Should I remove my pressure/heated water system?

[Rusty123]

Boat is a Spirit 28 (reviewed in last issue of Good Old Boat). I sail on Puget Sound. Mostly day sailing, occasional overnights at marinas. I'm planning to retire in a few years, when I hope to expand my sailing range to larger Salish Sea (and maybe a trip to Alaska) with split between anchorages and marinas.

PO installed an extra tank, pressurized water system (in addition to foot pumps), and AC only water heater. It all works ok, but I never use it (showering on board possible, but not convenient).

While rewiring the pressure pump, I got to thinking that the eventual repair cost, water demand, electric demand, and space demand of the pressure and heat system might not be worth the benefit, and perhaps I should rip it out and just use the foot pump system.

Thoughts?

[roverhi]

On a boat that small don't see much of a reason for pressure water whether running hot or cold. That is if you have foot pump and the hot water is courtesy of AC dock power only. With foot pumps, don't use the pressure water system on my bigger boat. Pulled the pressure system when I rebuilt the galley and haven't around to putting it back. Pressure systems are real water wasters if you are out cruising. We've always cleaned up in the cockpit using a bucket filled with fresh water when away from the dock. When tied up, use the marina's showers in any case.

[CaptTom]

I'd wait. You might just find there's a difference between day sailing and living aboard for a while. You might find you appreciate those amenities. Even without using the shower, I find having hot water at the tap is a huge convenience. And a hot shower, however inconvenient, can be a real luxury if you haven't had one in a while.

I'm also a huge fan of having the water heated by a loop from the engine coolant. Obviously not super helpful if you never motor anywhere, but my experience is if you're seriously cruising, you end up motoring a lot more than you planned.

[Cthoops]

We ripped out our pressure water system and our hot water tank when we bought our boat. We didn't have the features on our previous boat and never missed them, so the decision was easy. We figured it would be two less things to deal with, and by removing the hot water tank we expanded the available space in the deep lazarette where it had been installed. If we need hot water for dishes I can heat some up on the stove (but have yet to ever do so), and a solar shower bag has worked fine for showers.

Currently we spend every weekend during the season on our boat plus two weeks of vacation, and we're heading out to go cruising in 13 months and 24 days.

[LoudMusic]

Originally Posted by Cthoops

We ripped out our pressure water system and our hot water tank when we bought our boat. We didn't have the features on our previous boat and never missed them, so the decision was easy. We figured it would be two less things to deal with, and by removing the hot water tank we expanded the available space in the deep lazarette where it had been installed. If we need hot water for dishes I can heat some up on the stove (but have yet to ever do so), and a solar shower bag has worked fine for showers.

Currently we spend every weekend during the season on our boat plus two weeks of vacation, and we're heading out to go cruising in 13 months and 24 days.

You're not counting down the days or anything, are you?

It seems like a nice convenience, but it also seems like more systems to monitor and maintain. I'm not sure that 28' warrant the extra maintenance.

[Jim Cate]

FWIW, our boat is a lot bigger than 28 feet, and we are full time cruisers who live on the hook 99% of the time (more or less!). We use foot pumps for water access in the sinks, but do have a pressure system hooked only to the shower in the head and at the sugar scoop. In the head, it routes through a LPG flash heater which then provides hot showers when needed.

This system has worked well for the 14 years we've had this boat, and we have no desire for pressure water in the sinks. IMO, the foot pumps promote careful and thoughtful water usage... we average approximately 10 liters a day for the two of us.

In the OP's place, I'd remove the pressure system and boiler, and use solar showers in thecockpit for bathing... it's what we did on our previous boat for 17 years of cruising!

Jim

[Rusty123]

So two things happened today - the galley pressure faucet literally broke (plastic), and the shower diverted on the head pressure faucet won't seat (probably needs to be rebuilt).

So I pulled the fuses for the water pump. I won't remove anything yet (that's a winter project), but I'll pretend it's not there for now. I'm already thinking about what I can store in that space when it's gone. [emoji848]

[jmccraw]

Give me a shout.
I am one of the Spirit 28 owners in Good Old Boat and wrote a article about the nav station
Jim McCraw
mgman@ipa.net
4178483773 cell

[boeing1]

I think sailing in that part of the country it would be a plus, I have a 28 footer and I have pressured hot water and it is not problem to maintain

[Cheechako]

Keep the pressure water and add an engine heating loop to the water heater/or new heater.. Very nice to have that warm water and here in the PNW you will motor a lot and always have warm or hot water that way. It makes a big difference living aboard and longer trips.

[Juho]

I love the little home like luxury that our AC and engine heated hot water system provides us (washing dishes, washing hands). But if you know you don't need your hot water system, get rid of all that unnecessary junk and give the system to someone who thinks it might be of some use. I guess it is just a luxury vs space problem. Engine heating is definitely a positive point. Entering and exiting a marina or anchorage is enough to keep the water hot.

[Dave22q]

[QUOTE=Rusty123;2428909]So two things happened today - the galley pressure faucet literally broke (plastic), and the shower diverted on the head pressure faucet won't seat (probably needs to be rebuilt).

So I pulled the fuses for the water pump. I won't remove anything yet (that's a winter project), but I'll pretend it's not there for now. I'm already thinking about what I can store in that space when it's gone. [emoji848][/QUOTE
Spending a few bucks to replace a faucet or two is no big deal. If that is too much you might reconsider if you really want to own a boat. I can guarantee you that trying to resell a 28 footer without pressurized water could be a deal breaker. Your prospects are probably going to assume replacement of the entire system is necessary.

[Dave22q]

[QUOTE=Rusty123;2428909]So two things happened today - the galley pressure faucet literally broke (plastic), and the shower diverted on the head pressure faucet won't seat (probably needs to be rebuilt).

So I pulled the fuses for the water pump. I won't remove anything yet (that's a winter project), but I'll pretend it's not there for now. I'm already thinking about what I can store in that space when it's gone. [emoji848][/QUOTE
Spending a few bucks to replace a faucet or two is no big deal. If that is too much you might reconsider if you really want to own a boat. I can guarantee you that trying to resell a 28 footer without pressurized water could be a deal breaker. Your prospects are probably going to assume replacement of the entire system is necessary.
The space gained by pulling the pump might let you store an extra tool box, the hot water tank maybe another cubic foot or so. Most marina don't charge by the watt so no savings there but you can reduce your usage by flipping the breaker to off. I don't understand how you save water by going manual. Is pumping so hard that you use less or are your reflexes so slow that you waste more by slow turnoffs?

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Keep the pressure water and add an engine heating loop to the water heater/or new heater.. Very nice to have that warm water and here in the PNW you will motor a lot and always have warm or hot water that way. It makes a big difference living aboard and longer trips.

I agree. My PO put a new heater in in 1998 when I bought the boat. I replaced it in 2013. I wouldn't be without it. I HATE going ashore to shower. I just had a delightful morning here in my slip, and enjoyed a hot shower. I wouldn't be without it. We have the engine loop and electric. Just moved up here last fall, and the October and November cruises last winter were made more bearable by being able to take a hot shower.

My OEM Shurflo pump is still working, 30 years old, but I do have a backup.

[01kiwijohn]

I cruise the NW extensively, had to make similar decision. Sold the water heater for $150 and have never regretted it. Need hot water, get good sized kettle and boil 'er. up. Use a sunshower, either inside or out.