Washdown pump

SailChick20 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-05-2009

What GPM or PSI do you recommend?

This will be used to clean deck, and for fresh water showering.

(can you tell I'm ordering all my project supplies? lol)

KeelHaulin · #2 (**permalink**) 03-06-2009

Is your boat in freshwater or are you going to use a freshwater tank? Usually "washdown" systems are plumbed to a thru-hull which makes the system saltwater. I don't understand why you would want to rinse the boat with salt water regularly; but if the decks are very dirty or crusted with dry salt you can rinse it down with saltwater. I always just rinse the boat in the slip; or if I'm pulling up an anchor thats muddy I scrub it with a deck brush while it hangs from the bow before pulling it aboard.

In reading the reviews of the ShurFlo over on WM I would stay away from them; looks like they only last 1 year if used with saltwater. The Jabsco Parmax 4 looks like a good one (here on SailNet).

SailChick20 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-06-2009

Sorry...I should have specified. This is fresh water (Lake MI)...so I will use it to wash down the decks and on rare occasions...take a shower.

Thanks for the response!

KeelHaulin · #4 (**permalink**) 03-06-2009

Oh; that's nice. Just tee off one of your raw water inlets and then run a line to a deck fitting. Great perk living on a great lake!

JiffyLube · #5 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009

For your situation you can just hang a hose over the side of your boat in the water, with the other end connected to the wash down pump. The pump will have a enough lift to pump the water up to the deck, and you won't have to plumb anything through the boat.

I have this same setup on our boat, and we keep the wash down pump, hose, and spray nozzle with hose all in the recessed deck bow locker with the windless.

scottbr · #6 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009

I bought the Aqua Jet Wash Down kit 5.2 by Johnson Pump up to 70 psi. Defender has them on sale.

Works great for getting mud and crud off the anchor and for cleaning the deck. I disconnected my through-hull from the macerator and used it, since we will never use the macerator.

I installed the pump in a dry bildge beside the shower sump pump and ran a hose to a deck hose fitting in the anchor locker. I wanted to keep the pump close to the electrical panel. I do not know if the pump should or should not be installed at a point below the waterline since it is connected to a through-hull. Maybe someone can confirm or correct me on this.