How to wash boat with no shore water

[zpaul]

So, I was spoiled having water at the dock in my previous marina.
Now I am on fresh water lake dock with shore power but no shore water. Boat on the HydroHoist lift that I absolutely love.
Now the problem is how do I wash the boat? I can technically bring fresh water from the house in some water cans but that is not very convenient. I can use lake water by getting some pump into the lake attach the hose and wash that way.
Saw some guy washing his boat with electric power washer but no clue how he supplied water to it.
What do you guys use in this situation?
Any pumps or handheld battery power washers with hoses dropped into lake?

 

[johnso30]

I wash and wax mine real good at the beginning of the season at home. Then through the summer when it’s at the lake I’ll clean it with Boat Juice spray while on the lift. I’ll do it at the end of the week or weekend (whichever we were down for) to keep it from getting too dirty, and making it fairly quick to clean each time.

I know others use Hot Sauce similarly, and I’ll still use it when in the garage to remove water spots, but it left some hard to remove streaks when I used it in direct sunlight.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

So, I was spoiled having water at the dock in my previous marina.
Now I am on fresh water lake dock with shore power but no shore water. Boat on the HydroHoist lift that I absolutely love.
Now the problem is how do I wash the boat? I can technically bring fresh water from the house in some water cans but that is not very convenient. I can use lake water by getting some pump into the lake attach the hose and wash that way.
Saw some guy washing his boat with electric power washer but no clue how he supplied water to it.
What do you guys use in this situation?
Any pumps or handheld battery power washers with hoses dropped into lake?

I think @biffdotorg did a video on that… it was a portable battery powered unit that would draw water from the lake.. I don’t think it cut the mustard though.

Found it here…

Post in thread 'Cleaning while on the lift'

Jul 15, 2021

Foam cannon is your friend. I use it constantly to put a thick layer of soap on anything I am washing. That combined with a mitt, brush or turbo nozzle and my scrubbing is left to a minimum.

The SXS is much harder to clean than the boat, so the foam cannon is a life saver. It does require the higher GPM of my pressure washer.

I still want to be able to wash my boat on the lift, so I may just see if my electric pressure washer will suck water from the lake. It may work, as I have power down there for my Hydro Sweep. I just didn't want to drag 200ft of hose down there for a water...

• biffdotorg

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Since you have shore power I’d just get a RV style pump, they are diaphragm pumps and they will usually prime up to 6’ of lift from the water source. Get a high flow inlet side filter screen, I can help you source this if you need.

Get one that has 5 gallons per minute, these are usually in the 70psi range. You will have all the water you want with this set up.

 

[zpaul]

I think @biffdotorg did a video on that… it was a portable battery powered unit that would draw water from the lake.. I don’t think it cut the mustard though.

Found it here…

Post in thread 'Cleaning while on the lift'

Jul 15, 2021

Foam cannon is your friend. I use it constantly to put a thick layer of soap on anything I am washing. That combined with a mitt, brush or turbo nozzle and my scrubbing is left to a minimum.

The SXS is much harder to clean than the boat, so the foam cannon is a life saver. It does require the higher GPM of my pressure washer.

I still want to be able to wash my boat on the lift, so I may just see if my electric pressure washer will suck water from the lake. It may work, as I have power down there for my Hydro Sweep. I just didn't want to drag 200ft of hose down there for a water...

• biffdotorg

I saw his video like a year ago looking for some gentle power washer. I think Dewalt will be my last resort. Neat gadget but a bit underpowered.

 

[zpaul]

Since you have shore power I’d just get a RV style pump, they are diaphragm pumps and they will usually prime up to 6’ of lift from the water source. Get a high flow inlet side filter screen, I can help you source this if you need.

Get one that has 5 gallons per minute, these are usually in the 70psi range. You will have all the water you want with this set up.

So RV pump just straight to the hose or like an add on to some lower psi electric power washer?
Was hoping that maybe I can find power washer that can pull the water from the lake with some filters added similar to dewalt but with a bit more power.
Or maybe I should use the RV pump with the hose and forget the power washer?

 

[drewkaree]

So RV pump just straight to the hose or like an add on to some lower psi electric power washer?
Was hoping that maybe I can find power washer that can pull the water from the lake with some filters added similar to dewalt but with a bit more power.
Or maybe I should use the RV pump with the hose and forget the power washer?

Do you have shore power? I'm assuming so, since you mentioned a guy running a pressure washer, but you didn't mention having power. He may be running from a gennie or some other power source.

