Poll for boats having dock water supply hoses.

[Jolly Roger]

I want to conduct a poll of people who use dock water hoses on their boats. Individual responses are not recorded.
Thanks JR

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

I want to conduct a poll of people who use dock water hoses on their boats. Individual responses are not recorded.
Thanks JR

maybe, but that's not the poll question that NOW is on the thread (I took it)

[Cowboy Sailer]

I fill the tanks and turn it off. One should never leave a endless source of water connected to his boat like some travel trailers do. They have a pressure regulator and a float valve and the risk of it failing does not result in their travel trailer sinking at the campsite!
Are we on the same page here?

[lyleh]

Originally Posted by Cowboy Sailer

I fill the tanks and turn it off. One should never leave a endless source of water connected to his boat like some travel trailers do. They have a pressure regulator and a float valve and the risk of it failing does not result in their travel trailer sinking at the campsite!
Are we on the same page here?

Totally agree. Have never and will never use mine for that reason

[psneeld]

My boat has a built in regulator on the fresh water inlet and my RV did not have a float valve or any of the others I ever worked on or shopped.

While the fresh water system should be carefully used and maintained...the threat isn't all that much as few sinkings from dock water are documented in my exoerience.

[motion30]

what protection devices are available?. is there anything like a timer that turns the water off if it runs longer than a predetermined time

[Jolly Roger]

Originally Posted by motion30

what protection devices are available?. is there anything like a timer that turns the water off if it runs longer than a predetermined time

After my little contretemp I researched many automatic devices. I wanted the benefits of a shore supply, but I also wanted it to be fail-safe, or in my case idiot proof.
If you look back at my “urgent help” post you can read all sorts of suggestions.
I finished up buying a 12 volt solenoid water shut-off valve which is always open. When current is applied it closes the water off in about two seconds. Current comes from the extra float switch in the bilge. A latching relay is needed to keep the current flowing even when the bilge pump lowers the water and deactivates the upper float.
Picture of shut-off valve on the regulator, attached.
Once this system is installed you can do all sorts of things with the relay, like ringing a bell or shutting off an AC pump or any other motor you want to close down in the event of a flooding.
Just for good measure I also fitted a tap on the end of the hose where it screwed into the regulator, in case anyone switched the faucet on at the dock.
It has been an experience I don’t want to repeat, or wish on anybody else. But it’s not in my nature to just say, “Can’t use dock water any more because it’s risky.” You might as well say, “Don’t use shore power,” where I have seen some very dodgy connections, or anything else use on a modern boat.

[sailorboy1]

So basically the boat has to already be flooding to have any "protection"?

[Emmalina]

Once filled a boat for a friend after an hour I thought it should be full. He hadn't put the o-ring back on his lid.... Got a bit soggy below and above !!!!

[a64pilot]

Looks to me though it would only have to flood just a little, like maybe 6" or so above the normal bilge switch? But unless it's some kind of latching relay, wouldn't it shut off, the bilge pump would come on, drop the water level enough to where the float switch would cut off power to the relay, then water flow would resume in a cycle?
Good idea though


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

On edit, I reread the post, latching relay, back to good idea

[Jolly Roger]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

So basically the boat has to already be flooding to have any "protection"?

Oh! for Christ's sake!

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

Oh! for Christ's sake!

Was that wrong? Please explain how you are protected if so.

[psneeld]

really? I guess bilge pumps are a useless idea too because the water is already inside.....

AND up posters are too stupid to do maintenance on things like thru hulls and hoses.

these are the kinds of posts that really make posting here a struggle.

[alctel]

I removed my inlet and fill/drink from my tanks

Apparently from anything else, using your ya tanks and plumbing regularly helps keep algae growth down.

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by alctel

I removed my inlet and fill/drink from my tanks

Apart from anything else, using your tanks and plumbing regularly helps keep algae growth down.

You made a really good point here as to why its better to use your tanks. I also capped off my dock fill shortly after I bought my boat.