Hi there,
Do you think I have a big problem with the cockpit drain sea cocks on my trailer sailer. They leak a egg cupful in about 24 hours. I have some hardwood tapered wedges on the boat.
LA Lancer

They are gate valves not seacocks. As long as they are bronze and not brass they should be OK. Tightening up the nut on the shaft will usually stop the leak. If it does not they may need some packing behind the nut. Undoing the larger nut will expose the gate, its just on a wide thread. It's this shaft that usually fails on brass gate valves. I would be more concerned with the plastic pipe. Looks like it has hardened and may have let some water by going by the green stuff. Try to avoid those SS hose clips with the cuts all the way through too they snap regularly. Double up on the SS clips on the lower ends of the hoses too.


Welcome to the forum!

Are you a risk taker???
good to have the wedges,but prevention...... Ccc cc
these could sink your boat!
suggest replace immediately
consider non metal seacocks,but definitely not those gate valve types
lots of references available
i used New Zealand co Tru design?..
best wishes

Tru design are available from Road tech marine
and there reasonable priced

Most cockpit drains do not have cocks on them. I would get rid of the cocks and just have hose. The fact that it is a trailer sailer and probably kept out of the water most of the time would mean that the shin fitting is more than likely OK. But if in doubt, replace. Skin fittings cost bugger all and are easy to replace on a trailer sailer.

Its hard to see exacltly where the drains are coming from could cock pit drains go out fhe stern and glass those gate valve hole up

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HG02 said..
Its hard to see exacltly where the drains are coming from could cock pit drains go out fhe stern and glass those gate valve hole up

It is an unusual set up. The drains must be creating a lot of drag right in the wrong spot. If the cockpit goes right to the transom then drains through the transom with flaps would be a more practical solution. If the cockpit does not go to the transom then plastic plumbing pipes 'glassed over to the transom just above the waterline is another fix.

My boat has plastic tubing glassed over straight down with no seacocks. They exit above the waterline. Some people do use seacocks in the cockpit drains so they can fill it up with water and use it as a splash pool. Handy for trailer sailers in inland waterways in summer!

Quote ramona
"Some people do use sea cocks in the cockpit drains so they can fill it up with water and use it as a splash pool. Handy for trailer sailors in inland waterways in summer!"
I think you on the money there Ramona

Im wondering what the center hose is connected to perhaps that could be utilized as the cock pit drain and glass up the originals going through the hull bottom

I have similar drains , both with ball valves.

Um, PhilY no one can read that as it is from your harddrive not a website, but thanks

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Jolene said..
I have similar drains , both with ball valves.

It would be a lot safer with rubber hoses and two clips 0n the bottom.

No advantage taking the drains all the way to the bottom of the hull. The driving pressure is between the level of the cockpit sole and the waterline. So an outlet on the waterline is as good as it gets, and less of a potential hazard.

The centre hose is connected to the bilge pump. Thanks for all the tips. I think I will run the drains to the transom.

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LALancer said..
The centre hose is connected to the bilge pump. Thanks for all the tips. I think I will run the drains to the transom.

K.i.s.s. works for me no moving parts going through the transom should take my own advice

I would cross the drains this is a photo of my old Folkboat drains this worked well.

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Ramona said..

Jolene said..
I have similar drains , both with ball valves.

It would be a lot safer with rubber hoses and two clips 0n the bottom.

Hope this helps when making a decision on metal verses Marelon.

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Jolene said..
I have similar drains , both with ball valves.

Hi Jolene, is that photo taken from under the companionway looking aft?

Yes Andy that is correct, Im about to start painting and organizing that area to mount my small Engel fridge in.
The hoses are just pushed on there temporarily to drain rain water.( the boat is not in the water)..I have my new hoses and clamps to fit when the time comes. The ball valves move nicely and the bronze through hull fittings are still in excellent condition. There is a bit of discoloration/ corrosion on the valves, this is from the 40mm pvc sink/trap fittings at the top of the hose leaking,, as the rubber ring seals in them are shot.

A sea cocks story for every ones entertainment ... when I bought Trek the Martcraft in the photo it had 0.3m sea water inside, mixed with battery acid and had been like that for maybe 5 years, everything below was wrecked but the fibreglass hull was bullet proof so I bought it. After draining the water the boat was mobile by sail but not by motor. It was an iron blob.

I decided to replace the sea cocks at a slip in Booker Bay which would involve sailing the boat up from Sydney. I bought buckets, spare bilge pumps and towed an IRB behind as a life boat because the sea cocks were distinctly green and white and flaky looking. Every 5 minutes on the voyage I ran down stairs to check them. If someone wanted to touch one I pounched on them and told them don't touch!! My crew were very amused at the old woman skipper.

Finally the boat was safely up on the slip at Booker Bay and I went below decks and started to twist the PVC hose on the first sea cock to get it off.

Snap. The sea cock broke straight off below the ball valve with no more force than opening a beer! Oops. Tried the next one. Same. The moral of the story is watch your sea cocks Trek has 5 nice new ones these days.

Stb. cockpit drain from rear side of cockpit to transom, above water line, diametre 70mm+




Port side, ditto.

It drains the cockpit

in seconds.



I found this a pretty good arrangement in all conditions, though l am not crazy enough to fill up my boat for whatever reason, l guess, on someones whim!
What a nutsy idea, anyway, methinks.