dock water hose connection

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Sure a city water supplied hose can sink your boat.

So can a bunch of other things.

I know of more dripless packing sysyem failures that have almost sunk boats more than city water...yet we have plenty here that trust those implicitly.

There are so many opinions posted about the dangers in boating by those that really arent all that experienced it has to be bewildering to new boaters.

Many of these posts are by boaters that have never worked in a marine field and they have never lived aboard and have been fully immersed. Yet they read a few things and have talked up boating some between cutting the grass and painting house trim and taken their annual ski trips.....and thus they still believe they have the answer.

Sure there are highly experienced guys like Ted here that choose not to do things like use city water inlets in his risk tolerance...but there are those of us that use city water with risk mitigation that have no and know of no problems. Both arent about to sink any time soon.

Its only up to you whether you accept any risk tolerance at all or realize the slight risk if you know what you are doing. But please dont listen to magazine/forum reading part timers that are going on fears and not realistic probabilities.
 
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The only true pressure reducers I would trust using dock pressue is one like this. I would also add a pressure gage on the discharge so you can adjust a pressure safe for your water system. Using dock pressure I guess is for boats with small water tanks needing refilling every few days, or those lucky enough to have w/d aboard.
These pressure reducers are sold in the big box stores for about $80 plus hose fittings and pressure gage. :)
 

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HiDHo said:
The only true pressure reducers I would trust using dock pressue is one like this.

That looks like a great valve, however there are thousands upon thousands of boats using the Jabsco system. I've not heard of any problem with it.
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They claim they can reduce up to 125 psi to 45 psi but I witnessed a new one burst using 110 psi dock pressure. The retailer did replaced the Jabsco but the second one blew also. Could have been a bad batch of plastic ? The good news is when the Jabsco blew it looked like the reducer valve closed down and the hose and the valve assemble blew away from the bulkhead fitting with no flooding of the boat. I guess they are good at lower dock water pressures. I removed ours and only use our 300 gallon water tank and pump, we are full time live a-boards and if we had a w/d I would probable plumb in a diaphram type pressure reducer if water usage required it.
 
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foggysail said:
Yeah, so you limit the flow and hope your bilge pumps function as advertised. I stand by by earlier comments. If your going to use dock water, make sure you have a pressure reducer where water enters the boat. Can you understand that? :banghead:
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Once again the great misunderstanding. Wasn't advocating using a flow restricter instead of a regulator, but with a regulator. The preceding posts were about regulators failing and having a way of limiting boat flooding. Why don't you try reading the first 8 posts, see the common theme of regulators and plumbing failing, and suggestions offered to reduce the risk of the boat sinking.

Then find the spot where I recommend not using a regulator or using a flow restricter in place of a regulator.

Ted
 
FlyWright said:
If you're going to hook up dockside water, here's a pressure regulator with no moving parts to fail...and it's inexpensive. I don't do it often, but when I do, I use this.
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I think I would prefer going with this one:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-40...75035&wl11=online&wl12=55635375&wl13=&veh=sem

It has a gauge, and is adjustable. I know my last boat pressure system was 30 psi, not 50.

Also, a simple flow restrictor can be a fender washer placed under the hose washer in the female end of the garden hose.
 
I don't know about any of the other regulators but the Jabsco unit mentioned as a safety feature fails to zero pressure rather than unlimited pressure.
 
The Other Gary said:
I don't know about any of the other regulators but the Jabsco unit mentioned as a safety feature fails to zero pressure rather than unlimited pressure.
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I broke 2 jabsco pressure regulator in 2 seasons of 6 month, they are rubbish.
What broke was not the regulation system itself but the fitting connected to the hose itself. It is a piece of plastic only fitted by force in its housing. If by any mean you have the water pressurized and you hit it or manipulate it chance it will break and pop out. At 60CAD never ever again for me.

L
 
HeadMistress said:
There are two types of shore water connections--those that keep the tank topped off and those that are connected to the plumbing AFTER the water pump. Most shore water pressure is too high for marine (and also RV) fresh water plumbing...it can blow a connection off. So you'll need a pressure reducer valve. Get some knowledgeable advice about where and how to install it before just plugging the water hose into the boat. Just be aware that there are only two kinds of pressure reducer valves--those that have failed and those that will. So NEVER leave the water on when away from the boat, even for an hour or two and never go to bed with it on. A sailboat owner I knew just went for a Sunday morning run with his dog...came back to a foot of water in his cabin. Another hour would have sunk his boat in its slip. And I've known more than one person who had to get up in the middle of the night and stepped out of his v-berth into calf deep water.

To repeat: get some knowledgeable advice before connecting it!
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Agreed!! In my 40 years of cruising, I've heard of numerous sinkings due to shore water connections.

Never had one. Never will. I'll top of as needed. Thanks
 
Bad idea. Many marinas phrobit direct connect. Why? If you have an internal leak you could sink your boat.
 
tadhana said:
When I hear of a problem on a “friend’s boat” or a “guy I knew’s ” boat, I get suspicious. I much more trust firsthand experience...................... .
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We don't live long enough to gain firsthand experience with every situation.

BoatUUS insurance division has seen a lot of stuff, mostly when there has been a problem. They have seen boats sink from city water and a failed boat water system and they have written about it in the BoatUS magazine.

BTW: I have personally experienced a failure where the boat's PEX came out of a fitting and dumped the contents of my water tanks into the bilge (and the river by way of the bilge pump). Fortunately, there was no city water connection so it was just a matter of moving the water from the tanks to the bilge. No additional water.
 
