Background:

Larger boats (with galley, head, and living quarters) often have "fresh water systems" for cooking, washing, shower, etc., and often connect to a supply of fresh water when in their slips.

With recent freezing temperatures in my area, I've been concerned that some of the boat pipes in my marina might freeze, break, and on warming, fill boats with shore water at a rate that the bilge pumps can't keep up with, thereby sinking the boat!

Idea:

A simple in-line shutoff valve that would sense water pressure and flow, and shut off water if the flow exceeded some maximum (set by seeing how much water flow it takes for the usual shower, sink, etc.) Should be mechanical rather than electro-mechanical for reliability, and unaffected by freezing temperatures. Could be reset only by manual intervention.
-- csea, Jan 15 2007

It would be the boat's pipes breaking, not the marina's, that might cause this. May I suggest that boaters turn off the water to their own slip or disconnect their water line upon leaving their vessel. In this way, there would be no problem for the boater.
-- wittyhoosier, Aug 07 2007


Maybe this could be a vacuum operated ball valve. The vaccuum could be drawn by a venturi through which all the water to the boat must pass. If the flow rate were too high, the high vacuum would pull closed the valve.
-- wittyhoosier, Aug 07 2007


Wouldn't it make sense to add alcohol to the water during cold weather? Not only would that vastly reduce the freezing point, it would keep the crew warm on a freezing day with every glass of water they consumed.
-- vincevincevince, Aug 07 2007


It's likely that a cracked pipe would leak slower than the running of a tap so the shutoff valve would not operate. I guess it would work to some extent if the maximum was equal to the capacity of the bilge pump.
-- marklar, Aug 07 2007



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