Dockside water filtrations

M

MrsRobinson

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What is everybody using and where did you purchase it? What was your reason for using a filtration system?

Do you wash your boat with the filtered dockside water too?

Do you find that these systems really work?

Thanks,
 
I only use the water filters to fill my fresh water tank. I buy the RV type of filter at Wally-Mart and use about 2 a year. Don't wash the boat with the filter, just fill the tank.
 
I finally found a combination water filter/softener that a) works really well and b) doesn't require a months boat payment to purchase!

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also available with a stainless outer cover

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I bought the white one, with shipping, around $300.

I've used it all summer, washing the boat, filling the water tank and it still tests out at 0 grains of hardness. Less water spots on the boat and in the shower as well.

The only thing I changed is the filter cartridge that goes inside the blue piece is normally just a particle filter. I removed that and put a carbon filter in it's place since our marina water had a minor chlorine taste. (About $12 at Home Depot)

I recommend this unit very highly. (Nope, I get nothing for saying that!)

Do a google for "water mark softener"
 
The area where we will be keeping our boat has well water. Some of the marinas have had issues with the smell and taste.

Personally, I am surveying you folks to see if these things really help with these issues.
 
quote:
Originally posted by In the know

What are the benefits of these things?

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If you have hard water they remove the minerals in the water that when the water dries leaves little whitish spots all over the boat or shower walls. You also use much less soap and no mineral buildup in your water lines.

We travel alot and having a portable filter/softener system helps us maintain clean, tasteless water on the boat.

Even when your water source is a well the mineral content, ie hardness, of the water can be quite high.
 
It also allows more washes in between waxing. Aside from the improved taste of the water.
Bill
 
I have never used filtration aboard, but I might for the drinking water ( mostly for sanitation, but for taste as well ). But for washing? I mean, it's a boat! Boats get wet from many sources including ( acid ) rain, dew, seawater. I can't imagine ever using treated ( filtered and/or softened ) for washing the boat...

But whatever trips your trigger. Personally, I usually use the raw water ( often brackish ) aboard to save the effort of trying to find a hose attached to the marina. If I'm trying to "spruce her up fer the ladies", I'd likely use whatever fresh water is available from the hose at the slip.
 
We use a whole house filter as John illustrated above. HOWEVER, we mount it right at the fitting on the boat. This way the algae that forms in the long hose to the filter, stays outside. I'd say we use a filter a month in Summer. Inside the boat we have Aquapur filters on the cold water lines under the bar and kitchen sinks. These easily last a season.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Radioactive

I have never used filtration aboard, but I might for the drinking water ( mostly for sanitation, but for taste as well ). But for washing? I mean, it's a boat! Boats get wet from many sources including ( acid ) rain, dew, seawater. I can't imagine ever using treated ( filtered and/or softened ) for washing the boat...

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You'd change your tune if you ever had to wash down a blue hulled 110 footer. :-)

The best water to wash down with is hot RO water. Salt just melts away and you have no spots.

In loo of that, I like the softeners too.
 
If I had a 110 ft er, I'd have a crew... and it would no longer be my problem! ( FWIW: It is very unlikely that I would -ever- have a 110' er. For me, that is not a boat. At least, not of the recreational variety. Condo, party barge, or business tool, but not a boat. To each his own. I'll stick w/ 60 ft or less. )
 
We use the Spot Free system, which came with the boat; somewhat similar to rommer's illustration. Like Dan, we have it right by the boat"s dock water intake. I then fill the tanks from a freshwater tap on the aft deck. We end up with nice water on board, and more-so if I remember to recharge the softener part of the system on a regular basis. You notice the difference when washing the boat.

I think all the different brands of these are pretty much the same, though the Spot Free and Wet Spot people are very nice and have nice boat show give-aways. Wet Spot sells a conditioner that help keeps the softener clean, and usually hand out samples at the show (along with a hardness tester); also they market an inexpensive water gauge to track how much water has gone through the system since last recharge, so I guess if I was buying one on my own I would buy theirs because they are cool. We end up using water in all kinds of odd ball locations, so this gives us some comfort factor. If you always use the same dock and the water quality there is fine, I don't see the point of getting one.

George
Hatteras 56MY
Boston Whaler 130 Sport
 
I have the same thing as Rommer. It is actually made by a guy up here that lives in Inver Grove Heights. I went to his place and he showed me how he puts it all together. He actually came up with the idea when he had a boat and got tired of trying to get rid of the water spots. He is some kind of engineer who designs manufacturing systems. I have had mine on the dock all summer and it is still fine. The admiral really appreciates the soft water for the shower and I like that I do not have to squeege the boat after I wash it. Well worth the money. You may want to change out the filter with a charcoal filter for a better taste. We never drink boat water it is only for dishes, shower, etc.

Radioactive - if you lived up here with the extremely hard water you would be singing a different tune unless you like scale every where.
 
Ok, I;ll fess up ( sort of ). Sometimes I've been known to clean the windshield w/ distilled water... :)

But, I think that it is not just the water quality, but expectations. Mine are almost certainly lower. I am much more concerned with what is going on in the ER, and bilge, than i am about spotting on an area that is going to get drenched about 3 min after i crank up the lumps. But I must admit, spot-free boats certainly look purty. But it's just not my cup of tea.
 
Our marina water comes from a well and the brackish water is only 250 feet away? Darn right I have a filter. With my watermaker I also have a UV scrubber which helps kill any bacteria. However we do not use the watermaker at the docks too much oil and even though I have a seperator to keep the oil away from the membrane in the water maker I don't trust it. Our water here and at my home almost all of SE NJ has large amounts of iron in the water it turns white shirts tan without proper filtering. You can actually see it on the no skid w/out filtering.
Bill
 
For Potable water I can understand such a device. For washing the boat it seems like overkill. If it is water spots that waorry you, just add a shot of vinegar to your boat soap and no water spots.
 
WE use two whole house filters that you can get at any hardware store. One has a sediment filter, and the other has a charcoal filter for taste. In addition, we have a filter on the ice maker line. We now have city water on the dock, when we were at a marina with well water, we also used a water softener.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Radioactive

I am much more concerned with what is going on in the ER, and bilge, than i am about spotting on an area that is going to get drenched about 3 min after i crank up the lumps.

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If you have an older boat with a questionable finish I can understand that sentiment however, if you have a newer boat with a shiney finish and picky admiral you will make sure that the outside looks just as good as the bilge. I realize that how a boat looks is not indicative of how it runs but how often do you see a good looking boat that isnt taken care of. Ok I will admit that there are way to many people out there who have the money to make a boat look shiney but no idea of how to open the engine hatch. All things considered with dark blue sides I will keep mine clean. Boats are no different than cars in the aspect that sometimes you will see a 10 yr old car that looks like new because the owner keeps polishing it and you can see a brand new BMW that looks like crap.

Never thought of adding vinegar to the wash. I have used it to get spots off but that is a really good idea.
 
i've tried one of the large water softener filter which you see on so many docks and frankly i coudlnt' see much of a difference in water spots. ideally, you'd still have to dry the boat after a wash or rinse. I didnt' get one after trying them...

if your dock water is really bad, then use a filter to get the sediment and stuff out.

What i like having is a good filtration system on the boat with charcoal filters and a UV light to kill whaterver you might get in your tank. That's what we have here on Charmer and the water taste very good.

filterfast.com is a good source of filters and cartridges at a fraction of the marine store cost.
 
Wash a boat???? Who the hell does that???? And why????
 
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