Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Thought I would share my first project on the new Berkshire RFC. We operate almost entirely in saltwater, so i wanted to have a FW wash down for everyone. The first challenge was finding dead space largest enough to accommodate a container. The space behind the changing area/head was perfect. The other tough part was finding a route for the power wires underneath with the entire underside being skinned in aluminum. But I found a route, just required a little extra wire for running aft, then across to the battery compartment. I used a west marine 4.0 gpm wash down kit, 3/4" hose for all the barb fittings, and standard garden hose quick connectors to make the system easy to work with. The container is a standard "jerrycan" 5 gal. Finished it off this afternoon and everything works perfectly.

Impressive! I admire your creativity.

Wow that is awesome!!!!

Very nice! Clean install, Good job!

Great idea! Looks like that space was made for it!

Thanks for all the positive comments, yes the space was perfect, and I guess overall easier than standing on my head with my elbow behind my ear in a bilge trying to rig something up. The differences between a regular boat and a toon..

Very nice work. Like the way you worked that out.



JD

That looks awesome! Great job on the mod.

nice job.

1. what's the 'key' for, that's hanging on chain?
2. what's the fancy name for the hose quick connect, and where did you get it?

i have a similar system on mine, but no tank. intake hose runs to lake water. i'd like a better system for connecting hose, though.

PlaynDoc wrote:nice job.

1. what's the 'key' for, that's hanging on chain?
2. what's the fancy name for the hose quick connect, and where did you get it?

i have a similar system on mine, but no tank. intake hose runs to lake water. i'd like a better system for connecting hose, though.

Doc
Yes, on a lake that is all you need, it's already fresh water, that's great. The item hanging on the chain, is just the QD (quick disconnects) to insert into the outlet fitting as a "plug" when the hose is disconnected and stowed. The bulkhead male fitting had the female plastic cap already attached, I just added the QD stuff for convenience. You can get plastic QD's at Lowes or Home Depot in the garden section where garden hoses are, or the one I have on the outside that is brass, I got from west marine. I used the quality brass one outside because of the saltwater environment we operate in.. Post a picture of your connection point, and I can recommend something for you.

I have the exact same Berkshire....Like you I made my changing room into storage and I like putting the pump in there. I'd like to duplicate what you've done but obviously I don't need the tank. Problem I have how to get the suction hose from that compartment down into the water, or how to route a hose from the live well to the pump. I also thought about just tapping into the live well pump and using it as a wash down pump.

I like what you did though!

How did you get the wiring over to the live well pod/battery bin without drilling a hole into the deck in the storage compartment?

Great job going to be a winter project for me. I also am in salt water and the wash down will be great addition for next summer. What kind of pump did you get?

wickerbill wrote:I have the exact same Berkshire....Like you I made my changing room into storage and I like putting the pump in there. I'd like to duplicate what you've done but obviously I don't need the tank. Problem I have how to get the suction hose from that compartment down into the water, or how to route a hose from the live well to the pump. I also thought about just tapping into the live well pump and using it as a wash down pump.

I like what you did though!

How did you get the wiring over to the live well pod/battery bin without drilling a hole into the deck in the storage compartment?

Yes, you will have to drill through the deck, I fished the wires along the port side through the cross members going aft, then across until I got to the rigging boot that runs all the wires up into the battery compartment, and hooked the hot to my common on the battery switch. That way, when the batts are off it can' come on. as far as the hose, same thing, route it back and connect it alongside the same hose that feeds your livewell.

Gonefishing wrote:Great job going to be a winter project for me. I also am in salt water and the wash down will be great addition for next summer. What kind of pump did you get?

west marine 4.0 wash-down pump kit.

On a related topic...has anyone that uses water from a lake for their wash down experienced it discoloring whatever it is you wash down...or the boat start smelling like the lake. I want to add a wash down and I only have the vinyl in the very back in the fishing area which isn't a worry, but has anyone used lake water to wash the rug, seats etc.?

Just curious....