how much time on weeping seacock

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salish_wanderer
Bottom Sanding Grunt
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue May 19, 2020 1:50 pm
Boat Name: Olympian
Boat Type: Cape Dory 28

how much time on weeping seacock

Post by salish_wanderer »

One of my seacocks is weeping on my 1977 cape dory 28. It is a tapered cone type.

I've run my fingers all over the seacock and they stay dry except when I touch the hull around the seacock sloping to the bildge. There is a bead of sealant around the base that is moist to the touch. I dont know if this was part of the original install or if the previous owner knew of the leak and ran a bead of sealant on top trying to stop it (which has been their style on other parts of the boat)

I dont plan on hauling out till early spring and I'm fine with the half gallon a month that is produced from the leak.

Can I wait till spring and how serious is this?
Thoughts and comments appreciated.
salish_wanderer
Bottom Sanding Grunt
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue May 19, 2020 1:50 pm
Boat Name: Olympian
Boat Type: Cape Dory 28

Re: how much time on weeping seacock

Post by salish_wanderer »

I thought a little more background information might be helpful.

(This seacocks is for a cockpit drain)

I'm about to install 3, 125ah batteries on top of this seacock all of which being in the starboard cockpit locker. The seacock would be just under a corner of the battery box. I will still have access to it and line of sight on it, but to service it I will have to remove the batteries.

I'm a younger full time liveaboard on a budget getting my boat ready for winter cruising in the PNW and I really don't want to be messing with things that can wait. I just want to get sailing. I understand the necessity of prudence, but what im hoping is that an old salt can tell me that the leak is a nuisance and that as long as it is monitored, more important things can be undertaken.

As mentioned above I plan to haul out in spring and I dont mind pulling out the batteries again.
salish_wanderer
Bottom Sanding Grunt
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue May 19, 2020 1:50 pm
Boat Name: Olympian
Boat Type: Cape Dory 28

Re: how much time on weeping seacock

Post by salish_wanderer »

Update #3

After more exploration and education, I found out the seacock is a wilcox crittenden tappered cone. I seems in good condition and I'm going to service it before installing the batteries.

Upon inspection it is definitely the sealant that is leaking. I wipe the area dry with a paper towel and the wipe a finger across the surface a few minutes later and it comes up moist.
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atomvoyager
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Re: how much time on weeping seacock

Post by atomvoyager »

In mt experience 99% of slow drips like you describe are not a problem and don't quickly get worse. But in that rare case a seacock that does not have a thru-bolted flange may have corroded threads on the flush or mushroom head and that is the only thing along with the sealant holding it from falling out and sinking the boat. If yours has an unbolted flanged base then there is that very small risk. Ball valves screwed onto thru-hulls are notorious for that, yours not so much. Also, if you confirmed the leak is at the base then no need to rebuild it before haulout and risk more trouble.
salish_wanderer
Bottom Sanding Grunt
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue May 19, 2020 1:50 pm
Boat Name: Olympian
Boat Type: Cape Dory 28

Re: how much time on weeping seacock

Post by salish_wanderer »

Thanks atomvoyager that is what I was hoping for
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