Urgent HELP!!

[onestepcsy37]

Better idea. Never hook up to dock water. Just use a hose to fill your onboard water tanks. One of the first things I did when I bought my boat ten years ago was to disconnect and cap off the dock water connector.

[leftbrainstuff]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

Well gentlemen, it is finally done, and I’m back to square one, after three twelve hour days, and finally sitting down with a well earned, large, gin and tonic.
The engine runs fine after three oil changes, and I sucked eight gallons of oily water out of the engine drip tray.
The generator is also running, after two oil changes, and the stator is kicking out the normal power.
The AC’s are running normally after drying the seawater pump.
All other pumps are also up and running.
The forward toilet is fine, after carefully cleaning the electric controls.
The forward shower sump pump is working normally.
I also repaired the broken pipe which caused the problem in the first place, and now considering how to replace all the old plumbing system.
I even had the courage to switch the dock water on and it is holding okay—but I’m watching it like a hawk.
I am aware I was lucky in a way, in that it was a fresh water flooding.
I would like to thank everyone who responded to my panic message. It is now water under the bridge, or more precisely the bilge—‘till the next crisis .

Well done. That is a massive job. You should feel proud. And exhausted.

We have many standing orders on our boat. One of them is no shore water connections.

We replenish our freshwater thru a filter system. This way we ensure only clean water enters the tank.

The side benefit is we don't violate rule number 1. Keep the water on the outside.

Standing orders cant ever be rescinded if they violate any rules. Never, ever and no exceptions.

We sleep easier that way.



Sent from my SM-N900T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

.................... I take rwidman’s point about the shore water and we do switch it off whenever we leave the boat, even for one or two hours...................................
The plastic plumbing pipes on this 1977 boat are original and need replacing—which I now intend to do. Otherwise, I don’t have a problem with the principal of shore water, any more than shore power. ................

I don't mean to rub it in here, but you are the poster boy for why one should never leave the city water connected to a boat. You can't compare the shorepower system to the plumbing system.

You state that you turn the water off when you leave the boat, but obviously you didn't do that this time and the boat flooded. Humans forget.

I would hope you learned a lesson from this experience but even if you didn't I hope other boaters did.

Don't leave city water connected to your boat. Fill the tanks, then turn the hose off and disconnect it.

[Jolly Roger]

Okay Ron, you made your point the first time, but if we wanted to be 100% safe we wouldn’t have boats in the first place. Pretty much every manufacturer installs dock supply systems, because used properly they are not a problem and preclude wear on pressure pumps and batteries.
I just screwed up by not turning it off when I left the boat—and I’ve certainly paid the price.
I’m now thinking about wiring an automatically closing valve to a high water bilge switch, which when water came up to the level it would shut off.
I fitted two in the heater pipes on a car I once renovated. It had a 12 volt solenoid which when activated shut the water off.

[St. Elsewhere]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

I’m now thinking about wiring an automatically closing valve to a high water bilge switch, which when water came up to the level it would shut off.
I fitted two in the heater pipes on a car I once renovated. It had a 12 volt solenoid which when activated shut the water off.

I like that idea. Thank you for posting it.

[Mycroft]

I would recommend renting a large dehumidifier for a couple days to make sure everything is dried out quickly. I know your A/C will do that over time, but I'd want quick results.

Also, I would recommend finding every electrical connection on board and spray it with Boeshield T-9 or Fluid Film to stop any corrosion that might have started.

[onestepcsy37]

Boeshield t9 works good for moisture proofing connections. Been using it 10+ years.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

Boeshield t9 works good for moisture proofing connections. Been using it 10+ years.

"Moisture proofing" cannot be done after the fact. It's only going to help if he disconnects each connection, cleans the contact surfaces with electrical contact cleaner and/or a very fine abrasive such as a pencil eraser, reconnects them and then applies the moisture proofing product.

I agree that Boeshield t9 is a good product.

[cygnussailor]

I know this is after the fact, but what is the capacity of your largest bilge pump? I have a 500gph pump to take care of routine, small amounts of water and a 2000gph pump for emergencies. The 2000gph sits a bit higher than the 500gph so it never runs routinely. In fact I usually have to lift the float switch a couple of times per season just to make sure it would run if necessary. I never did the calculations, but I would think that the 2000gph pump should keep up with a broken water hose. I think I'll learn from your experience though and start turning of the shore water ANYTIME I leave the boat. Until reading your horror story I only turned it off when leaving the boat for extended periods of time.