If you do have shore power, you can run the pump, with filters like you're envisioning, to an electric pressure washer. Here are two that are very similar to what I use for my boat.

https://www.amazon.com/TOOLCY-Compact-Pressure-Electric-Extension/dp/B0CPLLNW2G?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&smid=AI8UWSU51T2JT&gQT=1&th=1

Amazon.com

That first link looks almost identical to mine other than the color. It's at the lake house, and I won't be there for another 2 weeks, so I can't tell you what brand it is or a model number or anything. I know I got it at Walmart long ago, in the time before the great disease, so it was something like $65 or some number that's far less than today's price. That second link is a better price, but I dunno about either of those items.

What I can recommend is to ditch the plastic hoses that come with the electrics, and get a better hose right off the bat. Rubber, thicker, less prone to kinks and tangling. The gun is often a weak link too, and I ended up getting a shorter gun-style, but that's for another day, if you decide to head down this route.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

So RV pump just straight to the hose or like an add on to some lower psi electric power washer?
Was hoping that maybe I can find power washer that can pull the water from the lake with some filters added similar to dewalt but with a bit more power.
Or maybe I should use the RV pump with the hose and forget the power washer?

Well…. That depends on what you want or need. Pressure washers are much higher pressure but since they use less water have less volume, so good at removing bird poop, bugs etc. Looks like a lot of them come with foam canons too, could be useful for cleaning the dock as well.

But in your situation you’re going to need the “lift” pump as I do not know of any pressure washers that have their own lift pump other than the DeWalt one @biffdotorg tested. I think that the RV style diaphragm pumps can be found in 120 VAC as opposed to 12V ones found in RV’s. I looked at submersible pumps but I don’t think they’d be up to the task unless you were to put a well pump in.

I was reading on a sail boat forum that a guy got fined by DNR $280 for using lake water to wash down his boat at his dock so I’d check that out before spending too much time or effort on this system. I could see DNR getting po’d if you were using soap to wash the boat on your lift and there was it was all going into the lake. But just using lake water to rinse it? Dunno. When I was in OK last year there was a husband and wife run boat cleaning service that was cleaning boats at the marina, not sure what soap they were using, but for sure they were using a lot of vinegar as I could smell it. Point is that the DNR would have to be okay with it at that lake.

 

[zpaul]

Do you have shore power? I'm assuming so, since you mentioned a guy running a pressure washer, but you didn't mention having power. He may be running from a gennie or some other power source.

If you do have shore power, you can run the pump, with filters like you're envisioning, to an electric pressure washer. Here are two that are very similar to what I use for my boat.

https://www.amazon.com/TOOLCY-Compact-Pressure-Electric-Extension/dp/B0CPLLNW2G?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&smid=AI8UWSU51T2JT&gQT=1&th=1

Amazon.com

That first link looks almost identical to mine other than the color. It's at the lake house, and I won't be there for another 2 weeks, so I can't tell you what brand it is or a model number or anything. I know I got it at Walmart long ago, in the time before the great disease, so it was something like $65 or some number that's far less than today's price. That second link is a better price, but I dunno about either of those items.

What I can recommend is to ditch the plastic hoses that come with the electrics, and get a better hose right off the bat. Rubber, thicker, less prone to kinks and tangling. The gun is often a weak link too, and I ended up getting a shorter gun-style, but that's for another day, if you decide to head down this route.

Yes I do have shore power. These looks like good options!

 

[Babin Farms]

Assuming this is at your private property, I would just run a water line down there and be done.

 

[VitaminSea]

A sump pump should work for you. Tie on some dock line, connect a garden hose, and plug into your shore power. You should be all set for well under $100. I have the following from Amazon, however the item is no longer available. Sharing the specs as it has sufficient power to lift the water.

FLUENTPOWER 3/4HP Sump Pump 3300GPH Submersible Pump​

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

A sump pump should work for you. Tie on some dock line, connect a garden hose, and plug into your shore power. You should be all set for well under $100. I have the following from Amazon, however the item is no longer available. Sharing the specs as it has sufficient power to lift the water.

FLUENTPOWER 3/4HP Sump Pump 3300GPH Submersible Pump​

Okay, but you have to leave it running correct ? You cannot put a spray nozzle on it and shut off the flow?

 

[zpaul]

Well…. That depends on what you want or need. Pressure washers are much higher pressure but since they use less water have less volume, so good at removing bird poop, bugs etc. Looks like a lot of them come with foam canons too, could be useful for cleaning the dock as well.

