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Originally Posted by cal40john There is disagreement on suitability of use on a boat though. Some say, Peggy Hall for one, that say PVC will eventually fail due to vibration. So I have followed the directions of those who say it can work. My install has only been in service for 3 years and no problems so far, well as far as the pipe is concerned.
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I just replaced all the sanitation plumbing in a boat that was plumbed with PVC. I'd stick with hose. One problem with PVC is that it it does have a problem it's not the easiest thing to work on underway. A long piece isn't that easy to store and you need to have a hacksaw, solvent, and glue handy. The idiot that installed the PVC on the boat I was working on did it in such a way that I had to make a multitude of cuts with a hacksaw just to get each section out. Hose is much easier to work with and seldom needs attention. Some PVC systems have a lot of joints and wherever you have a joint you have the possibility of a future leak. So what if you have to replace hose periodically? If you use freshwater to flush with while dockside and throw vinegar in from time to time it will last quite a while without becoming odorous. And make sure the waste drains completely and doesn't sit in a little loop or something.
If I was running PVC I would not have any of it going through a bulkhead. That part would need to be hose. The PVC would have to be somewhat insulated from vibration with some sort of rubber standoffs.
I'm not sure what ABYC says these days but if you plumb with PVC a surveyor may take issue with it. If you insure your boat that could bite you as well as when it comes time to sell and the buyer wants a credit for the cost of all new waste plumbing.