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2007 BAVARIA 37 HULL VALVES – LOO AND SINKS.
THEY LOOK LIKE STAINLESS. ARE THEY? CANNOT SEE ANY METHOD OF TAKING THEM APART TO SERVICE. HOW DO YOU SERVICE THEM?
They are not serviceable. Just make sure they are operated regularly to prevent crud building up around the ball.
If you have the boat out of the water during the winter try using some spray grease sprayed from the outside, work the valve a few times and this should keep the valve lubricated for the season.
@goodeau wrote:
If you have the boat out of the water during the winter try using some spray grease sprayed from the outside, work the valve a few times and this should keep the valve lubricated for the season.
This is what I have been doing but a bit concerned about yachting press saying that there are some cheap valves around with crap material that need replacing after about 5 years. I’m trying to find out what material the bavaria valves are. They look like stainless but may be some exotoc material. I’ll contact clipper marine to find out and post back.
There is a good article in Yachting Monthly, June 2011in which a spokesman for Bavaria Yachts told YM that its 89mm seacocks are made from saltwater-proof aluminium and chromed brass and their 57mm seacocks from brass. there is a lot of information describing the different types of metals which should be used and the likely problems which can develop.
You could panic and change all through hull fittings and seacocks to bronze or marine-gradeDZR brass at great expense or as an alternative have a programme of regular inspection of what Bavaria has provided.
Unless you are already experiencing major problems of current leakage and associated electrolytic action any problem is likely to develop over a very long period of time. my boat is 9 years old and there is no sign of any corrosion.
We have always replaced the outdrive leg anode and the two small anodes on our fridge outside hull cooler each year whilst the boat was kept afloat for the full year. This year she has been out of the water over winter and spent time on a fresh water mooring so all the anodes are OK and have not been changed.
In the light of the yachting Monthly article I am going to remove all the sea cocks at the end of this season for inspection and if there is no sign of trouble, simply add regular removal and checking to my maintenance schedule.I had my previous B37 for eight years and never had a problem except sometimes a bit of stiffness on the heads outlet so I think that Bavaria have been using suitable valves – from my limited experience.
There was no sign of any corrosion including on the handles which I think are just steel. On my previous boat – which was 18 years old when I sold her the handles were starting to rust somewhat.The only place I saw any corrosion on Goodeau was around the handle for the sail drive water inlet.
Been in contact with Clipper marine. They say they think the thru hull valves are chrome covered brass but with all the press are asking Bavaria. My enquiry was for a 2007 37. I’ll let you know the reply.
Any feedback from members who have removed and inspected valves would be good. Size and year of boat build.
No feedback from Clipper or Bavaria. My experience is that Bavaria do not answer. What to do about the Bavaria thru hull valves? Do they waste away and need changing? Dont know! Clipper did say they did not know of a failure – but they have only been Bavaria agents for a few years as Opel went bust.
I suppose, if laid up ashore, give them a bang with a hammer and see if they break!
Owners comments on any corrosion/erosion found is welcomed. My 4 year old 37 – no visible sign of deterioration.
I am sure that if Bavaria and other manufacturers had discovered and used material for through hull fittings that was better than being reported in the yachting press, by now they would have responded to the criticism being placed at their door.
It is therfore probable that all our through hull fittings are made of brass or a brass alloy that will last at least five years, but may then fail at some time in the future. The length of time to failure cannot be determined as it depends on the rate at which the metal errodes due to electolitic action, causing dezincification. There will be no visible sign of a problem, as the errosion will take place, starting on the inside of the skin fitting, ( the bit in contact with the salt water). The sea cock itself will probably be OK as these are quite often just above the waterline, except for the engine raw-water inlet.
The only visible sign may be the brass turning to a copper colour and this may become apparent on the outside of the skin fitting. Hitting the fitting with a hammer may not cause the fitting to break, but could cause a fracture that would speed up the time to failure. As failure is likely to be between the locking nut on the dry side of the skin fitting and the underside of the seacock, this would result in major water ingress and the possible loss of the yacht.
