A Very Close Call

Dock water hoses can be seen connected to lots of boats in marinas, and my 45ft schooner, Britannia, had the system built-in from original. A water hose connects to a dock faucet and a pressure-reducing inlet on the boat. This reduces municipal water pressure, usually around 60lb, to about 35lb and pressurizes the boat’s water system. The advantages are constant pressure in the boat’s water system without using pumps or battery power, and a more even flow than a small pulsating pressure pump can deliver for, say, a shower and silent operation.

Unfortunately, s ½in water hoses were as old as the boat, with a maze of connectors all in a tangled mess. I had repaired or replaced many sections that leaked or cracked from time to time,