www.iFourWinns.com

Here are some images of the seacocks for the A/C and the generator on my Vista.
My observations:
- they both operate easily and smoothly
- they should be double clamped, I'll do that if nothing else before launch
- if you look carefully it would seem the screws holding the intake grate of the A/C line are all but gone

Questions:
1. Should I just leave them alone?
2. Should they be removed and cleaned?
3. Should they be removed and all components replaced?
4. What the heck is that odd grounding arrangement?

A/C intake:


A/C Seacock:



Generator intake:


Generator Seacock:

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1969 Chris Craft Commander 47
1999 Four Winns 328 Vista - SOLD

I looks like the sea-cock was added (no backing plate) or replaced. Some valves have a (lack of a better word) post to wire to the boats bonding system can be connected. In your case, the ring connector would be put on the post. Some are connected to the base plates, but the wire is to stop electrolysis. More so if your in salt water!

The 2 links can better explain this better than I can, for sure.


On the bonding system: http://www.yandina.com/electrolysis.htm

Great info on seacocks http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/replacing_thruhulls

Note the post on the valve for the wire: http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pat ... &id=142065

As to the sea strainer it self. It could be a whole unit, is in this: http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pat ... &id=142522

Or just a cover. From the looks of the age of it and how it is wired. If it was my boat, I would replace it.

Thanks for the links, the one about seacock replacement is particularly useful. I'm leaning toward replacement.

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1969 Chris Craft Commander 47
1999 Four Winns 328 Vista - SOLD

As a follow up - I took off the valve of one of these through hull fittings (actually my father-in-law did), and it looked like new. I've decided at this point that there is not a threat to boat or life by leaving these in. I'll continue to monitor them each year, but right now other than a rusted handle, they are in perfect condition. I'll remedy the thread mismatch when I decide to replace them in the future.

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1969 Chris Craft Commander 47
1999 Four Winns 328 Vista - SOLD

What's with the filth in the bilge? What was leaking so much to allow that much water to be in there, leading to that much rust? I can't recall how my seacocks have their ground wire connected. but I don't recall them using a hose clamp. That makes me think those aren't actually seacocks, just plain old in-line valves. Aame thing with the large nut at the hull. That should be bronze, not something that would rust up like that. If there's the wrong metals being used there you run the risk of galvanic corrosion causing them to catastrophically fail.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

There always seems to be some water in the bilge, am I alone in that? The bilge pump sits on a backing block, so the best it can do is leave 1/2-1" of water around it. I need to investigate where the water comes in from, I know it could be AC condensate, need to check if that's plumbed to the shower sump or not. Also the rear transom locker drains directly into the bilge. There may be other sources.

As for the rust - only the handle is rusty, no part of the valve or the nut is rusty, it might just look like that in the pictures. Filthy bilge? Yep have that. Only been my boat for 2 summer months and spent most of that time cleaning the topsides and learning how to drive her. The bilge is on my list this year.

Agreed the hose clamp is mickey mouse - I'd love to see images of other '99 328V's seacocks to see if mine are like this from FW or if this was done by the previous owner. In any case, when I took them apart they looked brand new, the ball was as shiny as ever and moves freely. I'll keep an eye on them but at this point I'm not concerned. I do have all new seacocks, flanges and through hulls, and will probably install them next year. Given the good condition (excluding the handle of course) of the current ones, I let them go this year, there are just too many other things that required attention that could not wait.

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1969 Chris Craft Commander 47
1999 Four Winns 328 Vista - SOLD

weather - You're right the bilge pumps are not able to remove all water from the mid cabin and engine room bilges because of how the bilge pumps are mounted.

The following is how I try and get as much water out of both the engine room bilge and mid cabin bilge as I can.

About once a week just as we are to get up on plane I have my wife turn on the mid cabin bilge while I turn on the engine room bilge. The angle the boat is on before being right on up plane allows the bilges to get much more water out than what the pumps could remove while sitting at the dock. Our A/C condensate does flow into the bilge so I do try and make sure I do turn bilge pump(s) on while getting up on plane when I get the opportunity too and I remember.

Mike.

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Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation

Some newer boats run the AC condensate over into the shower sump box. This avoids having anything running straight into the bilge.

I'm about to replace our sump box as the pump died and it's unbelievably NASTY inside that box. I'm also going to re-route the galley sink overboard to avoid it dumping any sink materials into the sump box. That'll leave just the shower sump and the AC condensate, which should be a lot less nasty over time.

I'm also giving serious consideration to adding an 'Arid Bilge' pump system. Not cheap but I'd really like to eliminate anything accumulating in the bilges, at all. Hard to do with all the seams and drains coming in from above (transom locker, etc) But I'd rather get it drier than how the existing pumps handle it.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

I am lucky that our sinks all drain directly overboard so at least the shower sump doesn't get used much.

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1969 Chris Craft Commander 47
1999 Four Winns 328 Vista - SOLD

This is what I do as well (at least the aft pump). Of course I need to remember to do it...I was looking into other styles of pumps (that pump closer to the bilge floor) but haven't gotten around to it yet.

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1969 Chris Craft Commander 47
1999 Four Winns 328 Vista - SOLD