Seacock Drain Plug Stripped

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R. Bush
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:02 am
Location: Naramata, BC

Seacock Drain Plug Stripped

Post by R. Bush »

I was cleaning the cockpit locker where the head drain seacock is located and brushed my hand by the seacock (a Perko 595E). When I did one of the two drain plugs fell out into the bilge. It turns out the threads on the plug are completely stripped, and the previous owner had simply jammed it into the hole. My F25 has a holding tank, so I have never actually had the seacock open, but I am having visions of someone opening it, the plug vibrating out with the help of water pressure, and finding my boat sitting at the bottom of the marina.

Since this seacock has two drains I figure I should be able to close off the stripped one, and just use the other. Welding it shut should do the trick, but it is in a hard to reach location for a welder. How about a shot of trusty silicone in the hole? Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Kind of makes you wander how many other nasty surprises are located in an old boat doesn't it? I was cleaning out the bilge sump and noticed that two of the four keel bolt nuts could be turned with my fingers.
F25 "Small Axe"
Okanagan Lake, BC

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Michel
Posts: 546
Joined: Sun Dec 07, 2008 5:48 am
Location: Zaanstad, the Netherlands, EU

Re: Seacock Drain Plug Stripped

Post by Michel »

I would not trust my boat's flotation to a blob of silicone. And welding on a skin fitting in a GRP boat would probably burn a hole in the hull. I would replace the damaged fitting.

Best,

Michel
Michel Capel, Freedom 44 #4 1981 'Alabama Queen', NED8188, cat ketch with wishbones, home port Enkhuizen, the Netherlands, 52*42.238'N 005*18.154'E.

R. Bush
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:02 am
Location: Naramata, BC

Re: Seacock Drain Plug Stripped

Post by R. Bush »

I could order a new seacock, but the problem is that there is on one here I would trust to install it. I would probably end up towing the boat 500km to the coast to find someone who knows how to do the job right.

It just occured to me that if I get a new plug with good threads perhaps I could simply retap the old hole and be back in business.
F25 "Small Axe"
Okanagan Lake, BC

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THATBOATGUY
Posts: 574
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2008 9:50 am
Location: F40 CC CK Maryland
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Re: Seacock Drain Plug Stripped

Post by THATBOATGUY »

You could repair the threads with a helicoil insert but the insert would be stainless and the through hull is probably bronze. Not the worst mix of metals but... Also, it's probably pipe thread which is tapered. If you have room on the through hull you could over drill and go the next size up.

Another possibility is that the fitting has failed because of electrolysis. Scratch the thru hull with a sharp edge of a screwdriver or something. If it's rosy colored it is shot. I always test every thru hull on our boats this way whenever we haul.

George
George and Kerri Huffman S/V Marquesa Freedom 40 CC CK Sail MarquesaImage

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