I'm certain that it's been covered previously, but searching forums here is a bit of a non-starter. 2008 Hunter 36. We want to add a dockside water connection to the boat, of course including a pressure reducer to eliminate blowing up the plumbing and potentially sinking the boat. My question is where should I connect the incoming line to the onboard systems? The manuals I've found online are a bit skimpy with details. Apparently both the pressure pump and manifold are under the galley counter. In between the pump and manifold?
Dockside water connection
- Thread starter George Braun
- Start date
well this is a project that I’ve had on the to do list for years, for me I’m thinking of a way to put the water deck connection in two locations with some form of shut offs.
For convenience I am looking at placing one in the anchor locker and one in the aft.
Most of the connections I have seen are usually in the aft however if you dock bow in first then uncoiling fifty more feet of hose just to reach the connection point seems to be a pain. That’s why I’m looking at installing two connection points.
For convenience I am looking at placing one in the anchor locker and one in the aft.
Most of the connections I have seen are usually in the aft however if you dock bow in first then uncoiling fifty more feet of hose just to reach the connection point seems to be a pain. That’s why I’m looking at installing two connection points.
we go into our slip stern first, so the exterior connection line will only need to be about 8' long, but snaking the supply line through the boat will be complex to get it to the galley.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,074
The perceived convenience of having shore line water and its pressure in your boat has complications.
The installation of a connecting hose bib is just the beginning.
The installation of a connecting hose bib is just the beginning.
- Pressure regulators.
- Is the internal system capable of handling 60PSI most boat systems I’ve seen are 30PSI
- What about emergency shut offs when a pipe bursts?
- Do you always shut the water off when you leave the boat?
What happens when the neighbor wants to wash his boat and needs the hose bib?
There are a few brands of pressure regulators integral to the inlet connection where a shore water hose connects.
The above reduces pressure to 30 psi which most if not all boat systems can handle.
It’s pretty easy to screw a shut off valve to the above at the point where a hose connects to the boat.
as to the “ do you always shut the water off”question, that is analogous to - do you lock your car in a parking lot?, or, do you lock the house when you go on vacation? Or do you shut off the house water when on vacation?
and if the dock has only a single hose feed, that’s why God invented Y valves.
the only additional comment I have is that an endless supply of fresh water is not a “perceived” convenience any more than it is in our house.
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We have shore water on our C34. There is a female hose fitting in the cockpit combing storage area. It runs under the head sink cabinet where there is a quarter turn ball valve. From there it runs to a tee on the out flow side of the pressure pump. There is both a check valve and quarter turn valve between the pump and the tee. The water then feeds the hot water heater where the tank PRV (pressure relief valve ) absorbs any over pressure.
Art - how would that then feed back to the manifold for the rest of the system. No check valves anywhere? If so, you are correct, very simple. I believe that line is pretty easy to reach through the transom locker. If not that one, then the cold line for the shower. Would still need a check valve somewhere between the tank in the bow and the manifold.
T
Failed dock water connections have sunk or come close to sinking many a boat that were left on while no one was aboard even for an hour. Relying on the pressure reducer valve is a big mistake because no matter how expensive that valve is, there are only two kinds of them--those that have failed and those that will. So you need to be aboard and AWAKE to hear the first sounds of gushing water when it does. I remember a post here on sbo.com years ago...an owner had to get up to pee in the middle of the night (prob'ly awakened by the sound of gushing water)..stepped out of the v-berth into calf deep water. A sailboat owner in my marina took his dog for a run one Sunday morning...came back just an hour later to find his deck shoes afloat in the cabin. And every summer there were at least two houseboats in that marina that had sunk or capsized due to dock water being left on when no one was aboard. So turn the water off and disconnect the hose on the dock or at least disconnect it from the boat and let the water run off the dock if it's raining and you don't want to get wet!
Dock water is a wonderful convenience, but like everything else on a boat, it requires paying close attention and ALWAYS following necessary protective procedures....and oh..keeping a spare pressure reducer valve on hand, 'cuz you WILL need it!
