Marine Plumbing

That do it yourself marine plumbing project doesn't have to be as difficult as you might think. There are just a few things to remember before you get your project under way.

1. Buy the right materials, never skimp, and never do workarounds. In the end the right stuff is worth the extra money. 2. Keep your workmanship neat and tidy. Down the road when you need to go back on it you'll appreciate it. 3. Your seacock and hull valves can be made of plastic, bronze, or marelon which aren't always interchangeable. Remember your job is only as good as the connectors and fittings you use.

First thing to consider is your design. You might be surprised by how creative you'll need to get in order to get your full plumbing system installed. You can run your system just about anywhere on the boat but not the bilge. Try keeping it tight along the sides of the haul for easy access later.

Avoid kinks in the lines. Keep things nice and neat and straight wherever possible. Secure it properly because the vibration from the engine and water can shake things loose. It can also cause rubbing and chafing. A common mistake is to bundle plumbing with the electrical wire harness. This is really not a smart move as it poses a fire risk.

Although your plumbing on your vessel may look much like that found in your house the differences are plenty. We mentioned vibration earlier. There is also heat and corrosion to contend with. Corrosion is especially high on salt water. So be sure that the materials you use are appropriate for the conditions you are going to expose it to.

Threaded through hull fittings should never be directly connected to a valve or seacock. Why you ask? Because a through hull fitting has straight threads and a pipe threads are tapered. The tapered threads and straight threads will not fully engage and there is a good chance of stress failure.

Fittings connections and clamps come in all kinds of materials including zinc, steel, and aluminum, bronze, copper, and plastic. Plastic fittings tend to fail if they are exposed to vibration or heat so they may not be the best choice for a marine application. You might consider a leak free; quick connect plumbing system that's designed specifically for marine application.

Electrolysis is the result of seawater which conducts electricity and thus causes corrosion on metal connected to your boat. It's very common especially within marinas. It's important that you are aware of this and deal with it. One method is to place sacrifice zincs over the side which will be sacrificed and eaten up before your haul is damaged.

You also need to be very careful when you are working with metal fittings on your boat. If any of them have a pink tint be careful. They could literally shatter in your hand.

Marine plumbing doesn't have to be any more difficult than house plumbing as long as you recognize the differences and use appropriate materials that will withstand vibration, heat, and electrolysis.