I am currently building a small houseboat from the ground(pontoons) up. I am now at the plumbing part and I would like to install a water filter. Every bit of incoming water (including city hook up) will go through the filter before the holding tanks and I would like to be able to utilize (when appropriate) lake water for non-drinking water. ALL drinking water will be bottled however, I would like to be able to shower with the filtered water and wash dishes.
Is there a high capacity filter that you can recommend for my useage. I simply have no experience in this area. THANK YOU

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Building a 8x35 houseboat

Just a thought, and I wished I had done it, why not install one of the Seagull watermaker systems? You will then have the best of ALL worlds.

Skally

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Chance Favors The Prepared Mind!

I'd check the water filter web sites and see what types are available for what applications.

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Willie
She's a tired old barge but she's paid for! http://s71.photobucket.com/alb...p;current=ef324993.pbw

I filter my (city) water when I put it aboard, using an in-line RV filter connected to the hose. It works wonders for the taste and smell. On a previous boat I used unfiltered sea water for washing.

My guess is IF the lake water is safe to swim in it would be safe to shower and wash with, but I still wouldn't put it in the tanks. Not being chlorinated it could "spoil" over time and create all kinds of issues.

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Willie
She's a tired old barge but she's paid for! http://s71.photobucket.com/alb...p;current=ef324993.pbw

Thank you Stmbtwle, I think I will start investigating the sea gull line. I agree that putting ANY degree of bacteria (bugs) in the holding tanks can be bad and that is the reason I believe every bit of water (including city water) should be filtered. I read a lot of RV magazines and like you said Stmbtwle; once the bugs invade, it becomes very problematic. My hope is to never have to draw (visibly clean) lake water out of a lake however, this may be a necessity (salt water is NOT a consideration) . I think maybe sea gull may be the way to go. Being that I have built it from the toons up, I have a good amount of money to spend for good components. AND..... I have built this vessel with the advice of Stmbtwle and Peg. I spend alot of time reading and learning. Its been an adventure...... Thank you again for your responses, they go highly appreciated. PS.... I used Durabak on the decks and roof. Unbelivably tough and durable. If you got the bucks and you READ the application directions, this is great stuff... Peg... I bought the trident hoses...expensive but well worth it...thanks for the advice. If I ever catch up with you all, I owe you some drinks.....

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Building a 8x35 houseboat

Why do you want to filter all water going into your boat? If you filter all the water going into your water tank, you'll remove everything that prevents bacteria, molds, fungi etc from growing in the plumbing and makes the water "funky" very quickly unless all the water in the tank is turned over very quickly. That can be masked with another filter at the faucet, but in a system that relies solely on filters, that's never recommissioned, I wouldn't want to see what's in the plumbing behind any faucet!.

Using only bottled water for drinking is a waste of money...cuz you don't have to drink water to ingest it. You wash your hands in it, then pick up a sandwich...you rinse out a glass, then put your bottled water in it...you cannot wash your face without some getting into your mouth..etc. You're GONNA drink it! So all you really need to do it make it taste and smell good.

A filter on the galley faucet--which, unless you need to improve on taste/smell of the water from your municipal water supply, isn't necessary either--will do that. But neither filtering the water coming into the boat, nor any filter on the faucet will purify your water...'cuz no commercially available filter will catch harmful bacteria and virii.

But if you still insist on having one, remember that filters require frequent cleaning and replacement, and they are not a subsitute for system maintenance--i.e annual recommissioning. And on 99% of boats maintaining the system will keep your onboard water smelling, tasting--and as "pure"--as any coming out a faucet on land. So what  if you ingest a few "germs?"...without 'em you wouldn't have an immune system...'cuz it's the "germs" that create the antibodies that create our immune systems.

Fwiw, although I hear from many people who want to know how to eliminate a funky taste/smell from their fresh water (which is easily done by recommissioning the system), in 20 years I've yet hear of anyone whose onboard fresh water--unfiltered, stored in tanks--made them ill.

After reading your fresh water plan, I can hardly wait to see how you plan to set up the sanitation system.

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Peggie Hall, Moderator
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987, Author: "Get Rid of Boat Odors--A Guide to Marine Sanitation Systems and Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor."
[L=http://shop.sailboatowners.com/books/detail-books.htm?sku=66438&cat=1304[/L]

Edited: 12/17/2007 at 07:16:26 PM by peghall

The main reason I filter my water is it removes the sulfur, and I avoid the hot-water stink everyone is always complaining about. I don't have a problem with critters either, but whether the filter is responsible for that I can't say.

