Click for Furuno Click for Abeking Click for Mulder Click for Mulder Click for Westport

Dock side water not working

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by Dennis Elliot, Jan 25, 2021.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. Dennis Elliot

    Dennis Elliot New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2021
    Messages:
    5
    Location:
    Cape Coral Florida
    Hi
    I can no longer use the shore side water connections, either side. Would any one know if there is a check valve or junction that could be blocked, and if so where would I find it.? This a 1980 43 ft Viking Double Cabin.
    Thanks.
    Dennis
  2. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2008
    Messages:
    11,205
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Trying to remember that boat but drawing a blank. Some boats from that era ran all water through the tank in which case the water pump would need to be turned on and that would act as your check valve. If however it goes direct there should be a check valve in line to protect against too high pressure. Look for where the 2 inlets meet. The check valve should be there. Have you tried drawing the water from your tank? That'll tell you if it's a bad pump.
  3. Dennis Elliot

    Dennis Elliot New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2021
    Messages:
    5
    Location:
    Cape Coral Florida
    I found the check valve. It was hidden behind the genset exhaust hose on the stbd wall. Took it off and it was full of black gook. Cleaned it out and put it back on and all is well now.
    Thanks
    Dennis
  4. Beau

    Beau Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2010
    Messages:
    2,261
    Location:
    Beaufort, NC
    "Black gook?" You may want to shock your entire water system with a 10% mixture of bleach and water. Run the elixir thru the entire system, including the pump side. Open all the faucets etc to get the mixture everywhere in the system. Leave it in overnight then flush everything well.
  5. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2008
    Messages:
    11,205
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    The boat is 40 years old. I might think about changing out waterlines. Cheap and easy enough job, although in Florida he probably drinks bottled water. Might also clean the aerators at the faucets as the gunk probably moved down the line..
    Welcome to YF Dennis.
  6. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    Don’t do this. That strong of a mixture will make all of the plastic water lines hard as a rock and brittle. Use something specifically for cleaning a water tank that isn’t bleach based.
  7. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2008
    Messages:
    11,205
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Might want to ask what kind of water lines the OP has. From 1980 there's a good chance it's PVC or semi-rigid polybutylene tubing.
  8. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    It makes per and polybutylene tubing very brittle. It also does a number on the water tank if it’s aluminum. I’ve never seen pvc water supply lines on a yacht.
  9. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2008
    Messages:
    11,205
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    I can't say, but I've seen it on crew boats and houseboats from that era. Regardless though, how many times since 1980 do you think people got the advice Beau innocently gave? What's the "black gook" in the waterlines"? What will clean it sufficiently for you to brush your teeth and make your coffee with it? Since he's had an issue with enough "black gook" to clog it and again the question about how good the lines and connections are I'd replace.
  10. Beau

    Beau Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2010
    Messages:
    2,261
    Location:
    Beaufort, NC
    There is chlorine in the municipal water? This is a common remedy so far I I have known. Any chemists among us? My pool filtering system runs high concentrate chorine thru its pex and pvc lines all season?
  11. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2008
    Messages:
    11,205
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Remember this water system was installed in 1980. This is from an article in SAIL:
    "The polyvinyl (PVC) plumbing I pulled out of the boat’s darkest recesses was truly disgusting. Black growth coated its insides and a swampy smell wafted upward when I cut into it. Algae flourishes in the light that passes through clear PVC tubing, and even though regular shots of chlorine will kill the algae, it won’t get rid of the residue. So I knew I didn’t want to replace the old PVC tubing with more of the same. The only realistic alternative is to use semi-rigid tubing with quick-fit connectors. If you’re a real traditionalist, you could use copper plumbing with compression fittings, though I don’t know why you’d bother."


    "Many DIY owners upgrading water systems in the past used semi-rigid polybutylene tubing, which was taken off the market in the ‘90s because it’s affected by chlorine."

    Yes there s Chlorine in most municipal water systems. Hence why that old stuff needs to be replaced, both because of the contamination and because 40 years of Chlorine has undoubtedly degraded it.
  12. Beau

    Beau Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2010
    Messages:
    2,261
    Location:
    Beaufort, NC
    Do not want to hi Jack this thread. But that sailboat water system sounds like a green swamp that's had little care? A "swampy smell" wafting up from my fresh water line would really give me pause. Algae in the clear tubing? Did they ever run the water system??
  13. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2008
    Messages:
    11,205
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    So would "black gook". The sailboat did sound like it had little care (like too many boats), but it's a good example of both PVC being used on boats, a contaminated system and why just treating the tank isn't enough, and chlorine's effect on tubing used back in the old days.
  14. Beau

    Beau Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2010
    Messages:
    2,261
    Location:
    Beaufort, NC
    Back in the old, old days, so I've heard, some used to pour in cheap vodka ....
  15. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,649
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    Once we ran a potable line from a nice well. Great pressure and no odor.
    Then, as above, we noticed lower pressure.
    No chlorine in well water, hoses sitting in the sun by day, in use in the evening.
    The hoses were lined with this goo (algae).
    Even if the water is treated, just sitting in the lines will cause the same thing; goo.

    Out ole Bert uses 1/2 & 3/8" copper tubing. Stainless potable tanks.
    Maybe 2 foot of hose total in the whole boat touches the potable water.
    We tossed the hoses, flooded the potable tanks, added bleach and drew our water from the on board tanks.
    Like taking the trash out to the street, we flooded these tanks twice a week for over 2 years.
    Deploying the hose, filling, draining the hose and storing back in a shed, away from the sun or heat.
  16. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,649
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    Upside down vodka martini??
    Then who cares what's in the water..
  17. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2008
    Messages:
    11,205
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Fill your water tank with good vodka and you might be the most popular boat in the marina.
  18. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    There is but a much much smaller percentage than 10%. I have used vodka and food coloring to winterize a yachts freshwater system when I couldn’t get the potable antifreeze, it worked well.
  19. Beau

    Beau Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2010
    Messages:
    2,261
    Location:
    Beaufort, NC
    why the food coloring?? Just hang a sign on the faucet - martini pour here.
  20. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    so you can see when the vodka mixture comes out of each faucet.