Potable Water Filter

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
As I said, plently of water, plenty of use. When we fill the filler hoses overflow and therefor get rinsed. The tanks overflow, so the tops and the vent hoses get rinsed.

I'm shy about putting bleach into the aluminum tank. I think it's aluminum, anyway - could it be stainless steel? I'll have to check.
 
Apr 8, 2010
1,942
Ericson Yachts Olson 34 28400 Portland OR
Our main 38 gallon water tank is located under a settee. There are two "Beckson" six inch ports. I fill thru one, and have a clear port for one of them.
Two ports because there is a baffle in the SS tank and this allows clean-out by manual scrubbing every year. Screw-Out Deck Plate by Beckson
Our tank is filled from either of these ports; there is no deck fill and no concerns about hoses or failing O-rings.
While "YMMV", this system has worked fine for the life of the boat. Sometimes simpler is really better.
 
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jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
Sometimes simpler is really better.
What's simpler? Dragging a hose into the cabin, moving the settee cushions, unscrewing a Beckon port and filling; or just unscrewing a fill port on the deck? :)

Same with fuel, and waste, too.
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,324
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
What's simpler? Dragging a hose into the cabin, moving the settee cushions, unscrewing a Beckon port and filling; or just unscrewing a fill port on the deck? :)

Same with fuel, and waste, too.
Ultimately I think this is a difference that doesn't really make much of a difference. So, it takes 16 minutes to fill a tank through the inspection port and 15 minutes to fill a tank through the fill hose. That's not enough difference for me to worry about.

However, @FastOlson does bring up a point about leaking deck fills due to damaged or aged O-rings on the cap. That could potentially contaminate the water supply with salt water or lake water. One more maintenance task.

As for the holding tank, I'm not worried about it being contaminated. And there are sanitary reasons for keeping the stuff in the hose. With fuel it is a safety issue, keeping the fuel in the hose and not in the bilge.
 

jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
I find it amusing that people would argue against the dominant design for filling water tanks - the deck fill. Really? Quite ridiculous in my view. Nothing could be easier and more convenient than filling via the deck fills.

(Regarding the waste and fuel, I was jokingly suggesting that some might also eschew the deck fills for these, too, and fill their fuel tank through the inspection port, and pump out their wast through the inspection port.)

My 40 gallon tanks take 7 minutes each to fill at my home port. It will vary according to water pressure and flow rates at the hose, of course.

That hose doesn't sit around and get dirty inside. It probably pumps 1000+ gallons of water per day on the weekends.

I'm really not super concerned, but I would like the additional peace of mind a good filtration system will provide. I don't want a point-of-use solution, I want a whole-boat solution. So, I'm thinking of adding a 10' sediment filter, maybe 5 micron, and then a 10" carbon block 0.5 micron filter, to the pressure side of the pump. I'd change the elements annually as part of the water system recommissioning process, and provide for a bypass for winterizing; i.e., for winterizing remove the filter elements and bypass. I have also purchased a water meter so I can keep track of how much water I push through the system, for filter life, etc.
 
Jul 1, 2010
962
Catalina 350 Lake Huron
I added one of these filters to our Catalina 350:


Did it mainly to filter out the chlorine and improve drinking water taste at our home marina. No need to worry about bacterial problems as we sanitize the tanks in the spring. Peggy has put up the instructions on this web site for the bleach mix ratio at least once (likely multiple times). The filter works well and improves the taste considerably. It takes out a lot of contaminants, however would not be the choice if you manage to fill your tank with bacterially contaminated water. The separate faucet is nice for filling water bottles, coffee pot, etc.

On our other boat (Seaward 25) I had put in an inline filter made by 3m that filters the whole boat (only has a sink, no shower). I found that the filter reduced the flow so much I had to replace the water pump with a higher flow / pressure unit on that boat. So putting in a whole boat solution might not work as well as you might hope.

When we're travelling, and overnight at a marina, I wash the boat first, so I know a bunch of water has flowed through the marina lines. Then fill the water tanks with a separate hose I use for just drinking water. I never fill at a stop where the drinking water hose is located near the pumpout station, unless it's clearly marked separately from hoses for pumpout washing, and then I use my hose instead of theirs.
 
