Foot pedal operation for sinks.

[SailingAdrift]

Hi All,

We are well into our complete refit, and we are strongly considering foot pedals for the sinks in the heads and kitchen as the sole means of water flow.

Would love to hear your thoughts about the practical pros and cons.

(These wouldn't be foot pumps; they would be valves for the pressurized fresh water system)

[Sparx]

I have had the foot PUMPS on a cruiser. It took some care to locate the pedal in a place that would not be a tripping concern, but this was easily solved. But I liked the pumps and would use them again.

For foot switches activating a pressurized water system I have the same concern for locating the switches in a way that would not be a tripping hazard, and in the case of the locking type locating in a way that cannot be inadvertently activated causing water to flow accidentally. Consider the case of stumbling around when the boat is rolling in a seaway.

Secondly and at least as important foot switches are gadgets to be maintained. I try to keep my boat as simple to maintain as possible, and this is where I would move away from a complexity when a simple conventional faucet would suffice.

Since I have no actual experience with the foot switches, my opinion is all I have to offer.

[Calif.Ted]

My only experience were the sinks in the ER, while a good practice in that setting I found them difficult to adjust the temp using 2 pedals with right foot while teetering on the left. I can imagine times in a moving sailboat when standing on 1 foot while washing hands to prep lunch might be problematic.

[Bill O]

We have a foot pump for our remote drinking water tank and it works fine.

For the galley sink (on main pressurized water system), we use one of these types of water saver devices. Super easy to install and does help save water, while still using the pressure pump.

[SVHarmonie]

I think you'll find them quite impractical while in a seaway.

I assume you want them to keep your hands free to wash. The problem is you can't operate a foot valve while the boat is rolling because it means standing on one foot, which means your hands aren't free anymore. Heck, if it is really rough, you'll need two feet AND a hand to hold on. Any water savings you imagine will go out the window because you'll need to stomp on the foot valve to keep your balance, no finesse will be possible.

If you have hot water aboard I am not sure how you control water temperature either.

I would suggest you spend the time, money and creative energy that this would take and find a real problem to solve.

[thinwater]

It's easy to be stingy with pressurized water; don't open the tap the whole way or put the water into a pot.



I've had both systems, and IMO there is no important difference if you have some discipline.

[SailingAdrift]

Originally Posted by Calif.Ted

My only experience were the sinks in the ER, while a good practice in that setting I found them difficult to adjust the temp using 2 pedals with right foot while teetering on the left. I can imagine times in a moving sailboat when standing on 1 foot while washing hands to prep lunch might be problematic.

That was on our list of potential cons, we'd only have one pedal as hot water is an unrealistic commodity, but balance underway would still be tough.

[SailingAdrift]

Originally Posted by thinwater

It's easy to be stingy with pressurized water; don't open the tap the whole way or put the water into a pot.



I've had both systems, and IMO there is no important difference if you have some discipline.

I'm more worried about you mates brushing teeth, and washing hands. They don't seem to be as conscientious You've had practical experience with the foot pedal setup?! How is it while underway? The one we are considering https://www.webstaurantstore.com/fis.../34047759.html seems to only take a toe to operate.

[barnakiel]

We have one and use it a lot, also under way. I like it. No noise, no electricity and very low fail rate. Simple and works.


When they are harder to use is probably in some modern stupid boats with flat floors. But our boat has floors properly countered for proper footing outboard.



No problem to fit one, even if you mount an electric one parallel.


b.

[thinwater]

I thought regulating water usage with two teenage girls would be a problem. I explained that if we ran out of water, that was it, no more washing, and BTW, I'm bald and my hair doesn't need washing.


I'll be darned if they didn't learn to be very economical. No problems at all. You just need to explain it in plain terms.

