Seacock Valves

A raw water through-hull is basically a hole in the bottom of your boat with a bronze (or marelon) valve (seacock) that allows water from the lake (or ocean) to be used to cool the engine, provide water for the air conditioner, toilet, generator, etc etc. It's extremely important to maintain seacocks and the attached hose in order to prevent water from filling the boat and possibly sinking it in the event a hose comes off or other issue. This is why you should periodically inspect hoses to ensure there are no cracks like in the above picture, and to make sure they are double clamped at each connection. You should also periodically exercise the valve handle to ensure it is operating smoothly, and will allow quick closure in the event of an emergency. Familiarize yourself with all through-hull seacock valves so that you can be prepared to quickly shut off the flow of water and prevent a sinking in an emergency situation.

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