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See below. I had a similar problem years ago. Neighbor noticed boat was down at the bow. Harbormaster used external pumps to get her back to normal. No damage but many spares in deep storage got wet. Always turn off water when you leave the boat. In this case the guest I had on the boat was conscientious about turning off water, but oblivious to the sound of it running. And don't think the bilge pumps will save you. They will burn out with continuous use.
 
Yes...it has happened, like many other causes of sinkings.

If it was that big of a risk, why do insurance companies allow them or not specifically warn you about them, or a dozen other things to discourage you from using city water?

Does ABYC address them in any way? I bet boats wiith the ABYC stickers on them have city water inlets.

I too have had fitting and hose failures.... probably a half dozen or so though my years as a liveaboard and none were such that a decent bilge pump wasnt keeping up. Sure I was lucky they werent total failures, but like many failures...only a tiny percent are worst case scenarios.

So yes like many things in life, not using city water is an absolute...against sinking from a fresh water system, not sinking in general that seems to be just as prolific from various reasons....but with a few drawbacks.

Some mitigate that risk and enjoy yhe benefits with using city water.

No right or wrong about it..... worrying about worst case scenarios over city water....compared to all the worst case scenarios of boating that should also deserve a litte worry will take the pleasure right out of boating.
 
HiDHo said:
The only true pressure reducers I would trust using dock pressue is one like this. I would also add a pressure gage on the discharge so you can adjust a pressure safe for your water system. Using dock pressure I guess is for boats with small water tanks needing refilling every few days, or those lucky enough to have w/d aboard.
These pressure reducers are sold in the big box stores for about $80 plus hose fittings and pressure gage. :)
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That's what was OEM on the Hatteras.
 
The foolproof way of not sinking a boat from city water is to not hook the boat to city water. Fill the tanks and use water from the tanks. Anything else is taking a risk. Your risk tolerance is up to you but remember, even if you have never seen a boat sink from being connected to the city water system, it can and has happened.
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Dear Lord, following that thinking, one would never have electricity on board or heaven forbid, propane. The best way to avoid having a boat you own sink is to not own a boat.
 
I'm still wondering what the advantage a dock water connection is.

Is it just to avoid having to occasionally fill the tanks? or is there something else I'm missing here?
 
AusCan said:
I'm still wondering what the advantage a dock water connection is.

Is it just to avoid having to occasionally fill the tanks? or is there something else I'm missing here?
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Good point.

For me, I guess its because I get a little better water pressure and I can take "Hollywood" showers.

Hey it take a lot of valuable time to fill my water tank!! OK I am just lazy....:facepalm:
 
A very metaphysical analysis. Bottom line, it is a risk absentee owners best avoid. And bilge pumps will burn out quickly with continuous use. But we all make daily choices about risk. So enjoy. But understand the risk is real, not hypothetical.
 
So are the thousand ways to die just driving to your boat.

As to the benefits of city water connections...live aboard for a decade or more and get back to me.
 
I have had the experience for 18 years. But I travel a lot and get peace of mind from not being connected, though I do replace water pumps frequently.
 
Interesting discussion. Even more interesting in how exited some get discussing it. I think it is good to point out that direct water connection is a risk. How folks chose to manage that risk depends on their situation and risk tolerance.

On my sailboat I used to close all seacocks when leaving the boat. I don’t on my current boat. It is a risk. I recognize that risk, mitigate it as I will, and still choose to take the risk for the sake of convenience. Some would consider me reckless, others will consider me foolish for even considering it a risk.

The same is true for dock water connections. We can gracefully allow others their own views.
 
The Other Gary said:
For those of you that want to bump the pressure up when you take a shower there is this.


https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B06XKL6WR9/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1


Just remember to turn it back down when you are finished.
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After reading mixed reviews on this device, about a year ago we installed it. I think it lasted about 9 months. Now you can twist the regulator screw all you want - no change in pressure in the boat. Oh, and the needle is stuck at 20PSI behind a flooded window. Just as many reviewers had noted. But - where else can I get a $50 10oz surf sinker that looks like a wounded starfish with a helmet on?:socool:
 
dhays said:
Interesting discussion. Even more interesting in how exited some get discussing it. I think it is good to point out that direct water connection is a risk. How folks chose to manage that risk depends on their situation and risk tolerance.

On my sailboat I used to close all seacocks when leaving the boat. I don’t on my current boat. It is a risk. I recognize that risk, mitigate it as I will, and still choose to take the risk for the sake of convenience. Some would consider me reckless, others will consider me foolish for even considering it a risk.

The same is true for dock water connections. We can gracefully allow others their own views.
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I know you are an astute reader of posts.

So I hope you know some topics I seem to get animated about are less about the topic as they are pointing out the topic isnt black or white, right or wrong, on or off...and not totally safe one way and totally dangerous another.

You understand risks and risk management...and that is all I am trying to convey. Using dockside water isnt a guaranteed sinking in a lifetime of boating...tho some are dang near making one want to think that.
 
psneeld said:
So I hope you know some topics I seem to get animated about are less about the topic as they are pointing out the topic isnt black or white, right or wrong, on or off...and not totally safe one way and totally dangerous another.

You understand risks and risk management...and that is all I am trying to convey. Using dockside water isnt a guaranteed sinking in a lifetime of boating...tho some are dang near making one want to think that.
Click to expand...

I wasn't necessarily thinking of your posts and I agree with you. The risks I choose to take aren't necessarily the ones others would choose to take.
 
MVDarlin said:
Bad idea. Many marinas phrobit direct connect. Why? If you have an internal leak you could sink your boat.
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Which ones?

Never have come across one between NJ and florida over the last 15 years and probably over 100 marinas...plus never heard of anyone mentioning that restriction.

Want to make sure I bypass any you know of.
 
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