Sealing SeaCocks

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elliotr,
carbonsoup's Ariel 97.....pg7 Post 139: Forward V-berth (raw water IN/black water OUT) seacocks for head. Illegal, most populated waters.
Post 140: Aft cockpit bulkhead with strange PVC pipe instead of hose connecting to factory fiberglass tube thru-hulls. Not recommended.

Tony G's Fruits...... Post 40: Factory original port fiberglass tube with T for the sink drain. Not recommended.
Post 16: Fiberglass tube thru hull starboard side. Both under the cockpit.
Unbelievable funky Pearson workmanship.


You can see in the photos why Pearson decided to cheat and build-in fiberglass tubes.
The hull where the drain thru-hulls have to be put makes a bad angle to the corner drains overhead... if conventional seacocks are installed.
When glassing the tubes in - they adjusted them to a better angle to make hose bends easier to connect a pair of drains.
Can't do that with seacocks. The system is designed for hose and clamp, but space is very tight. And recommended marine hose very stiff.

Seacock's are always installed flat against the hull. Typical hose connect is straight, connecting hose at 90° to the hull.
Some seacock manufacturers have 45° & 90° right angle tailpipe choices. Choose and buy a single manufacturer's system.
The thru-hull fitting also has to be installed perfectly flat against the hull outside. How the fitting fairs to the hull influences how the valve is positioned inside where its base diameter makes it necessary for a flat back-up plate to spread the fastening load on the hull. The plate is often glued to the hull with thickened epoxy to help position the thru-hull fitting and the seacock into permanent alignment. This aids in sealing the hole in the boat.

If Pearson had put in seacocks - as they should have - under the cockpit,
they probably (with the hose they had available at the time) would not have - and within the tight space - been able to make the torturous twist and turn required to get the hose to slip over both drains. If the hose is unyielding and doesn't connect fairly (is crooked on the fitting), it will create constant stress on fitting and hose that might give, break or crack, leak or pop off at any time.

That is the only good reason for the inferior decision Pearson made... to go with such a dangerous and risky compromise
... to go without seacocks on underwater connections...especially for an Alberg that was sold as a capable off-shore racer-cruiser.
Draining the sink to an under waterline T in a cockpit drain is equally unprofessional - as the bottom of the sink bowl is constantly inches away from the waterline.
And in saltwater, sink fittings will and have corroded dangerously. Can sink the boat.
Have to remember: Drain hoses that lead below the waterline always have water in them, they never empty.
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Imco, seacocks in the Ariel can be installed slightly aft in the same area as the originals
and 45° barb fiitings from the top of the valves used to make a simple sweep of 'constant immersion' marine hose to the cockpit drains.
Factory tubes are removed, the holes in the hull restored in a traditional way with fiberglass and epoxy, described elsewhere in the Forum.
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►For more and fuller discussions on SEACOCKS.....look in the Technical archives for: Sink sinks ship. AND: New Fangled Hoses & Seacocks◄
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just for fun: http://www.goodoldboat.com/reader_se...les/5yearplan/ GoodOldBoat Vol 5, #4, July/August 2002
Budget Boating by Bill Sandifer. Here's the five-year plan that rescued a $1,200 boat. A PEARSON ARIEL.