Easy Freshwater Washdown

[Freebird]

I discovered something on my 58TC over the week-end that lit a light bulb as to how I could have a freshwater washdown system on the boat as it does not have one (except in the bilge). This was on my to-do list as I like to keep a clean ship after running in a lot of salt spray. I had planned to plumb in a system, maybe using a dedicated pump.

When I attempted to hook up to dockside water, I unscrewed the cap on my starboard inlet and discovered the check valve had malfunctioned. Upon removing the cap, pressurized water came out of the inlet. At first, I thought I would just add this to the list of things to repair. Then it hit me, why not use this for a freshwater washdown? I have another hook-up on the port side that I could use for a dock hook up. Besides, as far as I know, the only disadvantage of not having a check valve would be you're going to get squirted when you connect/disconnect a hose. However, that could be avoided by simply turning off the water pump as would be the case when hooked to dockside water. It shouldn't be an issue as long as a hose is hooked up or a cap is in place.

Did I stumble across a great idea, or is there something I haven't thought about that will keep this from working.

 

[Pascal]

same here.... i use a Y with shut off valve on each side.. one is connected to a self coil hose, the other one can be used to hook up to the dock which i almost never do anyway (one less thing to disconnect when leaving, no risk of sinking the boat in case of a leak)

 

[Freebird]

same here.... i use a Y with shut off valve on each side.. one is connected to a self coil hose, the other one can be used to hook up to the dock which i almost never do anyway (one less thing to disconnect when leaving, no risk of sinking the boat in case of a leak)

Dang Pascal,

Have we finally found the missing link between us? I'm planning a cruise to the keys over Labor Day if I can get my engine issue settled. I'll look you up and challenge you to a water fight with my newly discovered washdown system! I'll have my 440V pump wired by then!

 

[Pascal]

make sure you post pictures of that monster pump... i could use that for the water gun fights at Eliott Key during the Columbus Regatta party....

 

[Freebird]

make sure you post pictures of that monster pump... i could use that for the water gun fights at Eliott Key during the Columbus Regatta party....

Hey Man,

Just point YOUR camera towards ole' FREEBIRD when I sneak up on you from behind one of the keys! And another thing, like I've said before, my stuff NEVER goes over the bow!

 

[Dustoff44]

Just replace the check valves with shutoff valves. I did this on my 58YF.
It works great. 32v pump running with a valve open means pressure to wash the deck etc.
32v pump off and valve open means okay to use shore water.
Normal position for me is valves closed 32v pump on and using water from onboard tank.

 

[Freebird]

Thanks for the reply. Dang, here I was thinking I had come up with something original! Looks like a Y valve is in my future.

 

[Gunsmoke]

Free: Empty out some of your PM's. Your garbage can is full. I tried to send you a PM, but it came back. I think you can only store five!
Thanks
Gunsmoke

 

[Liquid Asset]

Randy,
I bet that the cap is on your water inlet because the valve is stuck. I bet that you will find most people dont have a cap and there was one on your boat. It was to keep the water in.

 

[Bob Bradley]

Besides, as far as I know, the only disadvantage of not having a check valve would be you're going to get squirted when you connect/disconnect a hose.

One disadvantage could be the water pressure at your dock. Ours is extremely high - high enough to take the hose out of your hand when you turn on the dock valve. The check valve on my boat is also a pressure regulator. I would not be comfortable hooking up my high pressure dockside water to the boat without the regulator in place.

If you ever blew a fitting, line, or water filter (there's a lot of potential failure points on an old boat), you might put an awful lot of H2O in the boat before you discovered it.

Another disadvantage is that you could potentially move boat tank water back into the city water dock system, unless there was an anti-reverse check valve back at the hose connection on the dock. While this isn't a serious matter from a practical perspective, it probably is a health code violation.
Bob

 

[Freebird]

Randy,
I bet that the cap is on your water inlet because the valve is stuck. I bet that you will find most people dont have a cap and there was one on your boat. It was to keep the water in.

Hey Pat,

I don't profess to know everything, but I would have to assume the cap on the inlet is to keep things out instead of in (critters, etc.). Every boat I've ever owned had a cap on the water inlet. The check valve keeps the water in (unless it's broken like mine).

 

[Freebird]

One disadvantage could be the water pressure at your dock. Ours is extremely high - high enough to take the hose out of your hand when you turn on the dock valve. The check valve on my boat is also a pressure regulator. I would not be comfortable hooking up my high pressure dockside water to the boat without the regulator in place.

If you ever blew a fitting, line, or water filter (there's a lot of potential failure points on an old boat), you might put an awful lot of H2O in the boat before you discovered it.

Another disadvantage is that you could potentially move boat tank water back into the city water dock system, unless there was an anti-reverse check valve back at the hose connection on the dock. While this isn't a serious matter from a practical perspective, it probably is a health code violation.
Bob

Hey Bob,

Haven't heard from you in a while. Still considering those shootin' lessons? You've made valid points on the downside to my thinking.

