Wire reinforced clear pvc hose

[ky ed]

Planning hose replacement on my new to me 27' 1978. Want to run cockpit drains out the transom above water line if possible. That would eliminate a couple holes underwater along with janky plumbing runs.
Currently white pvc flexible spa hose that's stiff with sch 40 pvc glued fittings that have came unglued.
What's every ones opinion on clear pvc wire reinforced hose for cockpit drain hose?
Was working on a friends lagoon 440 and all hoses were all that stuff, water, waste, fuel fill/vent. Is that only European builders using it or was this boat refitted with it by previous owner?
From my experience only quality rubber wire reinforced exhaust hose is used below water line for a abyc compliance. Thanks for opinions and advice. Ky opinions.

 

[Prairie Schooner]

Planning hose replacement on my new to me 27' 1978. Want to run cockpit drains out the transom above water line if possible. That would eliminate a couple holes underwater along with janky plumbing runs.
Currently white pvc flexible spa hose that's stiff with sch 40 pvc glued fittings that have came unglued.
What's every ones opinion on clear pvc wire reinforced hose for cockpit drain hose?
Was working on a friends lagoon 440 and all hoses were all that stuff, water, waste, fuel fill/vent. Is that only European builders using it or was this boat refitted with it by previous owner?
From my experience only quality rubber wire reinforced exhaust hose is used below water line for a abyc compliance. Thanks for opinions and advice. Ky opinions.

Hi Kyle,
I'm away from home and can't confirm my records, but I'm pretty sure this is what we used. As I recall, it's rated for below the water line. Defender might be a good resource, but there are other places you can order it. As with anything I say, verify it elsewhere.
J

 

[Loren Beach]

One hose construction feature to watch for is a smooth inner liner. I have generally used hose (from a nearby industrial hose supply shop) similar to the one pictured above. Avoid any hose design that has to have "cuff" glued on in order to clamp it with.
Also, write the month/year on the side of the new hose section with a marker pen.
Small Edit: also be aware when sourcing this product that you seldom will know how to"old" it really is when you buy it; it could have been on a shelf at some manufacturing or warehouse distribution level for up to a year. i.e. it's new to you. Overall, all these flexible vinyl products continue to "cure" and harden on a continuous basis, until they finally crack open like the 80's hose products we have all replaced in our boats 30 or 40 years later.

 

[Kenneth K]

This was the most flexible rubber/wire hose I could find, but it still wouldn't bend tight enough for some of my cockpit drains. On those super-tight bends, I used silicone hose.

If you use the spiral-wrapped plastic hose (series 144), you can run hot air from a blow-dryer through it for 5 min to soften and pre-form it to approximately the final shape.

I had an insurance survey completed in June of this year. The surveyor didn't comment at all about the ABYC compliance of my hoses (I suspect silicone is not). He did emphasized that he was happy to see I replaced the old hoses as, he claimed, that's the leading cause to the sinking of old boats.

 

[Nick J]

Both hoses will work and are high quality for their application. I've used the Saniflex for my waste plumbing and the 144 VAC hose for bilge pumps and drains. The Saniflex is much more flexible. The problem is the cost. It's main feature is it's ability to reduce gas permeation while remaining flexible. Nice for a waste system, but a bit overkill for drains.

The 144 VAC hose is stiff and can be difficult to work with, but it does respond to heat like Ken suggested. It's also really nice that it's clear which makes it easier to locate clogs, verify flow, and even locate the water line.

 

[Loren Beach]

If I may toss in a naive question... I have seen lots of clear/translucent plastic with fabric spiral reinforcement, but have not seen this type of tubing with wire in it. Does this exist?
The wire reinforcement I have seen was in the multilayer black rubber-compound bilge/exhaust hose. EY used some of that for our bilge pumping and also some of the shorter-life while plastic ribbed hose, and I had to replace all that ribbed hose years ago.
The only place on our '88 boat with the clear tubing with the fabric cording in the material was the tubing from the bottom of the anchor locker connected to the the drain at the bow. (YMMV, as the saying goes.)

 

[Nick J]

Correction, I used Trident VAC 147 XHD. It's very similar to the 144 pictured, but it's heavier walled and rated for below the waterline where the 144 is not. Both are vinyl reinforced and do not include any metal. (Jeff, I think you did the same if I remember correctly)

Trident does make a clear hose with wire called the 163

Trident Clear Wire Reinforced PVC Hose (FDA) - #163 -

Clear FDA grade PVC hose with galvanized steel helix provides excellent flexibility and bend radius. Read More →

tridentmarine.com

I don't have any experience with it, but have seen a lot of Volvo installations where something similar was used for the raw water intake. Maybe there's a fellow Ericson owner who has experience with it.

 

[Prairie Schooner]

Correction, I used Trident VAC 147 XHD. It's very similar to the 144 pictured, but it's heavier walled and rated for below the waterline where the 144 is not. Both are vinyl reinforced and do not include any metal. (Jeff, I think you did the same if I remember correctly)

Trident does make a clear hose with wire called the 163

Trident Clear Wire Reinforced PVC Hose (FDA) - #163 -

Clear FDA grade PVC hose with galvanized steel helix provides excellent flexibility and bend radius. Read More →

tridentmarine.com

I don't have any experience with it, but have seen a lot of Volvo installations where something similar was used for the raw water intake. Maybe there's a fellow Ericson owner who has experience with it.

Thanks for the correction Nick. I'm about 1,800 miles away from my laptop and its records.

 

[ky ed]

This group is the greatest! Prompt descriptive knowledgeable replies. Included manufacture and part number of exactly what I am in need of. Thanks so much you saved me a lot of time and frustration trying to find the correct hose to use below waterline. It is Trident VAC 147 XHD.available from Defender and many others for about $3.00 per foot.

 

[ky ed]

I was at plumbing supply house today. I could of got original equipment hose today white 1" spa flex pvc working temperature. was 20 below? That is sure way below ice forming!

But the oem incorrect hose was about $5.25 / foot. Almost twice the price of the correct hose for below water line made by Trident sold by Defender and others.

Doing it right is allways cheaper in the long run. Especially when materials are cheaper!