How to service a Blakes Seacock

[@badgersupdate]

I forgot about this video and it just popped up in my notifications . Cheers. I’ve got 6 to do.. Ive also noticed that if I put the screen lock on and turn my phone on it’s side you look like you’re standing up and much more comfortable.

[@RefitandSail]

Haha, nice, wish I was standing that would be much more comfortable,

[@normanboyes4983]

Excellent video. As you said it is super important to clean all the grinding paste/compound out.😀

[@Morinehtur]

That Blake grease looks like synthetic marine wheel bearing grease. Not that I would take the risk of a substitute but still curious if they are similar. On another note: A short sea valve story, I did some equipment replacement on a U. S. Submarine back in the 90's. The sub did an Arctic mission then went to the academy to be used as a trainer. About a year and a half later I learned that they needed to replace a sea valve. They had called in a diver to weld a plate over the through-hull. Then proceeded to remove the the valve. To their suprise, they learned that the diver had welded the plate over the wrong through-hull. The sub sank at the dock. That was the USSN Sandlance, a Sturgeon Class nuclear powered attack sub. The sub was raised and continued to be used as a trainer for the submariner's academy in New London, CT. I enjoy your videos and applaud your dedication.

[@RefitandSail]

Almost certainly the same grease but most folk use so little a tub will last 20 years so not really worth saving a few £’s just for that. A rather unfortunate sub story but I’m sure an easy mistake - oops!

[@dougmylroie1794]

Thanks George, as usual a wonderful episode. I do admire your lack of fear of small spaces.

[@CrewsFarm]

Difficult to see how you could have improved that video. Just what I needed. Thanks George.

[@RefitandSail]

That’s very kind. Remember you don’t need to grind them every time, just as and when the surfaces need a clean up.

[@philipwalker2380]

Thanks, George. Very helpful for us newer owners.

[@kbbarton1]

That was an extremely useful video, as I've only recently become acquainted with Blakes cone-type valves.

[@peterthorn6395]

These are great videos George. They take a lot of mystery out of boat maintenance for me, though I am not sure I would ever match your level of competence. Cheers Peter

[@RefitandSail]

Thanks Peter, I appreciate the comment, pleased you enjoy them.

[@SMAAirAssault]

Been loving the series!!

[@RefitandSail]

Great, thanks. 😊

[@c.a.mcneil7599]

Nice trick with valve grinding paste, I think anouther trick make sure your boat is out of the water:). Might want to add that . they have warnings on motor belts that say make sure engine isn’t running when replacing. It’s hard to imagine why there is a warning on the motor belts :) another great video.

[@RefitandSail]

Haha, yes you may be right but I hope that common sense will prevail and the job will be done with the boat ashore. But then again……

[@richguest]

Thanks for this.

[@RollsFPV]

The yacht i recently purchased and refitting had 4 of these, i removed them cleaned them all and re-installed and they all leaked. Now i know that they needed grease I will recover them from the junk pile. I replaced them all with stainless steel thru holes and ball cocks..

[@RefitandSail]

Oh well, at the very least it’s worth keeping them as spares or selling them to someone else. Yes they definitely need grease. Oops.

[@RollsFPV]

@@RefitandSail was thinking the same. learning heaps from your videos thanks for the hard work you put into them.

[@paulharrison7914]

A point of interest, only the top part of the cone (above the entry hole) is used to stop water ingress so this is the most critical part.

[@RefitandSail]

Indeed that is true but the whole cone needs to be a good fit, concentric with the female body and lapped with gringing paste so that when turned on/off it does not leak.

[@Jackanory222]

What caused the pink coloration? Not zincafication? I agree that this is an outstanding series of videos

[@RefitandSail]

These ones we not pink in any way but I mention them potentially having a slightly pink look in the video as it can happen and typically indicates a loss of zink. On bronze blakes this is typically just a few microns deep on the surface and is removed very easily during the service. In severe cases of dezinkification that pinking with be deeper into the metal which can make the seacock brittle.

[@GinaRichards-e6c]

Amazing video very informative.I need to close the outlet seacock on my westerly but it wont move im not sure if its seized or if the top ring is too tight. Can i loosen the lock nuts slightly to see if it will close if im in the water?

[@RefitandSail]

It could be seized if it hasn’t been closed in a long time. Think I would leave alone until your boat is ashore, if it does move having loosened the top plate there is a chance it could leak even if you do it up again. Depends how confident you are 😬😬

[@GinaRichards-e6c]

@RefitandSail Thank you think I'll leave it until next lift out.

[@jwin6635]

Thanks that was a very helpful video. I tried servicing one the other day. It is the the newer type with a grease nipple. I doubt it has ever been serviced based on other bits of maintenance which don't appear to have been done over the years to the boat, which is relatively new to me. This seacock is under the chart table in a cupboard with very little space for manoeuvre, nothing like the accessibility in your video. I couldn't get a spanner directly on the locknut on either side easily and the screws appear seized as they were impossible to turn , furthermore when I felt for the grease nipple which is not directly visible the external part just came away in my fingers completely corroded. The result was I achieved nothing after an hour of fiddling. It functions perfectly well at present with no leaks but I have two concerns. One is that as the nipple has corroded is there a problem elsewhere in seacock and secondly is it going to be practical to regularly service given its location given my complete failure this time. I know they are good seacocks in theory but I am beginning to wonder if I would be better replacing it with something like a Trudesign that is effectively maintenance and corrosion free.