First, I NEVER leave dockside water on when then boat is unattended. I witnessed first hand why this is not a good idea. When I went to sleep on my Sea Ray one night a while back, a houseboat two slips down from me was fine. When I woke up the next am, it was gone, to the bottom that is! All you could see were a bunch of bubbles and folks standing on the dock with funny facial expressions!

You are also correct in that most dockside inlets incorporate a pressure regulator. I haven't checked to see if that is the case on my 58, but I will before I make any modifications to the current set-up. It would be easy to add a regulator further on down the line.

I don't think that back-flow would ever be an issue since I would switch off the water pump on the boat before attaching to city water. As previously mentioned, if I didn't, I'd get a dockside shower from the inlet.

 

[Freebird]

Free: Empty out some of your PM's. Your garbage can is full. I tried to send you a PM, but it came back. I think you can only store five!
Thanks
Gunsmoke

Hey Bubba,

Thanks for the heads up. Yep, I forgot to take out the trash. Actually there was not a stinker in the whole bunch. Maybe I'm not as politically incorrect as some have made me out to be. All my PM's have been nice lately!

 

[Gunsmoke]

Free: Check your PM
regards
steve

 

[Angela]

OK, now I get it.....

I'm learning some things the hard way and it seems my boat has an untimely sense of humor.

During last week's storm, my boat was moved to another location within the marina where the wind hardly even blows. When I left my regular slip, I unplugged the shore power and water and threw the two over onto the aft deck. I had 2 full tanks of water ready to go. When I got to my "hurricane hole", I plugged in the shore power, but left the water hose on the aft deck, still connected to the inlet on the boat. Thought nothing of it, obviously. While in my temporary slip for the couple of days, I noticed that my relatively new water pump would not hold pressure. It kept cycling often, but not often enough as though a faucet was open. I suspected a failed check valve and put that on my to do list. Meanwhile, I turn the pump off when I wasn't using it because it was annoying to listen to run when I wasn't using water.

So, this evening, I tackled this job. I have one of those "certified for 49 passengers" boats which means the engine room has double walls - rockwool insulation was laid on the inside of all walls, covering up water lines, electrical lines, anything attached to the walls, etc. and then alumium sheeting was applied over that. Yeah, it looks all clean and pretty, but finding stuff you need to inspect or repair is like an Easter egg hunt.

So, after tearing out a corner and part of a wall (metal and insulation), I found the check valve, and it's in a place you don't want to have to get to! Yes, first I looked for the obvious - leaks - none and the boat is dry. I did a few other "tests" and then turned the pump on to further trouble shoot. Hey, it works just fine! I can just hear the boat laughing, "Ha ha ha, just kidding!" AFTER I had torn out all that sheet metal and insulation.

Well, here's the "OK, I get it now" part.....I was losing pressure because the dockside water supply hose was still connected to the inlet on the boat, but the other end was open and laying on the aft deck.

Lesson learned and this particular problem won't happen to me again - at least not for that reason. In hindsight.....awe geez!!!! Looking on the bright side...this is something I don't have to fix now.

 

[Pascal]

yes, i also believe these boats have a sense of humor sometimes... or that they just burp to remind you they're in charge and keep us on our toes.

as mentioned above the failed check valve is great to rinse after a swim or wash the boat. Just put a shutoff valve on the inlet and it becomes an outlet !

hey, is your neighbor still gone ? then get that boat out of the slip today ! it's gorgeous day.. we're in NNH... come on over !

I'll give you a hand to put it back in tomorrow....

 

[Angela]

My check valve hasn't failed well enough yet to use it for a fresh water washdown. Maybe the other side has. If not, I have one on the aft deck already, but that means I have to run a hose up to the bow.

My neighbor is still gone, but this weekend, I'm working on getting a sofa for the salon, and getting fabrics to do all the curtains, bedding, etc. The most I might have time to do is practice my docking if I can find someone to go with me. I'd like to get chartering after hurricane season, especially since there have been several inquires lately. I have to get the interior decorating stuff done before she is really marketable, and I'm anxious for her to start earning her keep. I wish I was out there today....but, I've also got to go get parts to connect the new shower sump pump for the crew and 3rd guest showers (don't have the proper size connectors), and zincs for the genny. Although I can work on curtains and upholstry out on the hook, I can't get the errands run from there. I'll be out Sept. 17-18 for sure. Where will you be?

 

[jim rosenthal]

One of the reasons that I found out (the hard way) not to leave the dockside water hooked up, years ago, is that city water pressure is generally higher than what our FW pumps can generate. The connections in the FW system are really not designed for city water pressure, and can and will leak, resulting in the (unlimited supply of) city water, getting access to the inside of the boat, with the results that Randy described up above....I have some questions about FW plumbing, for which I am going to start another thread. (qv)