Using Dockside Fresh Water On Board

[Tom FitzGibbon]

Peggy,Sorry, this has nothing to do with heads or head maintenance, but since you seem to be the "HOW Goddess of All Things Plumbing" , I thought I would ask you this question.How can I hook up an onboard freshwater system to the dockside freshwater system so that, while at dockside, I am using the city water directly and not using the water from the tank? I've seen pressure reducers in catalogs that appear to be for this purpose, but I'm not sure how to design the rest of the system. I would want to be able to switch back and forth from city water (when at dockside) to on-board water tank (while underway, anchored out, etc.) I presently have a very basic on-board water system with a pressure water system with a water heater. Also, are there any good basic books available on marine plumbing? Your articles and answers to the questions here are great and I've learned quite a bit from them, but I would like to get a broader overview of the topic.Thanks!Tom FitzGibbon

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

West Marine carries complete dockside water...

...connection kits, and instructions on how to install them. Athough some people recommend tapping into the boat's fresh water plumbing after the tank and fresh water pump, I recommend installing it to continually refill the tank, so that the water in the tank never has a chance to stagnate and become stale or foul. If you're uncertain about how to properly install pressurized dock water, you'd be well advised to hire it done. One VERY important caveat: neverneverneverNEVER!!! leave the boat, even for an hour, or turn in for the night, without disconnecting pressurized dock water. The pressure regulator valves are highly failure prone...your boat's plumbing is not designed to take the pressure directly from the dock, and something WILL blow out. I am not being an alarmist when it comes to this...we have half a dozen sinkings on the lake due to dock water...in fact, a friend's boat went down last Sunday while he was at work.Not sure why you think your system is particularly basic...they all conist of a storage tank, a pressure water pump, and hose to faucets...and yours goes through a water heater! There are no books on marine sanitation and plumbing systems...passing mention in Calder and a few others, but absolutely nothing in depth on either the fresh water or the sanitation systems. So if you need info, I'm afraid I'm your only source! Maybe I should write the book???

 

[Been there]

Where's the advantage??

Given the importance of turning the water off every time one leaves the boat, and the need to disconnect and reconnect for each sail, is there really that much advantage to dockside water? It seems to me it would just trade a five minute chore every three days for a thirty-second chore twice a day. I want more return from the stuff I buy from West Marine.

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

Well now...it depends...

If you're living aboard--or even if you're not, but spend a lot of time at the dock--and have only a 20-30 gallon fresh water tank, a pressurized dock connection would definitely improve the quality of life aboard. If OTOH, you spend most of your time away from the dock, and/or have more than enough fresh water storage for your family of four to wash dishes and take showers, it really wouldn't add much. So whether a pressurized dock connection is right for you depends upon whether:a: you have a definite onboard water-shortage while at the dock that it would cure.b: you don't have an onboard water shortage, but you're gadget-happy...you want every "toy" ever made whether you need it or not.c: in either case, you have a long enough attention span to prevent it from sinking your boat.

 

[Mike Alge]

Peggy's book

Yes peggy, you should write a book and when you do, I want a signed first edition. By the way , my boat has a 100 gal. cap. and I have no intention of hooking up to dockside water.

 

[bill walton]

dockside water

I use dockside water when ever I spend a few days aboard my 42 in the Marina. It reduces the cycling of the pump. This reduces the noise aboard and must contribute to the life of the pump. I fixed a quick disconnect to the inlet on the hull. It takes 5 seconds to disconnect when I leave the boat or leave the marina with the boat. The disconnect is one way, akin to the disconnect on an air compressor so the internal system still works.

 

[Tom FitzGibbon]

Thanks, Peggy...

as always, the advice was very helpful (especially the part about hiring it out!).Unfortunately, with the amounyt of water the kids and dog go through, I don't think I have much of a choice.If you do write that book (and, yes, I think you should), please let me know - I'll buy copies for all my boating friends!Tom