But in your situation you’re going to need the “lift” pump as I do not know of any pressure washers that have their own lift pump other than the DeWalt one @biffdotorg tested. I think that the RV style diaphragm pumps can be found in 120 VAC as opposed to 12V ones found in RV’s. I looked at submersible pumps but I don’t think they’d be up to the task unless you were to put a well pump in.

I was reading on a sail boat forum that a guy got fined by DNR $280 for using lake water to wash down his boat at his dock so I’d check that out before spending too much time or effort on this system. I could see DNR getting po’d if you were using soap to wash the boat on your lift and there was it was all going into the lake. But just using lake water to rinse it? Dunno. When I was in OK last year there was a husband and wife run boat cleaning service that was cleaning boats at the marina, not sure what soap they were using, but for sure they were using a lot of vinegar as I could smell it. Point is that the DNR would have to be okay with it at that lake.

And just like that all my genius ideas were eliminated.
I guess me seeing other guy power washing his boat on community dock gave me assumption that it is totally normal. And it is not.
Though I was mostly planning to hit boats bottom to clean some lake stuff that’s get stuck.

According to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ), pressure washing is considered to produce wastewater, and it is illegal to discharge this wastewater directly into any body of water, including Lake Norman, under state law N.C.G.S. 143-215.1 (a)(6). This means that if you pressure wash your boat on a dock, any runoff containing chemicals, soaps, or debris must be contained and prevented from entering the lake.

To wash your boat safely and legally:

• Use environmentally friendly methods: Hand washing with biodegradable, phosphate-free soaps and using a bucket with clean water and towels can minimize runoff. This method has been noted as effective for cleaning boats without violating regulations.

• Contain runoff: If pressure washing, you must use equipment like tarps, berms, or vacuum systems to capture all wastewater and debris to prevent it from entering the lake.

 

[VitaminSea]

Okay, but you have to leave it running correct ? You cannot put a spray nozzle on it and shut off the flow?

I have never put a nozzle on it, so that’s a valid call out (I have put on the flushing valve adaptor, without an issue). The float can cycle the power on/off (or pulling it out of the water and the float will disengage the pump).

 

[zpaul]

Assuming this is at your private property, I would just run a water line down there and be done.

Unfortunately it is community dock with 20 more boats and no water in sight.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

And just like that all my genius ideas were eliminated.
I guess me seeing other guy power washing his boat on community dock gave me assumption that it is totally normal. And it is not.
Though I was mostly planning to hit boats bottom to clean some lake stuff that’s get stuck.

According to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ), pressure washing is considered to produce wastewater, and it is illegal to discharge this wastewater directly into any body of water, including Lake Norman, under state law N.C.G.S. 143-215.1 (a)(6). This means that if you pressure wash your boat on a dock, any runoff containing chemicals, soaps, or debris must be contained and prevented from entering the lake.

To wash your boat safely and legally:

• Use environmentally friendly methods: Hand washing with biodegradable, phosphate-free soaps and using a bucket with clean water and towels can minimize runoff. This method has been noted as effective for cleaning boats without violating regulations.

• Contain runoff: If pressure washing, you must use equipment like tarps, berms, or vacuum systems to capture all wastewater and debris to prevent it from entering the lake.

So … you can hand wash it on the dock with soaps and such but you can’t use a pressure washer ? Got it. You may want to talk with the local DNR folks about this as well.

I don’t know if this will be helpful for you or not. I have a raw water wash down system on my boat, a lot of times I wash the interior of the boat down with just lake water and brushes and it all goes out the deck drain. I know that doesn’t help you clean the bottom of the boat, but, perhaps you can use a brush on an extendable handle and brush the hull when you come off the water, using lake water to put that which got onto your boat from the lake back into the lake.

 

[zpaul]

So … you can hand wash it on the dock with soaps and such but you can’t use a pressure washer ? Got it. You may want to talk with the local DNR folks about this as well.

I don’t know if this will be helpful for you or not. I have a raw water wash down system on my boat, a lot of times I wash the interior of the boat down with just lake water and brushes and it all goes out the deck drain. I know that doesn’t help you clean the bottom of the boat, but, perhaps you can use a brush on an extendable handle and brush the hull when you come off the water, using lake water to put that which got onto your boat from the lake back into the lake.

That is exactly what I was doing all these times, dipping long pole brush in the lake and scrubbing it after outing.

 

[Babin Farms]

When we wet slipped our boat I would have a brush in the boat that we would use while anchored at the sand bar to clean the hull. If I wanted it cleaner than that we would pull it out and trailer it home for a good deep cleaning at least a couple times a year.