Galley salt water pump

[Bodach na mara]

Yes, I can see the point of reducing the number of holes and seacocks but my question meant why does anyone want sea water in the galley? I understand that people sailing offshore on long voyages way wish to save their fresh water supply and wash utensils in salt water but on such occasions using a bucketfull from over the side must be preferable to the possibility that someone makes tea with the wrong water.

 

[Refueler]

Yes, I can see the point of reducing the number of holes and seacocks but my question meant why does anyone want sea water in the galley? I understand that people sailing offshore on long voyages way wish to save their fresh water supply and wash utensils in salt water but on such occasions using a bucketfull from over the side must be preferable to the possibility that someone makes tea with the wrong water.

I have two sinks .. one supplied FW .. other supplied SW .... the SW one gets used more than the FW .... and I do not have long voyages offshore ...

 

[Roberto]

Yes, I can see the point of reducing the number of holes and seacocks but my question meant why does anyone want sea water in the galley? I understand that people sailing offshore on long voyages way wish to save their fresh water supply and wash utensils in salt water but on such occasions using a bucketfull from over the side must be preferable to the possibility that someone makes tea with the wrong water.

I personally have three taps/spouts: electric pump fresh water, manual pump fresh water (used at night as the electric pump is noisy), foot pump for sea water. I have an electric pump to be added in line for the sea water, as depending upon the situation we can use the sea water quite a lot, ex for a first rinse of plates, or when we cook pasta to lower the average temperature of water going into the discharge hoses. Bringing a bucket from outside would mean 3/4 of it in the bilge
Re routing of the intake hose, I would suggest to avoid any warm areas: mine passes near the fridge compressor, the heat creates all sort of decomposition in sea water and after 6-12 hours without use, the first water coming out of the spout has a very bad smell.

 

[KevinV]

Yes, I can see the point of reducing the number of holes and seacocks but my question meant why does anyone want sea water in the galley? I understand that people sailing offshore on long voyages way wish to save their fresh water supply and wash utensils in salt water but on such occasions using a bucketfull from over the side must be preferable to the possibility that someone makes tea with the wrong water.

My non world girdling little boat has a tiny fresh water tank, so I use as little as possible - so I do have a seawater tap in the galley. I reckon I use about 3x more seawater than fresh. Carting that amount of weight around would stop the boat.

 

[KompetentKrew]

Why not tee off the heads inlet? You would only be using the heads pump, or a sink pump, not both together.

This is how my boat is configured. When I read the first post in the thread I believed the galley to be T'd off the engine intake, but I checked after reading @wonkywinch's reply and found my memory mistaken.

 

[Minerva]

This is how my boat is configured. When I read the first post in the thread I believed the galley to be T'd off the engine intake, but I checked after reading @wonkywinch's reply and found my memory mistaken.

Hmmm. Think I’d prefer to not to have a direct route from the toilet bowl to rinsing my dishes

 

[BobnLesley]

...why does anyone want sea water in the galley? ..

Our first yacht, a Swedish built Albin Vega, came with a SW pump, which I believe was fitted as standard from new When we bought a new one without a SW tap, we were surprised by just how much more fresh water we used, hence our installing one. Perhaps not worth it if you are weekend sailing from a marina with a handy water tap, but living predominantly at anchor or on moorings where you're often hauling water by jerry can and dinghy, you quickly find one to be worthwhile.

 

[BobnLesley]

The well known whiff of H2S on first flush after a week or more of toilet inactivity is due to microbial contamination in the suction pipe, blowblack through the poorly efficient suction valve. So that same water could reach the galley for flushing your pots.

Even without the close proximity of the heads, that needs considering with salt water tap installations. If it's not used for a few days, you need to pump the pipe through before use - how thoroughly depends on what you are using it for at that moment - so the shorter that supply pipe is, the better

 

[KompetentKrew]

Yes, I can see the point of reducing the number of holes and seacocks but my question meant why does anyone want sea water in the galley? I understand that people sailing offshore on long voyages way wish to save their fresh water supply and wash utensils in salt water but on such occasions using a bucketfull from over the side must be preferable to the possibility that someone makes tea with the wrong water.

My galley has two sinks - the salt water supply is to the one in the corner, under a lid. It's space that wouldn't be very useful if the sink wasn't there - it wouldn't be convenient for chopping veg or whatever. I just half fill it with salt water and toss the dirty dishes in there to soak for a bit before washing up properly. It is far more convenient than hauling up a bucket of water and sloshing it down the companionway.

Not much chance of confusing the taps - it's easy to remember the one on the left is saltwater. I think I made tea with salt water once years ago (maybe on someone else's boat?), and I assure you that one never makes the same mistake again.

 

[Refueler]

Spouts have RED tape for SW and BLUE tape for FW ....

Foot pumps are separated ... not at boat - but I think its FW immediately at hand .. with SW along the side of unit behind the rubbish bin there ..

 

[JayBee]

First Hand Experience:
In 2011 we teed off the inlet hose to a 3GM30F to fit a foot-pumped seawater tap. It was intended to be 'temporary' installation until we next hauled out, but by the time we reached Spain eight months later, we thought why introduce that extra hole into the hull. It was still connected there when we sold the boat in NZ in 2020 and we'd never had any related problems with either the engine cooling or the seawater tap. We used heavy/good quality tee, hose and jubilee clips for the installation and also fitted a 'just in case' inline stop valve in the galley feed immediately after the tee; we never used the stop tap but would do the same if I fitted another.

Thanks! Most useful!

 

[BobnLesley]

Thanks! Most useful!

You're welcome; any more questions on the subject, just ask.
Be sure to use a good quality/heavy hose (for peace of mind) not an offcut from a garden hose as I once saw someone do Also, a coloured/opaque hose to minimise algae growth inside; still remember to flush it with bleach once or twice each year.