We Replumbed Our Entire Boat… And It Leaked Everywhere Ep.66 #boatrefit

After ripping out every hose and fitting in our boat, we committed to completely rebuilding our fresh water pressure system from scratch. Instead of traditional marine hose, we chose a PEX-A plumbing system with expansion sleeves—a residential solution that’s marketed as being easy for DIY installers and far more reliable long term. We’re firm believers that when household systems make sense on a sailboat, they’re often the better choice. To do it right, we invested in the expensive electric PEX expansion tool (the only realistic option for working in tight hull spaces) and ordered hundreds of fittings—sleeves, elbows, tees, manifolds, valves, and couplers in both 3/4" and 1/2". We ran nearly 200 feet of PEX pipe through both hulls, from engine room to engine room, and all the way forward into the bow locker. It was one of the biggest infrastructure projects of our refit. We made the final connection, stood back, and felt confident. We were wrong. To pressure test the system, we rented an air compressor and immediately discovered far more leaks than we thought possible. We chased air hissing through bilges, engine rooms, and heads. Soapy water bubbled at fittings we were sure were perfect. What followed was seven days of troubleshooting, ten hardware store runs, and a crash course in the realities of PEX-A installation. Here’s what we learned: Technique with the expansion tool matters more than you think PEX connections don’t seal well in very cold temperatures Reusing a fitting is nearly impossible once you cut off the sleeve—one tiny score mark can cause a leak Confidence is not the same thing as a sealed system After days of cutting, re-expanding, re-routing, and re-testing, we finally sealed the entire freshwater system...or so we thought. This episode is a real-world look at DIY boat plumbing, PEX installation on a sailboat, and the kind of setbacks that come with a full refit. It’s not glamorous—but reliable onboard systems are what make long-term cruising possible. On to the next project. 00:00 Episode Intro 01:00 Channel Intro 01:19 Day 1 - Optimism 07:38 Day 2 - Hopeful 10:59 Day 3 - Persistant 14:11 Day 4 - Frustrated 17:40 Day 5 - Laugh so you don’t cry 20:18 Day 6 - %&*#@ 23:44 Day 7 - Forlorn 24:52 Wrap up 25:32 Like, Subscribe, Emoji, Bye! 26:00 End Card ☝More about us, our adventures, and how we do all this on our website.More about Roam here ⛵️https://sailingroam.com/our-sailboat/ 📲 Keep up with us on social FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/sgsailingroam INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/sailing_roam ----------------------------------------------------------- WE'RE GERI AND SHAWN. A couple travelers out chasing the horizon, meeting the people, and capturing it to share with you. We’ve chosen to Roam the world by boat because, let’s face it, the most interesting path is rarely a straight line. As we learn to let go of our American drive to finish, and embrace the meandering routes across islands, oceans, continents, and people, we hope to gain a better sense of our world and our place in it. The path won’t always be comfortable or easy to find but, it will always #roam #SailboatRefit #BoatPlumbing #PEX #DIYBoat #LiveaboardLife #CruisingSailboat #MarineSystems