Raw and Fresh water wash downs

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kwestby

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2016
Messages
85
Location
USA
Vessel Name
Nostra Casa
Vessel Make
C&L Puget Trawler 44
I have raw water wash downs at the anchor tackle area and aft cockpit with a single wash down pressure pump and intake. I want to add a fresh water option to each location. Has anyone added a y valve before the wash down pump and tied their fresh water system in with a one way back flow prevention on the fresh water? Is this a bad idea? Current plan is to plumb second outlets at each station and second fresh water wash down pump. Any thought appreciated.

Kennet Westby
1979 44' Puget Trawler
Seattle, WA
 
Recently posted what I did...
Look up Installing Washdown - Advice...
 
I'm sure trying FW to RW is a no-no per ABYC and general practice.
That said I never had a problem w what I did but would be first to admit it goes against recommendations...I'm considering similar mod on current boat as it worked well for me.
 
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Personally, I don't feel comfortable with dual-use plumbing for raw and freshwater systems. I have both systems aboard FlyWright including a fore and aft RW washdown hose/spigot, but my FW washdown is completely separate with its own dedicated FW spigot amidship.

It allows me to FW wash the boat and also allows me to connect the shore water hose for use aboard without tapping into my FW tank supply. Since it connects downstream from the water pump, the water does not flow into the tank and the FW pump does not cycle ON/OFF during shore water use. I use an inline pressure regulator on the hose to restrict the shore water pressure.
 
I'm presently contemplating fitting a small high pressure washer in my IG just deciding where to locate the unit first choice would be either the lazzarette next to the 500l fresh water tank or next to the chain well . Has anyone else done this ??
 
I would NOT cross-connect seawater and potable water. EVER. Valves, checks, all those preventive devices can fail or be mismanaged. Just don't make the connection, you're asking for all sorts of potential bad things!!!

Photo is how I manage my washdowns on the bow. Switching from freshwater to seawater involves switching the quick-connect on the hose from one outlet to the other. I have another one of these in the aft cockpit that's connected to the same freshwater washdown pump system, which is independent of my domestic system. It has a separate Johnson Aqua-Jet 5.2 pump that is plumbed to my water tank. It supplies the freshwater outlets bow and cockpit. It provides a good 65psi, plenty of volume that rivals most dockside hoses. I also provided a 3-way valve where the FW washdown pump line connects to the bow piping- it happens to be adjacent to the domestic line. So with that valve, I can choose between the line to the bow or the main piping system, enabling me to pressurize the main system from the washdown pump in the event of a failure of the house system pump. Yes, I've used it.

I also installed a 2nd Johnson pump in the bow to a thru-hull, it provides the same pressure to the raw water washdown quick-connect. We have unlimited seawater under good pressure to wash the anchor, and we can switch over to the freshwater side to finish with a freshwater rinse off. It's one of the most useful projects I've completed. We anchor a lot, so it's very handy. I keep the seawater pump switched off normally, it's handy to power up when we head out on deck. Pumps are quite reliable.

The cockpit hose connection is used even more for freshwater rinsing the dinghy, swim platform, cockpit, dog, etc. It is used a number of times a day, I would not be without it. The quick connects have been reliable, they're stainless construction, in service 9 yrs. Only require occasional silicon grease to lube the twist lock insert, I keep spares of those.
 

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I would NOT cross-connect seawater and potable water. EVER. Valves, checks, all those preventive devices can fail or be mismanaged. Just don't make the connection, you're asking for all sorts of potential bad things!!!

Photo is how I manage my washdowns on the bow. Switching from freshwater to seawater involves switching the quick-connect on the hose from one outlet to the other. I have another one of these in the aft cockpit that's connected to the same freshwater washdown pump system, which is independent of my domestic system. It has a separate Johnson Aqua-Jet 5.2 pump that is plumbed to my water tank. It supplies the freshwater outlets bow and cockpit. It provides a good 65psi, plenty of volume that rivals most dockside hoses. I also provided a 3-way valve where the FW washdown pump line connects to the bow piping- it happens to be adjacent to the domestic line. So with that valve, I can choose between the line to the bow or the main piping system, enabling me to pressurize the main system from the washdown pump in the event of a failure of the house system pump. Yes, I've used it.

I also installed a 2nd Johnson pump in the bow to a thru-hull, it provides the same pressure to the raw water washdown quick-connect. We have unlimited seawater under good pressure to wash the anchor, and we can switch over to the freshwater side to finish with a freshwater rinse off. It's one of the most useful projects I've completed. We anchor a lot, so it's very handy. I keep the seawater pump switched off normally, it's handy to power up when we head out on deck. Pumps are quite reliable.

The cockpit hose connection is used even more for freshwater rinsing the dinghy, swim platform, cockpit, dog, etc. It is used a number of times a day, I would not be without it. The quick connects have been reliable, they're stainless construction, in service 9 yrs. Only require occasional silicon grease to lube the twist lock insert, I keep spares of those.



Thanks for the reply. That is the set-up I was planning and had already bought the parts but was just testing an easier route to save myself crawling in tight spaces again. I will stick to doing it the right way instead of the easy route.
 
My boat has the two system mixed. I would not have done it this way if I had been installing it, but I haven't been worried enough to bother changing it.
 
I installed a y ball valve but only after satisfying myself that it "breaks before makes". I did this because it feeds a retractable hose, which is really handy. In fact, I have installed 3 (each with a 50 foot hose), one in the cockpit, one at the bow, and one on the boat deck. I can reach everywhere with good pressure, in either fresh or salt.
 
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