Last edited:
Aug 1, 2019
51
hunter 22 Colorado
I don’t own a cruiser but I do run my house off a well. A vital part of the water “treatment” is a UV light preceded by a filter that screens out any large particles that would interfere with its effectiveness. I’m not sure of the power draw but it might be something to consider adding to the system on your boat. All the water coming from the tank would be treated as it’s used.
Shocking the system on a regular schedule is also best practice.
I have one of those UV treatment things on my well at home. I discovered I was getting E.coli. NONE after UV was installed.

I think UV is impractical for anything short of a mega yacht.

I treat water supply in my RV and my sail charter yachts as pond water. Showers - ok. Teeth brush-NO. Icemaker-NO!. Mother in law cocktail - OK if near port.
 
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
Between cruises every other weekend I open the faucet to empty the 40-gallon water tank. I know this does not get all of the old stuff out-especially what is in the hoses. SO, just before a cruise when I'm filling the tank, I open the faucets to flush the water through the hoses and the water heater.
 
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Apr 8, 2010
1,942
Ericson Yachts Olson 34 28400 Portland OR
I find it amusing that people would argue against the dominant design for filling water tanks - the deck fill. Really? Quite ridiculous in my view. Nothing could be easier and more convenient than filling via the deck fills.

(Regarding the waste and fuel, I was jokingly suggesting that some might also eschew the deck fills for these, too, and fill their fuel tank through the inspection port, and pump out their wast through the inspection port.)

My 40 gallon tanks take 7 minutes each to fill at my home port. It will vary according to water pressure and flow rates at the hose, of course.

That hose doesn't sit around and get dirty inside. It probably pumps 1000+ gallons of water per day on the weekends.

I'm really not super concerned, but I would like the additional peace of mind a good filtration system will provide. I don't want a point-of-use solution, I want a whole-boat solution. So, I'm thinking of adding a 10' sediment filter, maybe 5 micron, and then a 10" carbon block 0.5 micron filter, to the pressure side of the pump. I'd change the elements annually as part of the water system recommissioning process, and provide for a bypass for winterizing; i.e., for winterizing remove the filter elements and bypass. I have also purchased a water meter so I can keep track of how much water I push through the system, for filter life, etc.
Always glad to provide amusement to others! The world is in need of some humor....
I do think that anyone suggesting that a holding tank or diesel fill be done below decks is yanking our chains. :)
As for "nothing could be easier".... well that's totally subjective. As the song goes: "if you're happy and you know it clap your hands"
:)
As for filtration, we have thought about adding this feature, as long as it does not slow the flow too much due to increased resistance. Just one more thing to put on the never-ending To-Do List. (sigh)
 
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Jan 7, 2011
4,727
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I have 2) 30-gallon plastic tanks on my O’Day 322, under the port and starboard settees. I put Beckson ports in each tank, primarily so I could inspect and clean them out. My deck fills are easy to use, but I do wonder about how clean they are. They are the old, “ribbed” type of hose and are probably past their prime.

I have filled from both the deck fills and the ports. When I fill from the deck, I usually open the inspection ports and watch the tank fill from there. I have dropped the hose down through the hatch and stuck it right in the inspection port.

I don’t use enough water in a normal month to cycle the water fast enough, and untreated, it a little skunky.

So I will add a splash of bleach to each tank when I fill it. I don’t drink the water from the tank, so it doesn’t bother me that it has a little chlorine bleach in it., and it is way better than having skunky water!

Greg
 
Jun 14, 2010
2,082
Robertson & Caine 2017 Leopard 40 CT
I bought one of these 0.5 micron filters for use with a conventional housing. That project still is on my to-do list a year later. Meanwhile we still use gallon jugs of water for drinking and tank water for washing. The tank is "shocked" with chlorine every Spring when commisioning the boat. We're trying to reduce our use of plastics (e.g. bottled water) and trying to be mindful or other disposables even though it's not easy or convenient to do that.
 
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jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
They are the old, “ribbed” type of hose and are probably past their prime.
By the way, it could be that the ribs are only on the outside, i.e., wire or other reinforcement, and that they are smooth inside. If so, you can easily clean them.
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,727
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
By the way, it could be that the ribs are only on the outside, i.e., wire or other reinforcement, and that they are smooth inside. If so, you can easily clean them.
They are...but they look to be 30 years old!