Pressure water - overrated?

[Mediator]

We have a pressurized freshwater system and manual foot pumps for both salt and fresh water in the galley. I wouldn't have it any other way, but I've also had issues with both systems.

The pressurized system is great for when we're coastal hopping, especially with friends or family who are less inclined to "rough it out." They get pressurized water in the kitchen, cockpit, and head and are able to take real, hot showers in a real shower stall. Once every couple weeks we'll stop in a marina and fill up the tanks (even with only 120 gallons, it takes us a while to use it all). It makes sailing that much more appealing to others.

When we're on a longer passage, we turn off the pressure pump and just use the foot pumps. Honestly, it's easier to use the foot pumps in a seaway than fumble around with a faucet, and it saves water and electricity.

However, I've had trouble with both - we had a leak at our head faucet and didn't hear the pressure system fill the bilge with 60 gallons of water (new rule: pump stays off when we're not at anchor) and bad wiring at the pump took us a while to rectify on one trip. We've also had our saltwater foot pump seize and break into three pieces, so that's not a perfect system either. Having multiple systems with redundancy has proven to be a real plus!

[boatman61]

I fitted an inline switch operated electric pump in the heads for ease of use on my Longbow.. did not last long before I went back to solar showers and hand pump.. water usage shot up with elec pump.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Steve Bean

It doesn't take many giardia cysts to cause illness - as few as ten, according to one source I found, and they are very tiny.

I think he is implying that effective filtration is easier with pressurized water. There are very few filters that are NSF 53 certified for cyst removal that do not require pressure.


Frankly, pressurized water technology is a lot older than than GPS, AIS, laptops, and so many other "necessities" I doubt most of you would leave the dock without. I can cook on a camps stove, sleep in a bag, and measure depth with a lead and string, but I don't chose to. Just sayin'. In fact, my new boat does not have pressurized water and I am NOT planning to add it. But I loved it on the PDQ and considered it vital to the personality of the boat. My F-24 is racy, my PDQ was luxurious. It just depends. This is not a "good vs. bad" or "right vs. wrong" question.

[yachtgemini]

It's not bloody camping....

There does seem to be a tight correlation between boats without pressure water and refrigeration and ending up being a single hander...

We lived on board for 14 years and never begrudged the occasional maintenance of both systems. My wife and I both value simple creature comforts and water on tap and fresh food were critical to our happiness.

Yes, we used a fair bit of water but nothing compared to a typical domestic environment. Maintenance consisted of a new pump probably every three years and lots of filter replacements. Not a big deal.

If we were in a water short area we simply economized.

I do not ever want to bring salt water and the associated fecal contamination in many anchorages on board and use that to wash my food utensils.

[Dave22q]

As a live-aboard I consider hot water a necessity. Pump replacement is easy and leaks are very seldom (1 in 6 yrs). If properly installed/ double clamping all connections you should have no problems.

[Steve Bean]

My contribution re: giardia was indeed inspired by Thinwater's mention of filtration. My career in water system operation gave me a an awareness of giardia's strong survival characteristics.
Relevant to the original topic, my own preference for my boat is for foot-operated water pumps, both fresh and salt. I like the simplicity and easily controlled flow. No electrons needed. No accidental emptying of the tanks. A trivial bit of hands-free effort.

[Mike OReilly]

I’m always bemused by those who feel the need to insult others with this “camping” slur just because some people make different choices and use manual whatever systems.

If you like pressure water, then share its benefits. Why put down those who make other choices and value other benefits?

[bailsout]

You apparently didn’t practice the Herreshoff philosophy. For an introduction read his “The Compleat Cruiser” or his “ Simple Cruising Designs”.

[Paul Howard]

As a water saving measure while full time cruising I set up Whale 12V immersion pump to a shower head with a toggle switch for on/off. The pressure water system shower was a real big waster of water, by the time you got the water temperature adjusted just right more than enough water for a shower already went down the drain. I put a few litres of water that is the correct temperature, either from solar heat or heated on the galley stove, into a bucket in the shower stall, drop in the immersion pump on our catamaran, hit the switch to wet hair and body, switch off, soap up and hit the switch to rinse off. When the water in the bucket runs out, I am done.
I do not have a huge boat with large tankage, watermaker and money to burn turning diesel fuel into water, many maintenance dollars or wish to maintain a watermaker and all all that goes with it, yet get clean and happy.

[Training Wheels]

We have both foot pumps and pressure water. We only use the pressure water when taking a shower inside(rare), flushing the watermaker, or using the deck hose(usually to fill the sun shower). We more resemble the “camping” end of the spectrum. I guess we’re not comfortable![emoji15][emoji2]

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I’m always bemused by those who feel the need to insult others with this “camping” slur just because some people make different choices and use manual whatever systems.

Why would "camping" be a slur or insult?

Lots of people camp. Probably including some of us who prefer pressure water in our boat.

-Chris

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by alctel

- pumps seem to break fairly often (every couple of years, even the expensive ones)

There was a period around a year ago where one manufacturer in particular seemed to have a lot of pumps going bad. We had a lot of these pumps returned and most were less than two years ago. Perhaps not surprisingly, they were made in communist China. What was surprising was the manufacturer had a good name was was fairly well regarded.

Having said that, a lot of pumps, to include bilge pumps, go bad not because of manufacturing defects, but because of wiring issues and in particular, voltage problems.

Pressurized water systems are more complicated than manual systems and are thus more prone to trouble. Although I like things to be less complicated, one of my boats came with a pressurized system and it works just fine. I exercise discipline so I don't use too much water. In all honesty though, the manual system on the other two boats (with the foot pump) works perfectly well and I've never had any trouble with it. I like the fact that I don't have to turn on power to get water.

The one place I am thinking of pressurized water is for the cockpit hand held shower I am installing on one non pressurized boat. I don't think I can practically install a foot pump in the cockpit.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

Why would "camping" be a slur or insult?

Lots of people camp. Probably including some of us who prefer pressure water in our boat.

-Chris

Ah, my mistake. So when people say others are “camping”, they mean it as a positive thing. Silly me .

[ranger58sb]

Not sure I take your point.

FWIW, when I say camping I just mean camping. Neither positive nor negative; only the camper can decide that part of it.

FWIW2, we enjoyed camping when we used to do that.

-Chris

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I’m always bemused by those who feel the need to insult others with this “camping” slur just because some people make different choices and use manual whatever systems.

You don't really understand the internet, do ya Mike?

I've never had to fix the pressurized water system in my boat (although we have accidentally hit a tap and unintentionally wasted a bunch of water), but I have spent a day at anchor trying to rebuild a fellow boater's foot pump so...

I would think a combined system would be best, but unlike Actel I have yet to make the long trip down to warm Mexican waters, so for now I will keep my hot water and warm showers.