Freshwater intake

32carv

32carv

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We are are on a very clean, freshwater lake and fill our fresh water tank directly from the lake. This spring I will plumb the water system to draw directly from the lake. I have the bronze through hull fitting with a petcock.

What is the best procedure to drill and seal the fitting?

For all you salt water guys who will be upset with this, the water is not used for drinking and doing this is very common on our lake.
Jim
 
Is the hull cored? If not just cut the hole with a hole saw and bed in the thruhull with 5200 or 4200. Adding a backing plate inside the hull wouldn't be a bad idea either.
 
Jim, greetings. The question is, do you not have a thru hull bringing in raw water now? If so why another hole. You can draw water from any on, the ac the head or wash down. Many of us on Georgian bay donot carry any tanked potable water. our only tanked water is the hot which is raw. Take another look and save the hole saw. Bill
 
Fish pee, poop and do other things in that water. Humans....maybe two outa three-hopefully. Whatever floats yer boat, but I'd rather use water run through some kind of pre-treatment before showering or washing my hands. But then again...I'm a salt water boater....and if you ever saw what comes out of a manatee....you would leave raw water use for washing down the anchor chain and fish blood.
 
I realize that people have done this for a thousand years but all those ducks and geese that people so admire poop in it regularly then there is the septic systems surrounding the lake. The world has changed.. Is the water quality tested by anyone? I can see it now, showering away or washing dishes while drawing water for drinking.

It can be installed just as a wash-down pump system.
 
Hmm. . .interesting. I'm on fresh water also. We swim in the lake, float in it, I'm sure as careful as we all are about not getting a splash of lake water in our beer or cocktail it happens. I've bathed in the lake on hot days (before I had a handheld shower on the swim deck).
And yes I pee in the lake, so do the fish and ducks and whatever else there is on shore that the rain carries into the water. And I am certain there are plenty of old boats that dump their crap overboard. But I still swim in the lake.
If you concentrate on every possible contaminate could ever enter the water you would never, ever get in the water again. Next summer, I'll still swim in the lake.
Do you add bleach to the tank to keep it as fresh as possible ? I guess with easy tank refills you run it dry occasionally and refill with new water ? Do you use a screen or cartridge to keep sediment out of the plumbing ?
To answer your question, as a few have already said, use an existing hole if possible.
 
quote:
Originally posted by cmariner32

Fish pee, poop and do other things in that water. Humans....maybe two outa three-hopefully. Whatever floats yer boat, but I'd rather use water run through some kind of pre-treatment before showering or washing my hands. But then again...I'm a salt water boater....and if you ever saw what comes out of a manatee....you would leave raw water use for washing down the anchor chain and fish blood.

Click to expand...


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There's a mental image I'll try and forget :)
 
quote:
Originally posted by 32carv

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regardless of the purpose, drill thru the hull/core from the inside with a hole saw. take measurements first to see where it lands on the exterior. surface has to be flat on both sides and in the water when the boat is in motion.

use resin to seal the core after the hole is cut. fully cured and inspected before installing the thru hull. 3M 5200 or 4200 is an excellent polyurethane sealant to bed the fitting. you will need a special tool to hold the fitting from the outside while tightening from the inside.

if any of this sounds uncomfortable, get someone with yard experience to do the thru hull fitting install for you. a leak into the core does not end well.
 
You might consider a water pick-up tube mounted on the transom. No holes! I started with 3/8" tube for the live bait bucket. Worked so well I now have two 3/8" and four 1/2" pick-ups for all raw water needs and can even be used as an emergency raw water source for the engine cooling system. There's so much water, the drive shower completely hides the drive.
 
I would not use untreated lake water in my "potable water system" (which would then no longer be really "potable"). Sure you don't plan to drink the water but what about brushing your teeth? What about cooking? What about washing dishes? What about when you have guests on board and they don't know not to drink the water?

What about when you try to sell the boat? What if the new owner moves the boat to somewhere where the water is not so clean?

Personally, I think it's a bad idea but it's your boat so if you think you know best, go ahead with your plan. Your thruhull and seacock probably came with instructions but if they didn't, look it up on the Internet. Make absolutely sure the threads on the thruhull and seacock match. Not just the size but they should be straight threads, not tapered. If they don't match they won't screw together as far as they should.
 
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