This whole problem is being given major campaign status by the yachting press and I for one am taking it seriously. It would not surprise me if our insurance companies start to place demands on replacement periods, just as they do with standing rigging.
The fact that many of us have reported that we have owned our boats and used them for 9 years without a problem does not confirm that everyones boat will do the same. If by chance a boat has been kept connected to shore power and has experienced problems from electrical leakage, then its through hull fittings could fail sooner than the periods reported.
It is the uncertainty that is worrying which is why I am going to include a thorough examination of all through hull fittings on my annual maintenance list.I note that in Yachting Monthly summer 2011 No 1,261 on page 12 a chap called John Epto replaced all his stopcocks on his 11 year old Bav 42 with Forespar Marelon plastic fittings from a company called Mack Engineering after finding severe dezincification. Here is there website if anyone is interested it also has a video for installation. http://www.mackengineering.co.uk/categories/FORESPAR-MARELON-SEACOCKS-%26–FITTINGS/
I am very interested to know how everyone is reacting to this stopcock campaign.
Cheers
Chris.I also read the article and will be checking ours at next haul out. I think I’ll take all the skin fittings off and re-bed even if OK, plus some new hoses. Probably time to do this on a 1999 boat anyway. As one of Lloyds Register boats, Bavaria should have been using DZR brass to comply as I understand it, and maybe they did? We never keep connected to shore power when away from the marina, even though a galvanic isolator is fitted. Interesting that Marelon fittings were used, when we were all told years ago not to use plastic through-hulls under the waterline? Having said that, glass reinforced engineering thermoplastics are pretty tough and widely used in cars these days to replace metal components. I’ll certainly look into this further in case I feel the need to change.
We have removed the toilet outlet and inlet seacocks from our 2001, (launched 2002) Bavaria 34. The set up consists of a bronze coloured skin fitting which is attached to the plated ball valve. This is in turn fitted to an elbow which terminates with a hose tailpipe. The elbow has a small 3 blade propeller casting mark which i think means it is of marine quality.
I found copper discolouring on the outer flange of the skin fittings, between the threads making contact between the skin fitting and ball valve, the ball valve and the bronze elbow and the hosetail was very badly corroded and broke up under the load i applied to remove it. I was able to remove the copper discolouring with emery cloth as it was only on the surface and was happy that the skin fitting, the ball valve and the elbow are structurally sound. They all appear to be reasonable quality. The hosetail by comparison i think is just brass, which is why it has corroded. At least when it fails it is the dry side of the ball valve. The ball inside of the ball valve i think is chrome plated brass and is showing enough pitting that I am going to replace them. I will also replace the hosetails but the elbows and skin fittings will be refitted.Marine components UK at Poole appear to have suitable replacements that are listed as bronze so I will be checking specification with them.
We did not remove the sea cocks for the sink, shower and holding tank as these are all on the waterline and get less use than the toilet. Feel OK to leave these until next years liftout.
Hi
When we bought our 38 in 2006 which was built late 2003 so only just 3 years old. The through hull fittings had a pink tinge / disscolouration due to de zincification, which was picked up by the surveyor.
He recommend replacement which was done along with sea cocks.They have been checked every year since & are still in good condition, with no signs of disscolouration.
Dont rely on what Bavaria or the agents tell you has been fitted, check them !!!!
Halcyone
A full survey was undertaken on my Bavaria 36 for the new purchaser yesterday.
April 2003 build with all original skin fittings and sea cocks. No issues found.
I’m of the opinion that yes they need to be checked regularly but as long as the anodes are doing their job correctly and there are no stray currents from the pontoon wiring the seacocks should last quite well. Mine have lasted 8 1/2 years.I think the issue of stray current from pontoons is relevant. I only had my 37 on a pontoon over one winter, contected to a 240V supply and with an isolator fitted in the supply line. Anode loss was dramatic! Now on a river mooring, there is virtually no loss of anode.
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