Sailboat Plumbing

A sailboat's plumbing moves fresh water, gray water, and waste through fixtures, pumps, and tanks. Reliable systems mean comfortable living aboard and fewer failures far from a repair yard.

What does sailboat plumbing include?

This category covers four areas: fixtures such as faucets, sinks, showers, and heads; pumps for bilge, freshwater, washdown, and waste; water treatment and filtration; and watermakers for making fresh water offshore. Together they handle every drop aboard.

How do I choose the right marine pump?

Match each pump to its job and flow requirement — bilge, pressure water, washdown, or macerator — then size for the load and wire it correctly. Choosing marine-rated pumps built for the environment prevents premature failure.

Do I need a watermaker for cruising?

A watermaker frees you from carrying and refilling large water tanks, which matters most on long passages and remote cruising. Size it to your crew and power budget so it produces enough without overloading your electrical system.

Browse our plumbing guides to choose fixtures, pumps, filtration, and watermakers that keep water flowing reliably.