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something died: reddish thru hull, acid smell

ChrisS

Member III
I just had the strangest experience today:

Having hauled the boat in February, painted the bottom and replumbed the intake line for the head (and spent a lot of time cleaning out the bilge) I was very surprised to see that two months later the thru hull/ ball valve that the starboard cockpit drain is now pinkish with a white powdery texture in parts. The sink drain also shares this thru hull.

Closing the ball valve to test if it still worked, I stuck a hose in the cockpit drain and the water didn't drain, but a foul, acidic/rotten egg smelling stench came up the sink, plus a great deal of liquidy black debris. I quickly opened the ball valve, put the hose in the sink, turned it on full blast, and the water pressure unclogged whatever was in the sink line. It took a lot of rinsing and airing out to make the acid smell go away.

What happened? I can only think that when the boat was hauled something crawled up there--a rodent maybe?--and then died once the boat was back in the water. I don't know what caused the acid, but maybe it was some cleaner I used? I am now hanted by the fact that I got a C- in high school chemistry.

Whatever the case, I'm left with having to fix the ball valve. I really don't want to haul again, and I have heard that the bottm paint will lose its herbicidal properties once the boat is out of the water.

Is it possible to change the ball valve while the boat is in the water, or is that a risky idea?

After my experince today I reseached thru hulls, and I now realize that I need to replumb with flanged seacocks, and I am kicking myself for not doing this in February.

Thanks ahead of time for any creative recommendations.
 

Martin King

Sustaining Member
Blogs Author
Don't know if the 2 problems are related. The pink color indicates
electrolysis to me and I would be changing that ball valve right quick.
You need someone to pound in a softwood plug from outside and then
you can swap out the valve.If the thru hull itself needs replacing, then you
are screwed and will have to haul again. Well, I should qualify that, you actually can
swap out a thru hull in the water, but that is risky and in my mind, simply not
worth trying to save the bucks it would take to pop the boat out for 20 minutes.

That nasty smell and black goop was
most likely decaying food that didn't get flushed out completely.
I've read of people actually getting very sick on board, and the source
being traced back to impacted food in drain pipes.
 
Last edited:

Rocinante33

Contributing Partner
Chris,

I had that problem last summer & changed a ball valved in the water using an old style rubber toilet plunger. Search for a thread titled "Ball Valve & Thruhull." Ther were a lot of good suggestions. My fittings are marlon, but it should work with bronze too. Be careful not to spin the flange on the hull & you can do it.
 

ChrisS

Member III
Martin, I was a bit hesitant about the acid being the cause of the pink metal, but I took a taste of the white powder before I discovered the acid. I expected salt but got an acidic taste. I think at the very least they are related, perhaps one accelerated the other, and I am wondering why the other thru hulls look great and this one is pink? If I replace the valve will the same thing happen?

At any rate, I'm going to talk to a local diver and see what he says. The boat yard by my marina was a crappy experience back in February, and I hope I don't have to head back there. I'll report back after I correct the valve situation.
 

admirals barge

Member III
replacing ball valve.

chriss

you can change the valve while in the water.. get your diver or find one at the docks. have the diver use a toilet plunger to seal the thru hull. then remove the valve. thread the new valve on the thru hull and hand tighten it. close the vlave and then have the diver insert the right size wrench into the thru hull to hold it while you finish tightening the thru hull...

the smell you got from the sink is bacteria that has been growing in the trap or the pipes. what you should do is clean out the water tank and water lines with 1 cup of bleach to every 10 gallons of water. run it thru the system and then let it set for 24 hours. then flush the system with fresh water....


hope this helps

greg

dalliance
74 35II # 325
wilimgton,ca
 

Bill Sanborn

Member III
Bronze vs Brass

Is the ball valve brass or bronze? Both are available depending on where you shop. I have heard that brass will corrode in salt water whereas bronze will not.

Something to keep in mind when buying a new ball valve.
 
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