Replacing ALL Plumbing Hoses

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · Jul 16, 2018

I had to read it a couple of times to figure out that you meant SINK (fresh water) hoses. With the entire sole out and all the plumbing accessible, it should be easy to measure 'em all. You might want to go ahead and replace all the sanitation plumbing too. What hoses to use for each type is the real question.

I'd also strongly recommend that you install hatches in the sole when you put it back...to provide access to hard-to-clean areas of the bilge(s).

--Peggie

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · Jul 16, 2018

West Marine may have the fresh water hose you should buy, but I don't recommend any sanitation hose they carry. That's one thing you do NOT want to go cheap on if you only want to do that job once. I've posted quite a bit on this subject and I'll also be glad to discuss it with you. Not an expert on fresh water hoses though, so you might want to get some advice about which are the best fresh water hoses from members here who've done it.
-Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein

ggrizzard · Jul 16, 2018

So Peggie, can you tell us what kind of sanitation hose to buy and from where?

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · Jul 16, 2018

For toilet, tank and overboard discharge plumbing there are only two I recommend: Trident 101/102 (identical except for color...102 has a white "skin" on it) Trident #101 Sanitation Hose. It's a double walled rubber hose that's been on the market 20 years without a single reported odor permeation failure. Average price around $8/ft. However it does have one drawback: it's as stiff as an ironing board...which makes it a great choice for long straight runs, but not for any that has to take an over, under, around and through path. For those installations, I'd go with Raritan SaniFlex RaritanSaniFlex hose which has a 10 year record of no reported odor permeation failures and can be bent like a hairpin without kinking. List price is about $15/ft, but at least one retailer has it for < $10/ft.
For tank vent and toilet intake lines, Shields or Trident Flex PVC #148 is fine. It's nowhere near as odor impermeable as Trident 101/102 or SaniFlex, but it's inexpensive and those are short lines that don't (or at least shouldn't!) carry waste, so not a big deal to replace if/when you have to.

And btw...all this is included in my book (see link in my signature) along with a whole bunch of info that can make removing and replacing hoses, toilets and holding tanks a LOT easier and without any "yuk!"

(If only the same thing could be said about replacing a computer tower..<sigh)....)

--Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein

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sailcapt340 · Jul 17, 2018

FlyingAloha,
Try the Defender Marine site. Great pricing, close by and the quality Peggie is telling you about. It's where I got the same products you are speaking of when I did ALL my lines as you are about to.

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · Jul 17, 2018

For sink DRAINS, I'd go with #148 flex pvc. I haven't kept up with what's available these days for fresh water plumbing, except to recommend that you avoid clear nylon water hose, and that you want to make sure that hose used for hot water is rated to carry hot water. I think you'll find this article from BOAT/US useful http://www.boatus.com/boattech/casey/boat-plumbing.asp and there are a lot of folks here who can offer recommendations.
--Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein

leo310 · Jul 17, 2018

When I change out our water lines I'll be using PEX color coded Blue for cold and red for hot. The reason for this is if I have it in the house and is rated for home use then why not on a boat.

justsomeguy · Jul 17, 2018

leo310 said:
The reason for this is if I have it in the house and is rated for home use then why not on a boat.

Pex may be okay, but certain other materials don't respond well to the flexing and vibration present on a boat.
That's why not.

Amos Cape · Jul 17, 2018

I have used PEX to replace the plumbing on two sailboats and no problem to date. That was 8 years ago on one and the other five.

HMT2 · Jul 25, 2018

Make sure your PEX stays out of the sun, it has no UV resistance. If it’s inside the boat and covered, I agree PEX is the call.

jviss · Jul 25, 2018

I'm pretty sure Tartan Yachts is using PEX now. Mine is a '96 model and has polybutylene, which had fallen into some disrepute for home use and is now obsolete.

There are alternatives to the PEX system. I made some repairs and alterations using LLDPE tubing, which is food grade, good to 140º (which is fine if you have a tempering valve on the water heater output), and inexpensive. It cuts very easily with an inexpensive plier-like cutting tool.

https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=119674&catid=1153

I guess I could have used PEX pipe instead of the LLDPE tubing, I probably would have had I thought of it at the time. Mine is 1/2" all the way through; tubing is by outside diameter, pipe by inside diameter, and I have 1/2" pipe fittings on almost everything, and 1/2" OD tubing (3/8" ID). PEX goes by copper pipe size, so I would have bought 3/8" PEX, which has a 1/2" OD.

If you have hose-barb fittings you will have to change them. Hopefully they interface with tanks, etc., via standard pipe threads.

I used Parker® O Ring/Grab Ring Tube Fittings, which was what was originally used on the boat. These are also inexpensive, and very easy to use. The are O-ring seals on the outer wall of the tubing. They are made up by hand - you shouldn't ever have to put a wrench on them, but you can if you find it necessary.

They come apart easily, too, which can't be said of PVC hose on hose barbs!

https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/default.aspx?catid=676&clickid=popcorn

If you don't have one, try to add an accumulator, i.e., an expansion tank, which will act as a reservoir of pressure. Your pump will run less often, and for longer when it runs (which is more efficient). Mount it upside down with a ball cock at the bottom so you can drain it for winterization and close it so you needn't pump it full of pink stuff.

I made some accessory pieces to make winterization easier: a piece to connect to the input of the water pump that drops into a pink stuff jug; and a piece to bypass the water heater.

The Parker O-ring fittings with some kind of plastic tubing/pipe is far superior to PVC and hose barbs.