Marina Hose Pipes

[Piers]

With so many marinas removing their hose pipes citing various aguments including bacterial infection, we have to use our own. Since boaters' hose pipes are used far less often, is there not an even greater threat of bugs and infection? Maybe those concertina style hoses are even more prone to cultivating bugs as they hide in the crevices.

Should we carry additional medicines. But which?

 

[kashurst]

I wouldn´t worry too much. The hose pipe removal thing is about pipes being left in the sea and allowing bacteria back into the mains water supply. I always use my own hose pipe where ever I am, but always run water through it for a minute or two to give it a good flushing before filling the water tanks. I am actually more concerned about leaving water in the tanks over winter when it won´t be used much. I used to put tank sterilising solutions in but haven´t bothered for years with so far no ill effects.

 

[BruceK]

I think that has a hint of OTT to it. I've always used my own, I flush it with fresh water once in a while as I do my water tanks but if their are germs to be found, the little gremlins would more likely be in the boat's system rather than out because of chlorine depletion. Happily my water still tastes and smells ok and nobody has got the trots or worse from the water on my boat.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Maybe those concertina style hoses are even more prone to cultivating bugs as they hide in the crevices.

We've used one of those in the Med for about 5 seasons and with the hotter temps out there you'd think the risk was higher but we've had no ill effects so far but I do occasionally lob a couple of water purifying tablets in the tank

Sorry for the thread drift but IMHO a far greater risk is icemakers especially those with remote tanks which are left with standing water in them over long periods when the boat is not in use. We have suffered a couple of cases of upset tummy which we put down to ice produced by our ice maker. In fact on one occasion my SWMBO noticed green bits in the ice cubes it produced. Now we are very strict about clearing all the ice and water out of our icemaker system every time we leave our boat and when we get to our boat we always chuck away the first batch of ice produced. I do now regularly put a water purifying tablet in the icemaker when I fill it with water

 

[l'escargot]

I've seen more mucky water come out of marina hoses than I have my own. I've got a flat hose on a reel that expels most of the water when wound, which is stored in a cool dark locker.