The Gatekeeper
A few years ago, I overheard an energetic conversation between a contractor and an architect about “the perfect wall.” House construction details don’t interest me, but I admired the interest and intensity of the people involved on such a bland topic. In that spirit, let’s talk about the perfect seacock for below-waterline applications. It seems fairly simple: We need a reliable valve to close when needed and a suitable place to attach a hose; we need assurance that someone accidentally standing on it won’t loosen anything; and we need protection from corrosion, as it will be immersed in salt water most of the time.
Hardware
The perfect seacock must withstand two threats: physical stress and corrosion. Let’s tackle the physical demands first. The ABYC standard states it this way: “A seacock shall be securely mounted so that