Gary

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

Okay Ron, you made your point the first time, but if we wanted to be 100% safe we wouldn’t have boats in the first place. Pretty much every manufacturer installs dock supply systems, because used properly they are not a problem and preclude wear on pressure pumps and batteries.
I just screwed up by not turning it off when I left the boat—and I’ve certainly paid the price.
I’m now thinking about wiring an automatically closing valve to a high water bilge switch, which when water came up to the level it would shut off.
I fitted two in the heater pipes on a car I once renovated. It had a 12 volt solenoid which when activated shut the water off.

If you're going to go this route I would look for a valve that needs power to stay open instead of one that uses power to close. that way the valve will still protect you in the event of a loss of power! Ideally you should remove the city water connection altogether and just run off tanks! its less convenient but much safer. just because manufacturers install them on many boats doesnt make it a good or saf idea! look at some of the new sailboats with no decent handholds below decks!

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by pcmm

If you're going to go this route I would look for a valve that needs power to stay open instead of one that uses power to close. that way the valve will still protect you in the event of a loss of power! Ideally you should remove the city water connection altogether and just run off tanks! its less convenient but much safer. just because manufacturers install them on many boats doesnt make it a good or saf idea! ............!

Yes. If you're on city water, you're likely to be on shore power as well so power usage won't be a problem.

Other people have mentioned a device from the home center usually used for irrigating lawns that limits the flow to a set number of gallons and then shuts off the supply.

Me, I'm still going with filling the tanks and not using a city water connection. Worst case, the water already on my boat ends up in the bilge (this happened to me once). City water is unlimited.

BTW: Not to rub it in but a boat at my marina actually did sink from a city water connection and a broken hose inside the boat.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

Okay Ron, you made your point the first time, but if we wanted to be 100% safe we wouldn’t have boats in the first place. Pretty much every manufacturer installs dock supply systems, because used properly they are not a problem and preclude wear on pressure pumps and batteries.
I just screwed up by not turning it off when I left the boat—and I’ve certainly paid the price.
I’m now thinking about wiring an automatically closing valve to a high water bilge switch, which when water came up to the level it would shut off.
I fitted two in the heater pipes on a car I once renovated. It had a 12 volt solenoid which when activated shut the water off.

I agree with Ron and others.

Can't understand why you think lightning can't strike twice.

Good luck in your cleanup, but I caution you (note: caution, not "telling") to seriously reconsider this. Your idea adds levels of complexity that are quite unnecessary.

A N.C. solenoid would be required, too.

While some manufacturers do install this "feature", not all do.

Your boat, your choice.

All the best.

[St. Elsewhere]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

A N.C. solenoid would be required, too.

While some manufacturers do install this "feature", not all do.

Your boat, your choice.

All the best.

An Amazon search shows a lot of 1/2" NC solenoid valves choices exist, and are not very costly.

Opinions will vary on the simplicity vs complexity system approach. If you are seriously concerned about the system complexity issue, you should avoid modern airliners.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by St. Elsewhere

1 An Amazon search shows a lot of 1/2" NC solenoid valves choices exist, and are not very costly.

2 Opinions will vary on the simplicity vs complexity system approach. If you are seriously concerned about the system complexity issue, you should avoid modern airliners.

1 Great

2 WADR, WTF does airplanes have to do with anything about this issue? I don't sail an airplane and haven't been on one in years. I do have a sailboat and wouldn't connect a pressured hose to it if my life depended on it.

[St. Elsewhere]

I apologies to Stu. I should have written: If one is seriously concerned about the system complexity issues, one should know modern airliners have vastly more complex systems.

Most people have assumed the risk of a normally closed solenoid valve functioning properly to keep their washing machine from flooding their homes. It is a very common, reliable, and not very complex system device.

Also many people routinely fly on airliners where system complexity is vastly greater. Everyone is free to make their own choices. My comment was not advice to Stu specifically. It was my error to use the quote feature and the word "you' instead of "one".