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Compass Marine How To | all galleries >> Welcome To MarineHowTo.com >> Seacock & Thru-Hull Primer/Pre Information > Why Is It a Bad Idea ?
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Jose Guidera

Why Is It a Bad Idea ?

This photo is a picture of a US production sailboat seacock assembly as shipped from the factory. While this builder no longer uses gate valves they still, to this day, install seacocks using this same method.


This owner simply wanted to remove the gate valve and replace it. When a slight pressure was applied, not even enough to break the threads free, or spin the thru-hull in the hull, the thru-hull snapped off and he was left holding the valve assembly in his hands. WOW!!!!!


This owner installed through bolted "proper" flanged seacocks. This could happen to anyone with this type of installation and this owner is just lucky it did not happen while off sailing.


If you look close you can still see the broken thru-hull still in the bronze elbow..


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Fred Hallett 14-Sep-2012 16:52
I had an unflanged through-hull (engine sea suction)in a 1957 40' Sparkamn-Stevens yawl crack when we were 20 miles off Atlantic City. I had just a short time earlier replaced the hose above the sea valve and that hose developed a leak. I decided to replace it since the weater was calm and I had proper hose aboard. When I went to shut the sea valve and started to torque the handle there was a spurt of water between the seacock and the hull. I started the engine and headed for shore where we were able to haul immediately, When the yard cut out the defective hose the seacock came out with it. The threaded through-hull was corroded to paper thinness. Close call!