.com/pdf/techTip...-optimized.pdf

[capt jgw]

Originally Posted by BobHorn

He bought the boat unseen about six months ago and put it into a boat yard to replace rigging and anything else that they thought needed doing. He saw the boat for the first time this week. I toured the boat a few days ago with him and thought there were some really strange plumbing changes.


Bob

I sold one like that too. I'm in Michigan and the buyer was in Toronto. He did send a surveyor though, a local I'd never heard of. The broker told me a surveyor was coming and a few days later I got a check in the mail. Buyer didn't see it himself till a week after that.