I DO turn the water over relatively quickly; I RARELY fill my tanks and I NEVER connect to shore water, instead using the tank water for everything and then refilling with fresh, so the whole system is constantly being "flushed". It works for me.

On the other boat I connected to shore water 'cause the tank was so small, and one year the water got so funky I could SEE the critters swimming around in it. Didn't make me sick but it took all day to flush/clean/flush the system. I learned my lesson.

The seawater system on that boat (and on this one) was completely independent; with it's own pump and plumbing. Currently I only use it for washdowns and bait, though.

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Willie
She's a tired old barge but she's paid for! http://s71.photobucket.com/alb...p;current=ef324993.pbw

Edited: 12/18/2007 at 08:48:38 AM by stmbtwle

Thank you for the input. I have to admit when I started this thread, I did not know the difference between filtering and purifying. Fortunately, after speaking with the techs at Seagull, I have a much better idea of how to approach this system. Since I have a clean slate and can do anything, getting it right the first time is important to me. Obviously, based on Peg's advice, this will take a lot more planning. As far as the sanitation system, I purchased the toilet Peg recommended, the rhonco tank, and the sanitation lines from trident. The vent is 3/4" to support air turnover and I have followed all recommendations she outlined. Thanks again for your experiencial advice and I'm sure, based on your recommendations (or should I be so bold to say I hope) the sanitation system will work fine. TTFN

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Building a 8x35 houseboat

jjohnson, Hey need way more info about Duraback., I'd like to talk, email or what ever if you're willing. Thanks!

Hello ppalme my email is jjohnson@usnetway.com

I used durabak for my roof and decks. You need to read the instruction and use two coats but this stuff is as tough as nails. A little expensive but in my case, well worth every dime. Feel free to email me and I will relay everything I know. I am a very new boat builder and I have been learning from these forums for several years. Any info I can pass along I would be very glad to share. I even have some pictures I can send or I can also go take some...

Jim

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Building a 8x35 houseboat

Used to have a fellow posting here called "Water Maker Man" who's business is water purification systems for boats. Was active for several months then dropped off the forum. Don't know if you could search previous posts and find his contact info. At the time his system struck me as very workable and reasonable. May still be lurking here, but hasn't posted in an long time. Dont know if someone here hurt his feelings or if not enough interest in his system.

Best,

Bob

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I carry a gun because it's too tiring carrying a cop.

Thanks Bob- I will search the forums. I am rethinking most of my water system and at this point I believe I will filter everything but only purify what is needed for drinking of cooking.

Thanks

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Building a 8x35 houseboat

The fresh water tank on our boat has a large weld that has failed (alum. tank) and I will not be able to repair without pulling the boat out of the water.   So, in the mean time, I have disconnected pick-up hose (supply hose from tank to plumbing system in the boat) and am now drawing water right out of the lake.  Our lake is in northern CA and I would consider it to be 'clean'.   We drink and cook with water from our tap at home that we bring up in one gallon jugs.  I am not really concerned with bacteria, germs, etc. from the lake water in our bodies as we always swimming and playing in the lake and I'm sure we ingest plenty that way.  My concern is the lake water sitting in my piping system or in my hot water heater etc.  This raw lake water is also being used for our head as well.  All of this water of course after it is used whether from the head, sink or kitchen is then going into our black water holding tank (no grey tank on this boat).  So, here is my question; should I be concerned with 1) bacteria or other "growth" that could occur in my water piping system or HW heater? and 2) Once used, this water sitting in my black water tank for several weeks between pump outs?


Edited: 07/16/2009 at 02:27:54 PM by potis

Our boat was a Lake Powell boat, it spent 18 years there before we bought it. There are 2 vanities and the kitchen sink that have faucets, plus one outside faucet. The sinks have a standard hot/cold faucet, plus an additional added single faucet. Lake water was used for the "main" faucets, including the hot water tank. Below is a 54 gallon fresh water tank, this water was plumbed to the single faucets for drinking water. All the plumbing is original, even the water heater. No filters were ever used. There was no stinky or 'green' water smells or evidence whatsoever. Proves to me that Lake Powell water is pretty clean...