--Peggie
They are not analogous. I posted this to another conversation about dock water connections:
Failed dock water connections have sunk or come close to sinking many a boat that were left on while no one was aboard even for an hour. Relying on the pressure reducer valve is a big mistake because no matter how expensive that valve is, there are only two kinds of them--those that have failed and those that will. So you need to be aboard and AWAKE to hear the first sounds of gushing water when it does. I remember a post here on sbo.com years ago...an owner had to get up to pee in the middle of the night (prob'ly awakened by the sound of gushing water)..stepped out of the v-berth into calf deep water. A sailboat owner in my marina took his dog for a run one Sunday morning...came back just an hour later to find his deck shoes afloat in the cabin. And every summer there were at least two houseboats in that marina that had sunk or capsized due to dock water being left on when no one was aboard. So turn the water off and disconnect the hose on the dock or at least disconnect it from the boat and let the water run off the dock if it's raining and you don't want to get wet!
Dock water is a wonderful convenience, but like everything else on a boat, it requires paying close attention and ALWAYS following necessary protective procedures....and oh..keeping a spare pressure reducer valve on hand, 'cuz you WILL need it!
--Peggie
It really is this simple.
The shower cold line is just a branch of the boat’s cold water system. The manifold is 2 way, with no check valves
The in-line pressure regulator you’ll need to install on the inlet has an integral check valve, so your water pressure pump can’t feed water back out.
So, the install is:
Mount dock water inlet fitting
Screw pressure regulator into it (it’s 3/4” hose)
Install hose to whale adapter on other side of regulator
Insert T into shower cold line
Pipe in..
you’re all good
I would check with my insurance company before I connected to dock water. The water in your water tanks can't sink your boat. A hose from the dock can.
Here's a story to consider when thinking about adding city water to your boat.
I think they are. it seems everyone has some anecdotal story so I’ll play… one of our kids had a clothes washer line (brand new) break flooding their laundry room and finished basement causing more damage in terms of $$$$ than the cost of the average boat.
Correcting for sample base, we really have no clue which is a worse or more widespread problem, the house flood or the boat flood.
that’s how most manufacturers install dock water supply when building the boat, including a backflow value on the pressure pump.
Yes! As a minimum, the washing machine valve. I have a friend who shuts water off to the house when he goes on extended vacations. I also have a relative who's house was ruined by a broken washing machine hose when he was away, but after the smoke cleared, it was a win for him, as the insurance company paid for extensive renovations. So, pick your poison.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,074
“which is a worse or more widespread problem, the house flood or the boat flood. “
In my opinion, the boat flood has more financial exposure.
Rational: the boat is exposed to multiple governmental agencies that have claimed ownership of the water environment. A boat flood (sinking) has all of them thirsting for the boat owner to pay them to clean up the water and remove the offending boat to their pristine habitat.
The home flood though disturbing can be stopped at some point by the owner turning off the water. Gravity is working in the home owner’s favor trying to contain the water damage. Sure there will be damage from a burst pipe, but the damage is confined and the owner is the only impacted person.
Damage costs for the environment are a 10 or more fold value over that of a home.
In my opinion, the boat flood has more financial exposure.
Rational: the boat is exposed to multiple governmental agencies that have claimed ownership of the water environment. A boat flood (sinking) has all of them thirsting for the boat owner to pay them to clean up the water and remove the offending boat to their pristine habitat.
The home flood though disturbing can be stopped at some point by the owner turning off the water. Gravity is working in the home owner’s favor trying to contain the water damage. Sure there will be damage from a burst pipe, but the damage is confined and the owner is the only impacted person.
Damage costs for the environment are a 10 or more fold value over that of a home.
Having spent much of my career in environmental cleanup and remediation, I know the primary basis for assessment of damages depends entirely on an environmental assessment study (which can take years to complete) to quantify damages, an activity no government, state or Federal, does for small boat accidents.
Consequently, comparing these risks is hard of quantify. When you layer on the emotional and physical impact of a damaged and sometimes unlivable home with that of a recreational boat most consider to be a toy, it seems ironic to me how some place so much emphasis on low risk boat damage when they never bother to shut off the water every time they leave their house.
I shut off the water if there's no one home for even one day. I once came home to find that the bottom had come out of my water heater only moments before I entered the house. I don't expect to ever be that lucky again.
I also cycle all the isolation valves in my house once per year. When I first moved into the house I'm in now I had to shut off the water and the tap handle snapped off in my hand. The valve was stuck in the open position from not having been cycled for so long. It takes so little to prevent so much!
Don, I certainly respect your experience in this area, but, are you saying I'm wasting my money paying for the environmental damage rider on my yacht policy? I don't know first hand, but I've heard horror stories of small boat owners being fined for things as trivial as a bit of sheen on the water at the fuel dock. Can this be so?