[@RefitandSail]

That’s the joy of old boats eh!? Bit concerning that the nipple broke off in your hand, I think I would really want to get it disassembled and inspected. If it has a nipple it is probably one of the newer DZR body Blake’s and not the older bronze ones that will almost last for ever if serviced. The newer ones are still very good. If servicing is proving impossible then perhaps a trudesign is the answer.

[@jwin6635]

Thanks that’s confirmed what I was thinking

[@stathispavlantis7116]

Thanx for the video! I am in a dilemma 😁 Just got a 1986 Colvic Countess and it has 4 Blakes...The boat is out of the water for the last 7 years and they are COMPLETELY STUCK 😁 The previous owner got the boat in 2009 and never sailed her or maintained her for some serious personal reasons. So I have to decide what is the best option...To be honest I think that I'll just replace them with something new so I'll have peace of mind and keep the old ladies as a backup...

[@RefitandSail]

In the first instance I’d try and free them up, nothing to loose, if the are damaged in the process then you have to replace them anyway. Loosen the two top bolts so the cone can come out then stick a suitable bar (try hardwood of some sort first) and give it a wack with a hammer, it may just pop open and you can then inspect and decide if you service and keep or replace. Nothing to loose in trying.

[@pdevrin]

Hi there, thanks for the seacock service info....i am trying to find the spare part (the part that comes out and you greased) ....mine is pretty rough at one side. On the web I can’t seem to find that part.

[@RefitandSail]

The central cone is not available as a spare part on its own, if it’s beyond its useful life you will have to replace the seacock.

[@fordm5]

So helpful, thankyou George! Any tips on cleaning the outside of the Blakes? I'm also going to show my ignorance by wondering why there are seacocks on these cockpit drains in the first place - why would you ever want to close them?

[@RefitandSail]

Any through hull opening below the waterline should have a seacock, I agree that you would never normally close these for the cockpit drain but if the hose broke or came loose you may want to. I’ll be fitting fire retardant reinforced hose so it should never be an issue.

[@paulharrison7914]

Seacocks are below the waterline. Any failure in a system (hose) between the seacock and up to the waterline could sink the boat - until you shut the seacock and stop water ingress.

[@WeAndTheSea]

Hi George, I have a question! I have these types of fittings on my newly bought Trapper300. The boat is quite well maintained and the fittings are not very corroded, so I am planning on refurbishing them like you did in this video. However, I was wondering If I should replace the bolts keeping the fitting onto the hull, and the bolts keeping the 'plate' onto the fitting body? The boat is from 1980... What do you think?

[@RefitandSail]

Hi, if the fixings are original from 1980 (and it’s normally impossible to tell) then I think I would be inclined to replace them. I expect you have the standard Blakes fixings which are bronze that go though the outer plate, hull, seacock flange and fixed with a nut internally. I have, on my own boat, remove these and found that one in four of the fixings were either in poor condition or broken on removal (that’s on an 1983 boat) so as much as it can be a pig of a job is access is poor it will give you peace of mind knowing that they are done. Hope this helps.

[@mickey1299]

I find it kinda interesting you spent time cleaning the grinding paste off the cone , but never touched the body . Was this intentional ? . Another thing i noticed , is that your seacock's didn't appear to have any kind of hull re-enforcement . I'm sure that's not the case , but that's what the angle of the camera was showing .

[@RefitandSail]

Hi, thanks for the comment, Don’t worry, I cleaned the inside of the valve body too, I just didn’t waste the internet by showing that to the viewers, well spotted though. These Blakes seacocks have a large flange that goes against the hull so the is minimal to no benefit to adding an additional internal backing for it. I had (in a separate video) laid up extra glass over this area so it is thicker and the area pretty flat so again no issues with strength. Where these are fitted, it would be virtually impossible for any side load or other load to be applied to these seacocks by accident.

[@mickey1299]

@@RefitandSail Ohh i see , good man . Yeah , i can see your reasoning , but at the same time , i also noticed from the comments , there are a couple of guys who really didn't appear to know anything about seacocks . So for that very little omission , i'm gonna give you a 9/10 , for what is otherwise a very good how-to video . I'd just like to add some constructive criticism , in that you consider these people in future vid's , and the very fact some really may not know anything about what you're teaching . Personally i found that grinding was only ever a very occasional event . I know you make reference to that in your video , but i thought i'd just reinforce that . I found petrol to be just as effective in removing the grease , however , i also chose to service my seacocks every season , so maybe that could explain why . On the second point , yes i did notice your hull appeared to look a bit uneven around the seacock base , but again i thought it was the camera angle . So you laid extra glass huh , that would spread the load even further , than the traditional method , so in theory should be even stronger . Though i have seen a couple of your videos , i'm here because of the seacocks in your thumbnail , i have three myself . Blakes , with the grease nipple , just figured i may learn something new . Dam expensive things , i picked them up , when one of my own seacocks started leaking a few years back . I'd already done what you showed , but it still leaked , so i figured it maybe time to replace them all . Just so happens , i sold the boat first . Still got them , and they are ear marked for the replacement . I'm just holding back , due to the current climate . Don't recall the larger flange though , i'll have a look next time i see them .

[@RefitandSail]

Always happy to have constructive critique so I appreciate you taking the time and 9/10 is fine by me 😊 Hope you enjoy some of my other videos.

[@mickey1299]

@@RefitandSail 👍

[@somyrab]

Explain how to orientate so you know when closed or open!

[@RefitandSail]

That’s a really good point, probably should have said that in the vid although it does say on the retaining ring (assuming it’s fitted the right way round) what position is open and closed. To answer the question, when the lever is pointing directly away from (so in-line with) the hosetail then the seacock is open. When the lever is turned 90 deg or more from that position then it’s closed. Hope that makes sense.