Aluminumhullsailor writes:

I have been working on a fresh water system to install on a 45 foot
cruising monohull sailboat. Does anyone know of any online schematics
or idea lists that may provide me with another line of thought? Any
books you have found helpful would be a good tip also? I will post my
schematic in a few days for comments.

I have six (6) built in potable water tanks, three (3) on each side, each
with about a 50 gallon capacity on the boat I'm building.

Before you ask, NO, I do not plan on having 300 gallons of potable water on
board.

This was done for two (2) reasons.

All tanks are below the sole and had the space not been developed as
tankage, it would have remained as undeveloped space under the sole that
would collect who knows what, and sooner or later get contaminated with
bilge water. Building tanks eliminated this problem.

That fact that there are equal tanks on both starboard and port allows the
potable water to be used as liquid ballast. (BTW, also did this with twelve
(12) diesel tanks)

Each tank is equipped with a vent, a 1-1/2" fill nozzle, a 1/2" return, and
a 1/2" plugged connection for future.

These connections are contained in a removable fiberglass access hatch held
in place with 316 S/S coarse thread self tapping screws and SikaFlex 291.

All tanks are integral to the hull and coated with two (2) coats of tank
resin.

At the bottom of the tank, a bronze thru hull and bronze ball valve serve as
the tank outlet.

The six (6) tank outlets are plumbed together with potable water hose and
then to the suction side of both a Jabsco Centrifugal transfer pump and a
standard diaphragm pump.

The six (6) return connections are also inter connected by means of more
1/2" ball valves and potable water hose from the outlet of the centrifugal
pump which is also equipped with 1/2" ball valves on both inlet and outlet.

The centrifugal serves as a transfer pump moving water from any tank to any
other tank.

The standard diaphragm pump serves the boat.

Each of these pumps is bolted down to a piece of carbon steel, 5"x10"x3/4"
which has been rust proofed.

The pump and steel plat as a unit are mounted using rubber bushings on the
side of a floor.

This provides a sound isolation system for these pumps since I calculate the
resonant frequency of the pump/plate to be around 50 Hz.

BTW, all other pumps face the same fate.

Since potable water is being used a standard household accumulator tank is
used (it contains brass so it can not be used on salt water).

A water maker will be installed so that the output is fed to a tank thru the
return port. This allows you not only the ability to pick where you want to
store the water, but also keep it isolated from any other potable water on
the boat.

Will have a tankless, propane fired hot water heater.

I don't know about you, but I hate jumping into a cold shower and wait for
it to get warm.

I also don't want to waste valuable potable water waiting for it to get
warm.

Solution:

A ball valve connected from the output of the hot water coming into the
shower to the potable water return line.

Open the valve for maybe a minute and the cold shower problem is solved.

Use the same technique at every other hot water consuming source.

Much of what is outlined above is also applicable to salt (raw) water
systems as well as fuel systems.

BTW, standard 1/2" copper water pipe is 5/8" OD, and fits 5/8" ID potable
water hose quite nicely.

I constructed the various manifolds using soldered copper water pipe and
fittings along with using double hose clamps at each hose termination. (Have
also used the same idea for the diesel fuel system)

At last count, had used over 100 hose clamps and about 40, 1/2" bronze ball
valves.

HTH


--
Lew

S/A: Challenge, The Bullet Proof Boat, (Under Construction in the Southland)
Visit: http://home.earthlink.net/~lewhodgett for Pictures