Hose Lifehack 1: So it stays tidy and dry in the back box
Not every jetty has freely accessible water hoses. We have our own hose with us so that we can still fill up with cool water when travelling. This has further advantages: We can ensure that this mobile water pipe is well maintained and as clean as possible. With public hoses hanging from the jetty, you don't know exactly what the hygiene situation is like. However, there is also a disadvantage: after bunkering, any water remaining in the hose leaks out and into the storage space.
To avoid unsightly puddles of water in the forecastle, we have come up with a simple way to get the residual water out of the hose. We hook in the spi halyard roughly in the centre and pull the slack line up into the mast. As soon as the ends on the right and left hang down reasonably straight, all the remaining water runs out. We leave it to drip off for a few moments, then the water hose is removed, rolled up and stowed away. A nice side effect: as the hose hangs stretched out in the mast every time, kinks don't form so quickly, which can hinder the unrolling and later the flow of water.
Markus Sturn, by e-mail
Hose lifehack 2: To the last drop
With the usual positioning of the drain plug in the shower tray, the shower water cannot be pumped out completely - in any case, we always end up with an annoying puddle in the sump. This can be remedied by inserting a small hose with a bevelled end into the drain connection. This can be used to simply pump out the residual water like a hoover.
Christoph Walther, by e-mail
Hose lifehack 3:Slime slingshot
Water hoses on the jetty should always be treated with caution. Especially in spring, there is a great deal of concern that algae, mould or other organisms may have proliferated on the inner wall during the long period without regular use. Our jetty neighbour always uses a piece of rope about ten centimetres long and eight millimetres in diameter to clean the hose: the Gardena connection is disconnected at the tap, the piece is pushed in, the hose is reconnected and the water is turned on. The pressure pushes the piece of cordage through the hose. Slimy greenish deposits give an idea of the condition of the inner wall. Repeat a few times.
Ullrich Döbler, Kiel
Hose lifehack 4: Stay clean
The aluminium abrasion and dirt from the mast groove collect on the plastic parts and quickly come into contact with the sail. In order to prevent the sliders from coming into contact with the cloth as much as possible when lowering the sail, we cut an old water hose into five centimetre long pieces and slit them open lengthways. The sections are placed on the sliders when the sail is lowered. This prevents any contamination when the sail is raised and then transported.
Falko Mattner, Oberkrämer
Do you have any advice for other sailors?
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