[roverhi]

Have cruised with foot pumps, only have foot pumps on both my current boats, and almost never used the pressure water when I did have it available. The foot pumps are way more efficient at delivering bulk amounts or water when you want it or a trickle when that is all that is required. Of course the sound of one hand washing with hand pumps is deafening. Deafening because you are swearing at the hand pumps when you have to use one hand to pump when you need two hands to do whatever you need to do like WASH YOUR HANDS. On an new to me boat, the first thing I do is remove the hand pumps and install foot pumps.

Where the pump foot levers are located in relation to surrounding furniture controls how convenient they are to use under way. If you have something to lean against, not a problem to use the pumps even in rough conditions. Lean against the furniture, support yourself with one leg and pump with the other, easy peasy. Done it for 5 figure ocean miles with no issues. Never had a galley layout where using the foot pumps was a problem.

Installed pressure water when we built our Westsail because everybody said you had to. Found that sitting in the slip, would go through 80 gallons of water at an amazing clip. Switching off the pressure water and using the foot pumps took our water usage down to a gallon a day. Only time we used the pressure system thereafter was to quickly empty a tank if we needed to. When I rebuilt the galley in the Pearson 35 reinstalled the pressure water pump but never hooked up the plumbing.

[roverhi]

Originally Posted by SailingAdrift

I'm more worried about you mates brushing teeth, and washing hands. They don't seem to be as conscientious You've had practical experience with the foot pedal setup?! How is it while underway? The one we are considering https://www.webstaurantstore.com/fis.../34047759.html seems to only take a toe to operate.

A couple of things to be aware of. Will you be able to control volume of flow or is it on-off only?? If you cannot control volume it will be a water waster. What happens when you have the inevitable pump or electrical failure?? Happens to everybody if you cruise long enough and it's no fun having your water trapped in the tanks. With a foot pump with rebuild spares or spare pump you'll never be without for very long.

[ELC]

We had foot pumps only for 14 years of living aboard and some cruising. Loved how efficient they were.

Now, we had no hot water on tap! Used the Whale pumps. Three of us could make 90 gallons last a month.

Using underway wasn't bad. Brace elbows in the fiddles and pump with hands in the sink. We did showers with a garden pump sprayer in the sun.

Now our current boat is more complex and have pressure water. Honestly I miss some of the simplicity but enjoy some of the convenience. It's all a trade off.

If using foot pumps full time carry a few spare rebuild kits. Seemed to rebuild them every year to year and a half.

[NorthCoastJoe]

To keep it simple if you want a hands free valve we got one at Costco for the kitchen sink at home runs on 6 AA batteries. Wave your hand under it and it flows. I don't know if I would want that on a boat but it is a simple idea less plumbing to mess with. Just hook up hot and cold easy nothing on the floor and it also can be switched to a manual only mode. Ours is similar to this :
https://www.costco.com/flow-motion-a...100401278.html

[Kd9truck]

I am in the home Stretch of a total refit on my 2010 Jeanneau SO 44i,with 3 heads. We have holding capacity for 160 gals of fresh water. I put a electric fresh water head in and love it, it is the main usage head and there are no smells at all. We spend a lot of time on mooring (when the wind is under 10 knots and over 30 knots) not smelling the head is a priority for us.
We have a manual foot pump of salt water that pumps thought a dedicated faucet, at the galley sink. I am never more than a 1/2 day from a fill up in my normal cruising area so I don’t sweat water consumption. Off shore we use a manual salt water toilet, and wash and scrub dishes with salt and rinse with fresh. This option saves us a lot of water, we also use the transom shower for showers and that saves us a ton.
I would put the money into passive holding and catchment systems before I put money into foot peddle faucets. Is it the water conservation or the desire to be Hands free?i have cooked many a meal (In a heavy following sea) strapped in to the stove and still holding on to the faucet, the sink divider, the locked stove door, the ceiling, the companionway rails, with two feet firmly planted and wishing I had opposable thumbs on my feet

If you go that route make it so it will appreciate the value, most modifications done well will have this quality, structurally sound and clean in its execution as if it’s original.
Good luck.