Then we move the boat to Utah Lake, which is all of 10' deep with an algae problem. Our harbor has no culinary water, but there is well water. The well water looks clean, and tests okay for bad stuff, except for high levels of iron. The cement around here is orange from the lawn sprinklers...

In an attempt to make life easy using the well water, I bought a 2-cartridge filter from Home Depot, it uses the cartridges that are about 10" long and 2" diameter... for the first filter I tried one of the fairlhy loose 'string' cartridges, and a charcoal cartridge in the second filter. The filters seemed to work great, the filtered water in a glass compared to bottled water in a glass looked just as clean and clear... But, about 3 days in, the "wet lawn" smell of the hot water was overbearing. I tried switching to much 'tighter' filters, but the only result was much less water pressure. Changing the charcoal filter was the only thing that helped, but the smell is back in a few days. So, I shut off the lake input, and just connected the main plumbing to the water tank, and fetch my own water...

That all said, I'll just say that if your water heater doesn't end up making your lake water smell like wet grass, then maybe consider a setup like ours was. I would LOVE to do that if I could...

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1988 SkipperLiner 53x14
1995 Tracker Party Cruiser 32 *for sale*
2003 Chaparral 260 SSI
2000 Allegro Bus 40' DP

Edited: 07/19/2009 at 07:56:38 PM by FranticallyRelaxing

Franticallyrelaxing,

Thanks for the info.  Our set up is very similar to your "original" set up.  I didn't go into it in my earlier post, but I also have two outside hose reels connected to individual raw water pumps.  I also have a smaller 35 gallon poly tank that we fill with fresh water from our marina.  This tank is plumbed to a small water spigot at the sink on its own small pump.  We use that water for brushing our teeth and for our dog to drink.  The only odor we ever have from using the lake water for our other fixtures is the sulfur (rotten egg) smell from the hot water. But this is very minimal and typically is only noticeable when we first open the hot water on the faucet and the air escapes.  Once the water is running for a second or two the odor is gone.  

jjohnson, check out this site: http://reiheld.home.mchsi.com/boat.htm

These folks built their own houseboat over the past 5 years. It's 16 X 54 if I remember correctly. They very recently got it powered and the steering installed, and took their first ride on it about 6 weeks ago. They are very nice people; I spent a week with them at their home, back in May.

Vic Willman

Thanks for the kind words, Vic, but sounds like JJ is WAY ahead of us. Plumbing?? Whuzzat? For that matter, wiring?? Tanks, pumps, treatment systems, and all that?? Ha! Not THIS year. I had some hope of actually being a'head' of the game by mid-fall, or at least by Christmas, but we spent too much summer enjoying our relatives to make that sort of interior progress. Meanwhile, now home from our adventures, Rob continues to plug away at tedious carpentry details. Maybe it'll be all weatherproof by wintertime, and we can start pulling wire and installing rough plumbing. Meanwhile, guess I'll git me a five-gallon drywall-bucket and some hamster-cage shavings.

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Amelia
Edenton, NC

Update on the 'plumbing', Vic-- we got the head installed last week. What? You didn't see the order? That's because we went with a different brand. One that doesn't require plumbing, running water, or electricity: I went down to the Habitat ReStore and gave 'em fi' dolla for a granny pot, one of those quaint bedside commodes for invalids. For emergency use, only of course, with plastic grocery bags and a scoop of kitty litter, to be disposed of in an (ahem) environmentally-responsible manner.

(yeah, progress continues to be subtle, but the boat builder is having himself a fine time focusing on exterior details. We'll see what the winter brings. This latest amenity is so ugly that it may spur him to greater efforts.)

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Amelia
Edenton, NC

Hi Mimi, was just thinking about the two of you and VOILA! - I hear from you. Yes, Raritan doesn't manufacture a "bucket head" although that was a nickname we used to have for one of our former Plant Managers :-)

Is Rob's purgatory on the Outer Banks completed for this year? The weather is really nice now, not too hot or too cool - a good time to get a few things done on the boat...?

And for me, Fall Boat Show Season is in full bloom. I'm leaving in the morning (Wed.) for Annapolis, MD to work the Sail Boat Show. It runs all the way through Monday. I guess because the banks are open on Mondays, and they can close on a few deals(?) That's the only show that I've ever worked that extends through Monday. But it's a still lot of fun (even after having worked shows for the past 31 years). Annapolis is one of my favorite towns to work a Show. Some of the other towns, not so much...