Finally an owner! Of course I have questions 😂

[Jimn53MY]

Our new to us 1979 53 MY.
Anyone using pressure regulators on their dockside water, and if so what pressure do you set it at?

 

[ageless]

My vessel has regulators built into the system from the factory

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Your boat has internal pressure regulators just past each inlet inside the boat. Its a Hatteras!!

 

[Bob Bradley]

Yes they do. And, they are 46 years old. Just like the rest of the boat. I have never and will never hook up to pressurized dockside water. I saw a nice vessel sink on our dock due to a failed connection while hooked up. Is there any corrosion anywhere in the copper plumbing lines? Did someone get lazy and put a piece of hose somewhere in the system?

You have a nice big fresh water tank. Use it and the water stays nice and fresh. Install good charcoal filters on the cold water faucets and you won't need to have cases of Poland Springs onboard.

 

[jmooney]

Your pressure regulator probably needs replacing, if it is still the original one . Sam’s has them in stock. We have been using dockside water for over 20 years with no problems. That said , I never leave the boat without turning the dockside water off . And using the onboard tanks often is a good idea so that the water is refreshed regularly . The pressure setting is usually 40 psi.

 

[Pascal]

As others have said the regulator is inside the boat close to the inlet. On my early 53 it’s on the hull side stbd ER

That said, I have never connected to dock water in 22 years. First of all the risk of a leak overwhelming the bilge pumps but also using the tanks keeps them fresh and the water pump excercized.

If you use dockside water use a water timer that limits the maximum water to like a couple of hundred gallons between resets

 

[cww]

I won't use dock water. I almost lost my 47' Commander to a flood when a line blew that way. You'd think the bilge pumps would keep up with it, but the reality was once the water got high enough in a compartment, stuff floated free and got sucked into the bilge pumps. Another thing I don't do anymore is store small light items like paper towels in bilge compartments.

In theory the Hatteras should never have that problem because it has an onboard pressure regulator so the pressure should never be enough to blow a line, but after almost losing a boat to this exact thing, I just can't bring myself to do it anymore. I just fill the tanks before I leave the dock. The 1510's carry an abnormally large amount of fresh water for their size, like 300 gallons, it's days' and days' worth of normal usage. Unless you're a fulltime liveaboard it's a non-issue.

 

[Bob Bradley]

The pressure regulator shouldn't allow the dockside water to blow a line, but it is extremely unlikely that every line and connection is original. I just read the post about the 54 convertible with the fresh water leak and looked at the pics of the customized water manifold. https://www.samsmarine.com/threads/54-convertible-fresh-water-leak.39511/
It may be completely safe, but I sure wouldn't want to take the chance that every connection is sound.

And, yes, you can turn off the water whenever you leave the boat. My friend did that. Unfortunately, someone trying to use a hose accidentally turned it back on. The result was a sunken 38ft Chris Craft.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Wow!! New guy wants to know about regulators and gets a whole debate about whether to use dockside water or not.

Welcome to the insane asylum.

 

[SEVEN]

Our new to us 1979 53 MY.
Anyone using pressure regulators on their dockside water, and if so what pressure do you set it at?
View attachment 85121

I have the sistership 1979. The regulator is built into the starboard engine outside wall just above the water pump and pressure tank. By the way, what hull number do you have ? Mine is 563

 

[carolinacoast]

I use a Jabsco 45psi marine plastic pressure regulator on dock. Only use dockwater when aboard. Have had metal ones fail aboard and on dock. Was $20 last time I bought one on ebay new.
I remove connection fitting when not needed. As mentioned, be careful with shore water.

 

[Streff]

I always use a 40-45psi regulator. However, In my previous vessel, a slow leak developed at the check valve right at shore water entry, fixed it. Then another developed at a back deck sink. As was mentioned, even with a regulator, stuff can happen. I never used shore water again on that vessel, always filled the tank.

The previous owner of this Hatteras, always has shore water connected at the marina. The first night on board, I turn on a bathroom faucet and the pressure blew out the aerator and screen off the faucet end. So the built-in regulators may not always protect you. The following day, I added a regulator at the pedestal, a filter and cutoff on deck right before the water connection. The filter slows things down even more but still plenty of pressure. After inspecting the water pipes, I felt comfortable enough to connect to shore water only when I am onboard and always cut it off at night time if we are staying on the boat.

 

[ageless]

.

 

[ageless]

Wow!! New guy wants to know about regulators and gets a whole debate about whether to use dockside water or not.

Welcome to the insane asylum.

you should check out some of the other boating sites, this place is as "sane" as it gets

 

[Jims43DC]

First off congratulations on your new to ya'll 53. Great Boat.

I run off dock water but as others have said i always shut off the water when we leave the boat, My fresh water tanks get enough use to stay fresh and the onboard pump exercised regularly. I also put a few tablespoons of bleach in the tank the first few fills of the season.

 

[Pascal]

Wow!! New guy wants to know about regulators and gets a whole debate about whether to use dockside water or not.

Welcome to the insane asylum.

Well we don’t the experience level of a new member so while most of us answered about the location it seems prudent to give additional advice

Yes the original Hatteras copper plumbing is unlikely to fail, the problem is whatever may have been modified over the years. This is even more critical on a new to someone boat. Soon after I got my 53, I had two fresh water failure because some genius used a flexible hose clamped on copper! Luckily that was not on dock water …

 

[The Hatt]

what charcoal or other (ro or UV style?) are people using under their sinks? Probably deserves its own topic.

 

[Bob Bradley]

I have 3 of the Aqua Pure AP200 filters on the galley, head, and ice maker/water fountain lines. I change out the element in each every spring and do the galley again mid season. With fresh filters, I defy anyone to compare it to Poland Springs water.

 

[dar636]

Nice looking boat Jimn53MY by the way, more pics please!

 

[Jimn53MY]

Having digested and stressed over this I thought it time I circled back. 1st - thanks for all the passionate replies!
Ok now for my follow up thoughts -
For those that are adamant about the dangers of the unlimited supply of dock water - how do you square that with the 200 gallons the 53 can hold? Is 200 gallons not enough to over take the bilge pumps if a pipe bursts, and if it does overtake the bilge pumps, what water level would that lead to in the lower level? I know it won't sink the boat but it will be a problem - so are you non-dock water guys just as disciplined at turning the pumps off when you leave or even go to sleep for the night?
Is there a compromise - can you have a little water in the tank for convenience and will it automatically source the tank once you turn the dock water off - and vise-versa - will it automatically source dock water once it is turned on (even without turning the house pump off)?
Thanks,
Jim